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The religion that has the
greatest affinity with your belief system is:
Your belief system is 78% compatible with
Neo-Pagan religious beliefs.
Neo-Pagan groups like Wicca and
Druidism and the others, have different faiths, but tend to be
polytheistic, they believe in multiple gods and goddesses. Most
groups also have a highly personal relationship with nature and its
seasons, observing important rituals throughout the year to express
their faith. It appears that you are also interested in the natural
world and the significance it has in your life. Recent attempts to
reconstruct the ancient pagan faith — nearly wiped out after years
of persecution — have unearthed spiritual texts and a highly
secretive oral tradition. While the history of their religion is
important, most Neo-Pagan practitioners worship in solitude,
performing rituals of personal significance to express their own
highly individual spirituality. Perhaps you too enjoy being alone
when you want to reflect about your spirituality.
How did Neo-Paganism come to
be?
Modern paganism, called Neo-Paganism, encompasses many
religions that are adopted from the original tribal faiths of
ancient Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, and Australia,
which were generally interested in the natural world and their place
within it. The desire to revive these ancient religions emerged in
the 1950s and 1960s, and in 1954, Gerald Brousseau Gardner published
Witchcraft Today, one of the pivotal books on Neo-Paganism.
His book documented the secret lore of a nearly extinct pagan
religion that he learned about through a pagan woman's first-hand
accounts. Since then, many Neo-Pagan religions have formed,
including Wicca, Druidism, and Goddess worship. And since the advent
of the Internet, there has been an unusually high growth rate of
Neo-Pagan religions due to the increased availability of
information. Some estimate that Neo-Paganism is doubling in size
every two and a half years.
Is Neo-Paganism beginning to
resonate with you? Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Get
specific information about Neo-Paganism's god and goddesses, its
beliefs about the origin of the world, its take on the afterlife,
and some key aspects that make the religion unique in the Core
Religious Beliefs and You section below.
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In addition to more
information about the religion you're most compatible with, find out
how closely aligned your belief system is with the other 9 major
world religions we tested for. Use this information not only to
become more aware of what you might share with other traditions
seemingly outside your faith, but also to gain a greater
understanding of and tolerance for the people who practice different
religions from yours.
Neo-Paganism
You're 78%
compatible with Neo-Pagan beliefs.
Gods and goddesses
Neo-Pagans believe
that there are multiple gods and goddesses that oversee different
aspects of nature. For example, in most Neo-Pagan religions, the
Goddess represents an amalgam of many goddesses from varied ancient
pagan traditions and she guides us through the transitions in our
lives. First, there is the Maiden who represents the vigor and
sexuality of our youth, then the Mother who symbolizes a powerful
confidence, fertility, and nurturing, and finally, the Crone who is
wise, experienced, and compassionate. She is the one who would guide
you through to death.
Origin of
the World
Ancient pagan beliefs about the origin of the
world are many and varied. Today's Neo-Pagans may or may not believe
the ancient creation stories to be true, but most are probably
interested in the symbolism they offer. Here's an example of an
ancient pagan creation story told by Nordic peoples:
In the beginning, there was a void called
Ginnungagap, which means something akin to "yawning gap."
Alongside the Ginnungagap, there existed two lands: the Niflheim —
the northern land of fog and ice — and the Muspelheim — the
southern land of fire. In the north, 11 rivers sprang from a
spring that flowed toward the gap and froze until it filled a
portion of the gap. At the same time, lava and other molten
material flowed from the south into the southern portion of the
gap. Then, the fire and ice mingled and formed a giant called Ymir
and a cow called Audhumla. Ymir drank the cow's milk and drifted
off into a deep sleep. As he slept, the sweat of his armpit formed
two frost giants, male and female, and from his legs, another male
frost giant. Meanwhile, the cow licked salty ice to gain
nourishment, and this licking created the god Buri. Buri had a son
named Bor, who killed Ymir. As Ymir died, his blood drained from
his body and caused a huge flood that drowned all of the frost
giants, leaving only the god Bor and his three sons. The three
sons of Bor placed Ymir's body into the Ginnungagap and created
the Earth from it.
