| | Founding | Writings | Who is God? | Who is Jesus? | Holy Spirit | To be Saved | After Death | Other |
| Biblical Christianity | 30-33CE by Jesus Christ in Judean province of Palestine under Roman Empire | The Bible, orig. in Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) | One God in 3 persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; a spirit, personal and involved, eternal, loving and perfect. | God the Son; begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; only way to Father and salvation; died on cross as payment for man's sins, rose from the dead, then seen by over 500 eyewitnesses; will come again at the end of the world. | God the Holy Spirit; a person, not a force or energy field. | Salvation is by God's grace, not by good works; must be received by faith that Jesus died for their sins and physically rose again. | All await final judgment; all are resurrected, those saved live with Jesus in Heaven; those lost suffer separation from God (Hell). | Group worship in churches; no secret rites; Baptism; Communion; Jesus said His followers would be known by their love for one another. |
| Hinduism | 1800-1000BCE in India | Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and many others | God is "Absolute" universal spirit; everyone is part of God (Brahman) like drops in the sea. | Jesus was a teacher (guru) or an avatar (an incarnation of Vishnu); his death does not atone for sins. | Not part of this belief. | Release from the cycles of reincarnation; achieved through meditation; final salvation is union with Brahman. | Reincarnation into a better status (good karma) if person has behaved well. | Worship many gods and goddesses that are manifestations of Brahman. |
| Buddhism | 525BCE by Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) in India; offshoot of Hinduism. | The Tripitaka (three baskets) with over 100 volumes. | Mostly atheistic; Buddha is a universal enlightened consciousness or god. | Not part of this belief, although generally viewed as an enlightened man. | Not part of this belief. | Goal of life is nirvana, to eliminate all desires/cravings and in this way escape suffering. | People do not have a soul/spirit, but one's feelings can be reincarnated; no heaven or hell. | Eightfold path... right knowledge, intentions, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and meditation. |
| Judaism | ca. 2000BCE by Abraham in the middle east | The Tanakh (Old Testament) and Torah (first 5 books of OT), Talmud (explanation of Tanakh), writings of sages. | God is spirit; to Orthodox Jews, God is personal and compassionate; to other Jews, God is impersonal. | Jesus seen as either an extremist false messiah or a good but martyred teacher. Orthodox Jews await the Messiah. | Another name for God's activity on Earth. | Some Jews believe that prayer, repentance and obeying the Law are necessary for salvation. | There will be a physical resurrection; obedient will live forever with God and unrighteous will suffer. | Sabbath is Friday eve to Saturday eve; circumcision; many holy days; Jerusalem is holy city. |
| Islam | 610CE by Muhammad (570-632) in Mecca and Medina. | Koran in Arabic; Hadith (Muhammads's words and deeds); certain Biblical works accepted but considered corrupted. | God (Allah) is one; revealed the Koran to Muhammad through Gabriel; God is a severe judge (sometimes merciful) and is not depicted as loving. | Jesus is one of 124,000 prophets; born of a virgin but not Son of God; was sinless; ascended to heaven without dying (not crucified); a messiah and ayatollah (sign of God). | See the angel Gabriel as the Holy Spirit. | Humans basically good; balance between good and bad deeds determines eternal destiny in paradise or hell; God's mercy is arbitrary and uncertain. | Resurrection of bodies; final reckoning; eternal hell for infidels, those who reject Islam. | Five pillars... one God with Muhammad as prophet, pray 5 times daily, give money (alms), fast during month of Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca. |
| Baha'i World Faith | 1844CE by Mizra Ali Muhammed (the Bab) and Mizra Husayn Ali (Baha'u'llah, glory of Allah) in Iran; HQ in Haifa, Israel. | Writings of founders; Kitab-i-Aqdas and Kitab-i-Iqan; The Bible | God is an unknowable divine revealed thru 9 manifestations, including Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, Muhammad and Haha'u'llah. | One of many manifestations of God; is not God and did not rise from the dead; not the only way to God; returned to Earth in the form of Baha'u'llah. | Divine energy from God. | Faith in the manifestation(s) of God; knowing and living by Baha'u'llah's principles and teachings. | Personal immortality based on good works; heaven and hell are conditions not places. | Originated as Islamic sect; teaches that all religions have the same source, principles and aims. |
