Portal:Religion/Did you know

• ...that the word, Christian, only appears three times in the Bible?

• ...that estimates of Muslim population today range between 1.2 billion and 1.5 billion people and just 18% of them live in Arab countries?

• ...that Islam is the fastest growing religion worldwide?

• ...that on The Beatles album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, there is an image of famed magician Aleister Crowley, and that David Bowie uses Thelemic references in some of his songs?

• ...that Gerald Gardner is credited with re-introducing the word 'Wicca' into the English Language?

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Archive

Ayyavazhi

Subpage	DYK
1	...that the Akilam is the longest Ballad form of literary work in the world?
2	...that The Santror in Akilam refers to Chanar, sociologically?
3	...that as per Akilam the human race originated somewhere near Kanyakumari?
4	...that Akilam applies a common creationism for Humans and Universe?
5	...that more than ten of the prophesies in Arul Nool had been fulfilled in the world?

Baháʼí Faith

Subpage	DYK
6	...that the Baháʼí Faith speaks of three core assertions, sometimes termed the "three onenesses": the unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of mankind?

Bible

Subpage	DYK
7	...that the word, Christian, only appears three times in the Bible?
8	...that Methuselah died in the year of the Flood. Genesis 5?
9	...that the phrase "God helps those who help themselves" is not found in the Bible? It originated from Discourses Concerning Government written by Algernon Sydney?
10	...that there is no known ancient document which claims Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus?

Buddhism

Subpage	DYK
11	... that the aim of Buddhist practice is to end the cycle of rebirth called samsara (Pāli, Sanskrit), by awakening the practitioner to the realization of true reality, the achievement of liberation (nirvana)?

Christianity

Subpage	DYK
12	...that Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches celebrate Mass, while Eastern Christian churches instead celebrate Divine Liturgy?
13	...that Seventh-day Adventists believe that the Roman Catholic Church did not have the authority to change the Biblical Sabbath, and therefore keep Saturdays holy instead of Sunday?
14	...that Christian demonology has assigned the colours red and black to represent Satan?
15	...that the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro in Côte d'Ivoire is listed by Guinness World Records as the largest church in the world?
16	...that the movie The Exorcist came out in 1973 caused such an increase in requests for exorcisms that the Catholic diocese of Chicago had to expand their staff with specially trained exorcists?

Confucianism

Subpage	DYK
17	...that one key Confucian concept is that in order to govern others one must first govern oneself?

Hinduism

Subpage	DYK
18	...that Krishna (pictured) literally means "black" or "dark one" in Sanskrit?
19	...that the Mahabharata is the longest literary epic poem in the world?
20	...that the Ganges River (Ganga in Indian languages) is personified in Hinduism as a goddess?
21	...that the Varanasi is the most holy city in Hinduism irrespective of denomination?

Islam

Subpage	DYK
22	...that estimates of Muslim population today range between 1.2 billion and 1.5 billion people and just 18% of them live in Arab countries?
23	...that Indonesia is currently the most populous Islamic country with 213 million followers?
24	...that the Islamic calendar is based on sightings of the crescent moon (hilāl), with a year being approximately 11 days shorter than the 365 days of solar calendars?
25	...that Muslims believe Muhammad was the last prophet sent by God to mankind?
26	...that the Qur'an is the only book that has been completely memorized by Muslims (hafiz) all around the world for nearly 14 centuries?
27	...that the Qur'an is believed by Muslims and traditional Islamic scholars to have remained unchanged since its revelation?
28	...that Islam is the fastest growing religion worldwide?

Jainism

Subpage	DYK
29	...that Jain philosophy is a codification of eternal universal truths which at times lapse among humanity, but later reappear through the teachings of human beings who have gained enlightenment or omniscience?

Judaism

Subpage	DYK
30	...that the Hebrew name for God, YHWH (pictured), is sometimes called the Tetragrammaton?
31	...that according to the Torah, Moses lived to be 120 years old?

Latter-day Saints

Subpage	DYK
32	...that the Book of Mormon is claimed to be another Testament of Jesus Christ?
33	...that Latter-day Saints scriptures include the Doctrine & Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price?
34	...that on June 23, 2004 (Hinckley's 94th birthday), President George W. Bush awarded Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the United States, in a ceremony at the White House?
35	...that the pioneers traveled to the Salt Lake Valley in the Great Basin using wagons, handcarts, and, in some cases, personally carrying their belongings. Their trail along the Platte River and over the Sweetwater River became known as the Mormon Trail?

Mythology

Subpage	DYK
36	...that the Ugaritic Yam is in many ways the mythic predecessor to the Abrahamic Satan?
37	...that the English folkloric figure Herne the Hunter is etymologically related to the Celtic god Cernunnos?
38	...that Tinia is the Etruscan mythology counterpart to Zeus of Greek mythology?

Occult

Subpage	DYK
39	...that the Tree of death, also referred to as the Adverse tree, refers to the reflection or opposite aspects of the Tree of Life within the system of the Kabbalah?
40	...that the Cipher Manuscripts are a collection of 60 folios containing the structural outline of a series of magical initiation rituals corresponding to the spiritual elements of Earth, Air, Water and Fire?
41	...that if you play Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin backwards you will supposedly hear satanic messages?
42	...that on The Beatles album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, there is an image of famed magician Aleister Crowley, and that David Bowie uses Thelemic references in some of his songs?

Shinto

Subpage	DYK
43	...that in Shinto, the family is seen as the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved? Their main celebrations relate to birth and marriage.

Sikhism

Subpage	DYK
44	...that the Five Ks are worn by all Khalsa Sikhs as per the principles set by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru?
45	...that the Rishi Valmiki is believed to have written the Ramayana epic at the site of the Harimandir Sahib?
46	...that Guru Har Rai succeeded Guru Har Gobind at the young age of 14?
47	...that a gurmata is an order passed by the Sarbat Khalsa in the presence of the Gurū Granth Sāhib?
48	...that the Hola Mohalla occurs the day after Holi and is when the Khalsa Panth gather at Anandpur and display their fighting skills?

Spirituality

Subpage	DYK
49	...that from the point of view of psychology, meditation can induce — or is itself — an altered state of consciousness?
50	...that cosmology is the study of the universe in its totality and by extension humanity's place in it?

Taiosm

Subpage	DYK
51	...that the origins of Taoism and Confucianism are intimately related?

Wicca

Subpage	DYK
52	...that because Wicca is a season based religion, people in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate holidays in opposing times of the year, compared with the Northern Hemisphere?
53	...that Wiccans often identify as witches, but Wicca and Witchcraft are not necessarily the same thing?
54	...that Gerald Gardner is credited with re-introducing the word 'Wicca' into the English Language?
55	...that Wicca was previously an Old English word (pronounced: 'witcha'), meaning a male witch or wizard and 'wicce' was a female witch?
56	...that Wiccans observe eight seasonal Sabbats of the year and 12-13 Esbats each year?

Zoroastrianism

Subpage	DYK
57	...that Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed religions, and was the state religion of three great Iranian empires?

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