Afterlife
Most Neo-Pagans do believe
in some form of reincarnation; however, beliefs about the specifics
are not consistent within Neo-Paganism. Because the religion tends
to draw solo practitioners, the beliefs from one Neo-Pagan to the
next are largely individual.
What
makes it unique?
Neo-Pagans tend to worship outside in
nature whenever possible because much of their spirituality is tied
to the cycles of life and the changing of the seasons. The majority
of Neo-Pagans worship by designing private rituals; a few do,
however, form small groups so that they can worship in the company
and support of others.
Hinduism
You're 69%
compatible with Hindu beliefs. It might surprise you to learn that
Hinduism also has a good amount in common with Buddhism. Here's why:
Both religions are informed by the sacred texts known as the
Vedas and because of that are called the Vedic Faiths. Also,
both religions believe in the combination of reincarnation— the
cycle of birth-death-rebirth — and Karma — the notion that a
person's good and bad deeds will have an effect on their future
lives, for better or worse.
Gods
and goddesses
Hindus believe that there are multiple gods
and goddesses that rule different aspects of life, but that they all
make up one Divine essence. For example, they believe in Ganesha,
the elephant-headed Hindu god of success and overcoming obstacles,
who is also associated with wisdom and power. They also believe in
the Divine Mother called Devi (meaning "mother goddess"). She is
both gentle in her efforts to bring and protect life, and terrible
in her efforts to bring death and destruction.
Origin of the World
There are many
Hindu explanations for the origin of the world, but all recognize
Brahma as the God of creation. Here's a version of the Hindu
creation story:
In the beginning all was undifferentiated and in
perfect harmony and Vishnu lay relaxed on his serpent, Sheshnag.
As Vishnu opened his eyes, creation began. A lotus flower emerged
from his navel and birthed the god of creation, Brahma. Brahma
proceeded to create the universe in the form of a golden egg,
called the Hiranyagarbha, which means "the golden
womb."
Afterlife
Hindus believe that the
soul is reincarnated through something called transmigration — at
death, the soul is reborn into another body. In this way, each soul
engages in a continual process of birth-death-rebirth over many
lifetimes and in each its Karma will dictate the kind of life it
will have. For example, if a soul has accumulated enough good Karma,
it may be reborn into a life where it enjoys more comfort and has
more opportunity to share the knowledge it has gained through
behaving the right way. After living many lives of continued good
Karma, one may reach a state of Nirvana where it will be free
finally from the cycle of birth-death-rebirth.
What makes it unique?
The Hindus'
belief that their social position in this life is entirely due to
their behavior in the last creates a rigid social hierarchy. If you
were to give it a motto, it might read, "You get what you deserve."
They believe that it's only through concentrated effort in this life
that you may be able to positively affect your social position in
the next and move further along your path toward Enlightenment.
Buddhism
You're 66%
compatible with Buddhist beliefs. It might surprise you to learn
that Buddhism also has a good amount in common with Hinduism. Here's
why: First of all, Buddhism grew out of a Hindu culture and both
religions are informed by the sacred texts known as the Vedas
and as such are called the Vedic Faiths. Also, both religions
believe in the combination of reincarnation — the cycle of
birth-death-rebirth — and Karma, the notion that a person's good and
bad deeds will have an effect on their future lives, for better or
worse.
God
The Buddha
did not try to explain the existence of a God, gods, or goddesses or
document the proper rituals and sacrifices to achieve oneness with
God, but he did offer a wealth of specific teachings whose
principles encourage a spiritual connection through commitment to
self-discipline, meditation, and important moral rules.
Origin of the World
Here, Buddhism
also diverges from traditional Vedic religious beliefs. Buddhists do
not believe that there was a "God of creation," but rather that the
universe is constantly being created and destroyed as it evolves in
time.
Afterlife
The
Vedic Faiths both agree that after multiple rebirths one can reach
Enlightenment — a state of being where you do not experience
suffering or desire — but this is where their similarities end.
