BIG 4

[Saint Frankenstein]

It would be kind of interesting to see a link on that cult.

"To date, the earliest Mother Goddess figurine unearthed in India (near Prayagraj) belongs to the Upper Paleolithic, and carbon-dates to approximately 20,000 - 23,000 BCE. Also belonging to that period are some collections of colorful stones marked with natural triangles. Discovered near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, they are similar to stones still worshiped as Devi by tribal groups in the area. Moreover, they "may demonstrate connections to the later Tantric use of yantras, in which triangles manifest a vital symbolism connected with fertility.""

History of Shaktism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

(The lingum and yoni symbols (the "triangle" that's mentioned) are fertility symbols representing male and female generative powers stretching back to prehistoric fertility cults.)

 

[SalixIncendium]

With Hinduism clearly being the oldest of all the religions in recorded history along with the possibility of Zoroastrianism being a viable contender with Hinduism.

I think the Mesopotamians and Egyptians have a bone to pick with that. The Vedas are about 3,000 years old, the same age as the Hebrew Bible. "Hinduism" isn't even the oldest Indian religion; it was apparently a mother goddess cult that stretches back into prehistory.

As far as present day religions, @Twilight Hue is correct that Hinduism is the oldest.

As far as texts go, the Rigveda was written around 1500BCE, around 500-700 years before the composition the Tanakh began.

 

[SalixIncendium]

"To date, the earliest Mother Goddess figurine unearthed in India (near Prayagraj) belongs to the Upper Paleolithic, and carbon-dates to approximately 20,000 - 23,000 BCE. Also belonging to that period are some collections of colorful stones marked with natural triangles. Discovered near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, they are similar to stones still worshiped as Devi by tribal groups in the area. Moreover, they "may demonstrate connections to the later Tantric use of yantras, in which triangles manifest a vital symbolism connected with fertility.""

History of Shaktism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

(The lingum and yoni symbols (the "triangle" that's mentioned) are fertility symbols representing male and female generative powers stretching back to prehistoric fertility cults.)

Shaktism is a Hindu denomination.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

As far as present day religions, @Twilight Hue is correct that Hinduism is the oldest.

As far as texts go, the Rigveda was written around 1500BCE, around 500-700 years before the composition the Tanakh began.

Well, obviously parts of the texts, prayers and rituals would've existed beforehand but they weren't written down and compiled into the Rogveda until around 1,500-1,000 BC.

"The Rigveda is the oldest known Vedic Sanskrit text. Its early layers are among the oldest extant texts in any Indo-European language. The sounds and texts of the Rigveda have been orally transmitted since the 2nd millennium BCE. Philological and linguistic evidence indicates that the bulk of the Rigveda Samhita was composed in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent (see Rigvedic rivers), most likely between c. 1500 and 1000 BCE, although a wider approximation of c. 1900–1200 BCE has also been given."

Rigveda - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also, there's Sumerian religious texts that are older.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Well, obviously parts of the texts, prayers and rituals would've existed beforehand but they weren't written down and compiled into the Rogveda until around 1,500-1,000 BC.

"The Rigveda is the oldest known Vedic Sanskrit text. Its early layers are among the oldest extant texts in any Indo-European language. The sounds and texts of the Rigveda have been orally transmitted since the 2nd millennium BCE. Philological and linguistic evidence indicates that the bulk of the Rigveda Samhita was composed in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent (see Rigvedic rivers), most likely between c. 1500 and 1000 BCE, although a wider approximation of c. 1900–1200 BCE has also been given."

Rigveda - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also, there's Sumerian religious texts that are older.

Which organized religion today is currently using Sumerian religious texts as one of its core scriptures?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Shaktism is a Hindu denomination.

Yeah, I know. I used to be one. It's roots predate what is called "Hinduism". "Hinduism" is a fairly recent term in reference to a religion or associated practices. It originally referred to geographical origins.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Which organized religion today is currently using Sumerian religious texts as one of its core scriptures?

Let's not be rude to Neopagans and pretend that people don't still worship those gods. I know of people who worship Enki and so on.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Yeah, I know. I used to be one. It's roots predate what is called "Hinduism". "Hinduism" is a fairly recent term in reference to a religion or associated practices. It originally referred to geographical origins.

You're right. Some would go as far as to say that Hinduism is more a culture than it is a religion. The term "Sanatana Dharma" is probably a more accurate term to describe the religion.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Let's not be rude to Neopagans and pretend that people don't still worship those gods. I know of people who worship Enki and so on.

I don't aim to be rude to anyone.

These people you know who worship Enki...can their lineage be traced back to ancient Sumer along with the worship of this deity traced back through each generation?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I don't aim to be rude to anyone.

These people you know who worship Enki...can their lineage be traced back to ancient Sumer along with the worship of this deity traced back through each generation?

Probably not, no. But I was talking about what is the oldest in existence, not the oldest in continual use.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Probably not, no. But I was talking about what is the oldest in existence, not the oldest in continual use.

Fair enough, though I don't think most scholars wouldn't consider reconstructionist belief systems when discussion the age of religions. But I acknowledge your position here.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The four largest religions in the world are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Judaism is just inside the top 10.

The way the question is asked it seems to be aimed at Abrahamic religions, ergo the question wouldn't have been askes as Hindu discards the OP question as invalid.
Ergo it begs to be asked exactly what was meant in the OP.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Christianity isn't even a major religion.

It's certainly had a tremendous impact on the world fot many centuries, so large that the "Christian world" today largely carved out and defined Europe and what we call the West.

 

[SalixIncendium]

The way the question is asked it seems to be aimed at Abrahamic religions, ergo the question wouldn't have been askes as Hindu discards the OP question as invalid.

I agree that the framing of the question is a bit peculiar. I wasn't quite sure how to respond to it myself. I was kind of waiting for the OP to return to offer some clarification.

 

[mangalavara]

The current year is 5784 for your Jewish friend here, @mangalavara

Indeed it is!

You are 3,839 years ahead of me according to the Jewish AM epoch.

I had to Google the Saka Year 1945 and the Indian National Calendar, and I learned something new today!

Pretty good! Just as the Indian National Calendar uses the Śaka epoch, the Balinese Saka Calendar also uses that epoch. Whereas the former is a tropical solar calendar, the latter is a lunisolar ritual calendar. I personally follow the latter.

 

[wellwisher]

Of the four major religions is Christianity the only one that believes that a man is/was the son of God?

What made Jesus different was that as a son of God, he allowed himself to be killed by humans. This symbolized a sacrificed of the gods, instead of a sacrifice to the gods; end of an age. The gods had ruled man up to that point. They expected sacrifices. But after Jesus, the gods had became vulnerable to humans; BC to AD. Christianity via the Holy Roman Empire, would sacrifice all the Pagan gods of Europe; St Patrick driving out the snakes symbolic of pagan gods. Then Christianity would spawn Atheism.

 

[crossfire]

When did atheism become a religion or a religious affiliation?

It was on the list of top religious affiliations, so I included it and listed the top 5 instead of the top 4.

 

[crossfire]

I'm curious as to what Islam says about it--was a man the son of god? How about Adam?