Mormonism (Latter-day Saints) | 1830CE by Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844) in western NY; HQ in Salt Lake City | The Bible (King James version); Book of Mormon; Doctrine and Covenants; Pearl of Great Price | God the Father (Elohim) was once man but became God; he has a physical body and a wife; no trinity, 3 separate gods; worthy men may one day become gods themselves. | Separate from Elohim; created by sexual union of Elohim and Mary; Jesus was married; death on cross does not provide full atonement for all sin, but does provide all with resurrection. | Separate from Father and Son; an electricity-like emanation from God. | Resurrected by grace, but saved (exalted to godhood) by works, incl. faithfulness to church, baptism, tithing, marriage and rituals; no eternal life without Mormon membership. | Three separate kingdoms (heavens) with some achieving godhood; apostates (heathens) and murderers go to outer darkness. | No alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine; near-mandatory 2-year mission; secret temple rituals members only; extensive social work; Blacks not granted full access to priesthood and privileges until 1978. |
| Jehovah's Witnesses(Watchtower) | 1879CE by Charles Russell (1852-1916) in Pennsylvania, later Joseph Rutherford; HQ Brooklyn, NY. | The Bible (New World only); Watchtower publications | One-person God, Jehovah; no trinity. | First creation of Jehovah; Jesus is not God; before coming to Earth, was Michael the archangel; Jehovah made the universe thru Michael; died on a stake, was resurrected as a spirit; returned visibly in 1914; very soon he and the angels will destroy all non-Jehovah's Witnesses (Armageddon). | Impersonal Holy Spirit not God, but invisible force from Jehovah. | Baptism as JW; must earn everlasting life on Earth by door-to-door work; salvation in heaven limited to 144,000 anointed ones. | The 144,000 (already reached) live as spirits in heaven; rest must live on Earth for 1000 years or be annihilated. | Anointed ones may take part in yearly Lord's Evening Meal; do not observe holidays or birthdays; do not vote, salute flag, work in military, or accept blood transfusions. |
| Unification Church(Sun Myung Moon) | 1954CE by Moon in South Korea; HQ in NYC. | Divine Principle by Moon considered the Completed Testament, Outline of the Principle, and The Bible; believe Bible is a textbook teaching truth, but not truth itself. | God is both positive and negative; the universe is God's "body"; God does not know the future, is suffering and needs man to make Him happy. | Jesus was a perfect man, not God; the son of Zechariah, not born a virgin; mission (failed) was to unite Jews and form perfect family; did not rise from the dead; second coming of Christ is Moon, who is superior to Jesus. | A feminine spirit who leads people to Moon. | Obedience to the True Parents (Moon and wife) eliminates sins. | Spirit world; no resurrection; members advance by convincing others to follow Moon; everyone will be saved, even Satan. | Mass marriages; contact with spirits of the dead. |
| Unity School of Christianity | 1889CD by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in Kansas City; HQ in Unity Village, Missouri. | Unity magazine, Lessons of Truth, Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, the Bible with interpretation of "hidden" meanings | Invisible impersonal power; interchangeable with Principle, law, being, mind, spirit. | Jesus was a man, not the Christ; Christ is a state of perfection in every person. | The law of God in action. | No evil, no devil, no sin; reincarnation until he learns truths and becomes "perfect". | Death is result of wrong thinking; reincarnation until enlightenment; no literal heaven or hell. | Prayer ministry by phone and mail. |
| Christian Science | 1875CE by Mary Baker Eddy in Massachusetts; HQ in Boston. | Science and Health, With Key to the Scriptures, Manual of the Mother Church, Christian Science Journal and Sentinel; the Bible (not as reliable). | Impersonal principle of life, truth, love, intelligence and spirit; God is all that truly exists, matter is an illusion. | Jesus was not the Christ, but a man who displayed the Christ idea (perfection). | Impersonal power. | Humanity is already eternally saved; sin, evil, sickness and death are not real. | Death is not real; heaven and hell are states of mind; the way to reach heaven is by attaining harmony (oneness with God). | Members use Christian Science practitioners instead of doctors; healing comes from realizing one cannot be sick or die. |
| Scientology | 1954 by L. Ron Hubbard in California. HQ in LA. | Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health and others by Hubbard; The Way to Happiness. | Does not define God; everyone is a "thetan", an immortal spirit. | Not a part of this belief. | Not a part of this belief. | No sin or need to repent; salvation is freedom from reincarnation; one must work with an "auditor" on his "engrams" (hang-ups) to achieve the state of "clear" then progress up the "bridge to total freedom". | Hell is a myth; people who get clear of engrams become operating thetans. | Observe birth of Hubbard; much controversy follows this faith. |