Buddhists reject the notion of a social hierarchy, and with it, the
idea that good Karma will allow one's soul to be reborn into a
higher social position. In addition, they do not believe that there
is one permanent soul that moves from one life to the next, but that
an individual's character is changing constantly throughout one's
life transitions, whether it is a transition from adolescence to
early adulthood or a transition from this life to the
next.
What makes it
unique?
What sets Buddhism apart from the other religions
is the Buddha's teachings that as a group are called the
Tripitaka. After he reached Enlightenment, the Buddha taught
his revelations in the form of three doctrines. The Four Noble
Truths are the core Buddhist lessons and principles: (1) Suffering
is real and universal, (2) Suffering is caused by a need for
control, (3) Suffering ceases to exist when you reach enlightenment
and (4) The Eightfold Path leads to Enlightenment. The Five Precepts
are the rules to live by: Do not kill, do not steal, do not lie, do
not be immodest, and do not consume drugs. And the Eightfold Path,
also called the Middle Path (the path to Enlightenment) is the
approach that helps end craving and attachment: (1) Right
Understanding, (2) Right Thinking, (3) Right Speech, (4) Right
Conduct, (5) Right Livelihood, (6) Right Effort, (7) Right
Mindfulness, and (8) Right Concentration. By studying these lessons,
a Buddhist may, in time, reach Enlightenment.
Unitarian Universalism
You're 66%
compatible with Unitarian Universalist beliefs.
God
Unitarian Universalists have
widely varying beliefs about God — from agnostic to polytheistic. As
such, it is an extremely tolerant religion and welcomes diverse
individual spiritual orientation and many views on the concept of
God.
Origin of the
World
Unitarian Universalism believes that the creation
stories of all world religions are mythical — some adherents just
enjoy them for their symbolism. The organization's official position
on the origin of the world supports the big bang theory — that a
cosmic explosion marked the beginning of the universe — and further
scientific exploration.
Afterlife
Unitarian Universalist
beliefs about the afterlife are as varied as their beliefs about
God. For the most part, however, Unitarian Universalists do not
believe that the soul is reincarnated after death. In fact, the
organization's official position on the matter is disbelief in
reincarnation, but a Unitarian Universalist church would not
disapprove of a member's belief in reincarnation.
What makes it unique?
What sets
Unitarian Universalism apart from other religions is their view on
religious tolerance. The church is organized around a broad set of
moral ideologies, which invites a diverse congregation that welcomes
any member. Since members are actively encouraged to seek the
spiritual truth that is most true for them as individuals, there is
a diverse variety of ideas and this can be confusing or stimulating,
depending on your perspective.
Baha'i
You're 56%
compatible with Baha'i beliefs.
God
The Baha'i believe in a single,
all-powerful, all-knowing God. Like Islam, the Baha'i believe that
God has sent a series of prophets to Earth. However, unlike Islam,
the Baha'i believe that God will continue to send prophets over and
above the 10 prophets he's sent so far, including Krishna, Jesus,
Buddha, and Muhammad, as well as the two prophets of the Baha'i
religion, The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.
Origin of the World
The Baha'i
religion does not contain a creation story. It interprets the
stories in the sacred texts of the major world religions as
primarily mythical and seeks to understand their symbolism.
Afterlife
The Baha'i
religion teaches that each person's soul lives on after death and is
then free to travel the spirit world, which they conceive of as an
extension of this world.
What
makes it unique?
Unlike the other 9 major world religions,
the Baha'i religion believes that peace will come when the world
unifies under a single religion and a single government. It attempts
to resolve the differences among Abrahamic Faiths and between the
Vedic Faiths and unify all people under the Baha'i religion. To
support the cause of world peace, the Baha'i World Faith is among
the most socially active, if not the most socially active religious
organization on the planet. They work toward equality for all people
and are concerned with human rights issues worldwide.
Spiritualism
You're 51%
compatible with Spiritualist beliefs.
Divine
Belief about God widely varies
among Spiritualists, but many believe in the almighty God of the
Old Testament. For most of the Spiritualists, however, their
primary connection to the Divine is through a spiritual medium.
Mediums are believed to be highly sensitive psychics who can
communicate with the spirit world through séances, trances, and
other psychic techniques.
Origin
of the World
Most Spiritualists see the creation story
they are most familiar with — that of the Old Testament — as
a mythology. They have no official position on the origin of the
world.
Afterlife
Spiritualists believe that
death is a transition from existence on a physical plane to the very
same on a spiritual plane. Once on a spiritual plane, they believe
that even the most sinful people can grow and improve. They also
believe that while you're on the physical plane, you can take the
knowledge you gain about the spiritual plane to help you better make
the transition. This is the main reason mediums contact the spirit
world.
What makes it
unique?
What sets the Spiritualists apart from other
religions is the deep faith they place in the ability of psychics
and mediums to see what lies beyond in the spiritual plane. Many
Spiritualists seek to hone their own psychic abilities so they can
gather better knowledge.
Native American
You're 46%
compatible with Native American religious beliefs.
Gods and Goddesses
Native Americans
believe that their multiple gods and goddesses rule different
aspects of nature. For example, Estsanatlehi (meaning "changing
woman") is the ageless Navajo goddess of time and change. She's
responsible for the changing of the seasons and for birth and death.
Some Native American religions also believe in a primary God,
referred to as the Great Spirit, who is the Earth's creator and the
overseer of humankind.
The Origin
of the World
There are a variety of traditional Native
American beliefs about the origin of the world. Generally speaking,
however, most believe that the world was started by a "God of
creation." For example, this is the Chippewa's creation
story:
Long ago the Creator sat alone in the darkness
thinking, and with His thoughts formed Mother Earth. Then He
covered Mother Earth lovingly with many trees, plants, and
animals. The world He created was beautiful, yet he grew lonely.
From the soil of the Earth, he formed the first man and the first
woman and gave them tools to aid in their survival. To the man, He
gave a bow and arrow for hunting. To the woman, he gave a basket
for gathering seeds. He then blew life into each of them, first
the woman, then the man. When the humans first lived, they
accepted their duty to take care of Mother Earth, to not be
greedy, and to give back equally what they had
taken.
Afterlife
Most Native American
religions do not have firm beliefs about what happens after death.
Some are comfortable not having a definitive explanation, some
believe in a spiritual life after death, and some believe you are
reincarnated, either into an animal or a human.
What makes it unique?
What sets the
Native American religions apart from others is their passion for the
Earth and the natural world. They have traditionally stressed the
close relationship between man and nature and the need to protect
the Earth and the environment. This belief is completely integrated
into their religions. In their eyes, the Divine and nature are one.
Judaism
You're 43%
compatible with Judaic religious beliefs. It might surprise you to
learn that Judaism also has a good amount in common with Islam and
Christianity. Here's why: All three religions embrace the Old
Testament and trace their roots back to Abraham, which is why
they're known as the Abrahamic Faiths. Isn't it interesting how
these three share roots (and more!), and they are still constantly
in conflict with each other?
God
Jews believe in the single,
all-powerful God of the Abrahamic Faiths, just as the Christians and
the Muslims do. Also like their fellow Abrahamic believers, they
accept that God has delivered a series of moral codes and laws that
will guide them toward living a good and holy life. At some point,
they expect God to flush the world of sin and bring peace.
They also believe that God entered into a covenant with
Abraham, promising to make him and his descendants his "chosen
people," in return for their love and obedience.
Origin of the World
The Abrahamic
Faiths also have very similar beliefs about how the world was
created. Here's the creation story from the book of Genesis:
Long ago, before the Earth existed, there was
nothing and all was dark. Then God created Heaven and the Earth in
six days. On the first day, God said "Let there be light" and a
flash of light drove away the darkness, creating the day and the
night. On the second day, God created the beautiful sky. On the
third day, God gathered the water together to form oceans, rivers
and lakes and covered the land of the Earth with many varieties of
plants, including trees and grasses. On the fourth day, God
created the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the fifth day, God
created many types of fish and birds. On the sixth day, God
created all of the rest of the animals on Earth. Then He created
the first man and the first woman, named Adam and Eve, in his own
image to be the rulers of Earth. On the seventh day, God
rested.
