1. Bones from a species with ape and human characteristics were found. This revealed to scientists the evolutionary steps moving apes to human evolution.
2. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism are the top 5 populated religions in the world. Judaism comes in 6th. All of these religions are similar in that they require the individual to meet a spiritual end or goal.
1. During the 1913 expedition led by 27 year-old German Geologist, Hans Reck in the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro, highest mountain of Africa along the Great Rift Valley, he found the following: A. A part of a shoreline of a shallow prehistoric lake that was formed about 2 million years ago, which is rich in ancient fossils; and B. A human skeleton that was buried in a crouched position in what was called was Bed II, which is one of the oldest layers in the shoreline wall. These findings have great contribution to scientific research about humans because the skeleton that was found belong to a Homo sapiens, or modern humans, that were buried at a level where extinct Pleistocene animals were also found. It is an indication that the skeleton belongs to one of the oldest human finds ever made. 2. These are the five major religions of the world: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. A. Christianity believes in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the savior who was sent by the one eternal God who is the creator of all that is, to pay for the sin of all humanity by dying on a cross. Christians believe that the Bible is the Word of God that contains his message to humankind, and reveals His personality, love and truth. Christian faith is also founded on these Ten Commandments that were given by God to Moses: 1. You shall have no other Gods but me; 2. You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to if or worship it; 3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God; 4. You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy; 5. You shall respect your father and your mother; 6. You shall not commit murder; 7. You shall not commit adultery; 8. You shall not steal; 9. You shall not give false evidence against your neighbor; and 10. You shall not be envious of your neighbor's goods, nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor. B. Just like Christianity, Islam also believes in one almighty God, named Allah. Muslims believe that Allah is infinitely superior to and transcendent from humankind, and He was viewed as the creator of the universe and the source of all good and evil. Q'ran is the equivalent of the Holy Bible for the Muslims. If Christians believe in Jesus Christ, the Muslims believe in Muhammad and they consider him as the last prophet. The Muslims follow five religious duties: 1. Repeat a creed about Allah and Muhammad; 2. Recite certain prayers in Arabic five times a day; 3. Give to the needy; 4. One month each year, fast from food, drink, sex and smoking from sunrise to sunset; and 5. Pilgrimage once in one's lifetime to worship at a shrine in Mecca. Based on one's faithfulness to these duties, they believe that they would enter paradise, and if not, they will be punished in hell. C. According to some Theists, both Christianity and Islam originated from Judaism. In fact, there were scriptures from the Old Testament and the Q'ran that are similar to the Torah, which is the most important religious text of Judaism. This religion also teaches about one God, and its followers are called Jews, that originated from the name of people who were from the ancient Kingdom of Judea, presently known as Israel. D. While all three religions previously mentioned, Hindus worship one Being of ultimate oneness (Brahman) through infinite representations of various deities or gods and goddesses who become incarnate within idols, temples, gurus, rivers, animals, etc. Hindus believe in reincarnations where their position in the present life is a consequence of their actions in their previous lives, which provides an explanation for suffering and evil in their present lives, known as karma. Thus, every Hindu’s goal is to break free from the Law of Karma and from continuous reincarnation, which they believe can be end by the following: 1. Be lovingly devoted to any of the Hindu deities; 2. Grow in knowledge through meditation of Brahman (oneness) and be able to realize that circumstances in life are not real, and selfhood is an illusion; and 3. Be dedicated to various religious ceremonies and rites. E. Unlike the four religions previously mentioned, Buddhism do not worship any gods or God. Contrary to non-Buddhist beliefs, Buddhists do not worship Siddharta Gautama Buddha and they do not see him as someone divine. Instead, they view him as someone who has accomplished what they are all trying to attain – spiritual enlightenment and freedom from the continuous cycle of life and death. The Buddhists also believe in reincarnation, as they believe in countless rebirths that include inevitable sufferings, as a consequence of person’s cravings, aversion and delusions. Though different, the core values that serve as the foundation of these religions are the same: To treat others that way you want to be treated; and how you will reap what you sow.
