nonbelievers in God as a group come in fourth place after Christianity (2 billion), Islam (1.2 billion), and Hinduism (900 million) in terms of global ranking of commonly-held belief systems."
Zuckerman states that adding the "non-religious" segment of the world population would to his calculated maximum of 749,247,571 (about 750 million) atheists, agnostic and non-believers in God would yield a number nearly twice as large -- just under 1.5 billion.
Many people are unaware, for instance, that China has one of the largest, most active Christian communities in the world, and that in many former Soviet nations religions such as shamanism, Islam and Russian Orthodoxy remained even while official government reports announced the elimination of religion in these regions.
: Contemporary figures for Islam are usually between 1 billion and 1.8 billion, with 1 billion being a figure frequently given in many comparative religion texts, probably because it's such a nice, round number.
The Islamic god leads aright whom he wills, and leads astray whom he wills. One of his goals is to fill hell. discusses the Islamic god’s attitude towards sinners and provides the Christian position.
As is true with all major religions, there are adherents within all branches of Islam who consider some of or all of the other branches heterodox or not actually part of their religion.
David Barrett, an Evangelical Christian who is the compiler of religion statistics for the Encyclopedia Britannica and the World Christian Encyclopedia, includes all of the groups listed above in the worldwide statistics for Christianity.
Although Muhammad improved some conditions for women in his day and cared for widows, those improvements fall far short and are inadequate, because Islam does not protect women from the abuses of conservative Islamic societies. Islam holds the works of men and women in equal regard (an-Nisa’ 4: 124; an-Nahl 16: 97; al-Mu’min 40: 40; etc) and acknowledges that they are completely interdependent (al-‘Imran 3: 195; an-Nisa’ 4: 1).
(Keep in mind that although Christianity is the world's largest religion, it is an umbrella term that comprises many different branches and denominations.)
See also: by Rev.
If the human nature could be renewed by guidance alone, then why did God send multitudes of prophets over the centuries instead of just one? Why have humans kept disobeying and sinning? This shows that the human nature which has been corrupted by the fall of Adam and Eve cannot be renewed by guidance alone. not merely revelation. The Orthodox Christian teaching on atonement and salvation by penitent working faith that accepts the free gift of the atonement Christ has offered on the cross is explained in Islam does not provide a cure for sin. It does not provide a way to transform the fallen human nature and change the character of the person. It does not change the person from within and give him a new character. Christ does.
Islam teaches that its god is the origin of both good and evil. This article discusses the Islamic doctrine of and provides the Christian position on this pivotal issue.
But Ahmadiyya (a recent offshoot of Islam), is not included on this list as a separate religion because its adherents claim to be Muslim, view themselves as completely Muslim, and wish to be classified as part of Islam.
Prior to Communist takeovers of these regions and government attempts to eradicate religion, both places had very high levels of affiliation with organized religions (especially Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Taoism), as well as high levels of participation in and belief in traditional local traditions such as shamanism, ancestor ceremonies, spiritism, etc.
There is no minimum age for entering Islamic marriage. A child girl cannot possibly give her consent to marriage. When she grows up, she will simply discover that she is already married. Early marriage prevents the girls from completing their education and increases the chances of divorce later on. The probability of death for 10-14 year-old girls at childbirth is about five times that of 20-45 year-old women. This is in addition to the emotional and psychological damage the child-girls suffer because they are not mature enough for marriage.
Since the fall of Communism in former Soviet nations and the relaxation of anti-religious policies in China, observed religious affiliation and activity has increased dramatically, especially in Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam.