Monotheism is characterized by the belief that there is only one god or divine being. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all monotheistic religions. These religions all also spring from the same source. Judaism emerged roughly one thousand years before the birth of Christ. Christianity, rather obviously, began around two-thousand years ago. And Islam began in the early seventh century with the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

Along with Buddhism, these four religions are part of the five most influential religions in human history. With the exception of Judaism, which has had a great cultural impact on the world, they are the religions in the world with the most followers. All four of these religions are correctly matched with the name of their primary holy texts.

Lutheranism, the religion that emerged from the reforms of the earliest Protestant thinker Martin Luther, is most prevalent and uniformly followed in the upper Midwest. In states like Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin it is the dominant religion. It is useful also to know that Catholicism is common in New England and near the border with Mexico, and that Baptists are predominantly found in the South.

More than half of all Americans who self-identify as Buddhists live in Southern California. The reasons for this are partially to do with the number of east Asian and southern Asian immigrants who have arrived in the American west coast in the previous one-hundred and fifty years, and partially to do with the cultural and social atmosphere of southern California.

Religious fundamentalism is common throughout human history and the contemporary world. All of these religions have had, and continue to have, problems with fundamentalists. "Fundamentalism" refers to a strict, literal interpretation of a religious text or set of precepts. The term is not specific to any particular religion.

The Shinto religion is practiced almost exclusively by the people of Japan. It is fairly closely related to Buddhism and Confucianism, due to its emphasis on oneness with nature and ancestor worship, but it is distinct from both these religions. It continues to be influential in modern Japanese society where it manifests itself in such things as war memorials, shrines, agricultural festivals, and communication with one’s ancestors.

When a religion is described as evangelical it means that many of its followers actively try and convert others through missionary work, education, and general proselytizing. Islam and Christianity are both evangelical religions. Hinduism is sort of an evangelical religion but is not truly a global religion because it is followed in significant numbers only in the Indian subcontinent. Judaism, despite its immense cultural and historical significance, is not followed in large numbers anywhere in the world except Israel and the United States. Buddhism is a global religion, followed by people in a wide variety of places, which is not considered to be evangelical.

Christianity, by most estimates and data, has slightly over two billion global followers. The next most practiced religion in the world is Islam, which has approximately one-billion and five hundred million followers. The third biggest is Hinduism which has approximately one billion followers, almost all of whom who live on the Indian subcontinent.

Siddhartha Gautama is another name for “the Buddha.” Siddhartha the man lived in the sixth century B.C.E. and practiced the “middle path” which led to the development and spread of Buddhism.

“Ahimsa” is an important concept in both Hinduism and Buddhism and affects a great deal of everyday life in South and East Asia where these two religions are dominant. “Ahimsa” involves practicing nonviolence towards all living beings, both humans and animals. It is a major reason why so many Hindus and Buddhists are vegetarians.