Afterlife
The Abrahamic Faiths
believe that after death individual human souls will be judged by
God, who will then decide whether they go to Heaven or Hell. Some
Jews believe, however, that souls can be reincarnated up to three
times, the idea being that you get to learn additional lessons on
Earth, and then, after the third lifetime, the souls are judged and
sent to either Heaven or Hell.
What makes it unique?
Judaism differs
from both Christianity and Islam in their beliefs about Jesus and
the Messiah. Jews do not believe that Jesus was the Son of God, nor
do they believe he was a prophet or a Savior sent by God. Some Jews
believe that Jesus was a wise teacher of religious ethics. They do
not believe that it's necessary to be saved from "original sin,"
which comes from the Christian belief that all people have inherited
the first sin committed by Adam and Eve. Instead, Jews anticipate
the coming of the Messiah, who will lead them back to the Promised
Land and usher in a period of peace.
Islam
You're 37%
compatible with Islamic beliefs. It might surprise you to learn that
Islam also has a good amount in common with Judaism and
Christianity. Here's why: All three religions embrace the Old
Testament and trace their roots back to Abraham, which is why
they're known as the Abrahamic Faiths. Isn't it interesting how
these three share roots (and more!), and they are still constantly
in conflict with each other?
God
Muslims believe in the single,
all-powerful God of the Abrahamic Faiths, just as the Christians and
the Jews do. Also like their fellow Abrahamic believers, they accept
that God has delivered a series of moral codes and laws that will
guide them toward living a good and holy life. At some point, they
expect God to flush the world of sin and bring peace.
Islam
traces its lineage back to Abraham through Ishmael, the son of
Abraham and Hagar.
Origin of the
World
Islam's interpretation of the creation story in the
book of Genesis differs somewhat from that of Judaism and
Christianity. Instead of believing the world was created in six
days, Muslims believe that God created the world in six periods,
each of which could have been millions or billions of years long. Read
the Genesis story.
Afterlife
The Abrahamic Faiths
believe that after death individual human souls will be judged by
God, who will then decide whether they go to Heaven or
Hell.
What makes it
unique?
Islam recognizes Muhammad as the last true prophet
sent to Earth by God. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the
Qur'an (Islam's most well-known sacred text), including Adam,
Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and finally, Muhammad.
Muslims believe
that Jesus was a prophet sent by God but not that he was the Son of
God. They believe that when he died on the cross, he ascended to
Heaven and was not resurrected.
Christianity
You're 32%
compatible with Christian beliefs. It might surprise you to learn
that Christianity also has a good amount in common with Judaism and
Islam. Here's why: All three religions embrace the Old
Testament and trace their roots back to Abraham, which is why
they're known as the Abrahamic Faiths. Isn't it interesting how
these three share roots (and more!), and they are still constantly
in conflict with each other?
God
Christians believe in the single,
all-powerful God of the Abrahamic Faiths, just as the Jews and the
Muslims do. However, Christians differ on one point; they see God as
the Holy Trinity — God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But
like their fellow Abrahamic believers, they accept that God has
delivered a series of moral codes and laws that will guide them
toward living a good and holy life. At some point, they expect God
to flush the world of sin and bring peace.
Christianity
traces its lineage back to Abraham through Jesus, born the Son of
God in the line of David, who was a descendant of
Abraham.
Origin of the
world
The Abrahamic Faiths also have
very similar beliefs about how the world was created. Here's the
creation story from the book of Genesis:
Long ago, before the Earth existed, there was
nothing and all was dark. Then God created Heaven and the Earth in
six days. On the first day, God said "Let there be light" and a
flash of light drove away the darkness, creating the day and the
night. On the second day, God created the beautiful sky. On the
third day, God gathered the water together to form oceans, rivers,
and lakes and covered the land of the Earth with many varieties of
plants, including trees and grasses. On the fourth day, God
created the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the fifth day, God
created many types of fish and birds. On the sixth day, God
created all of the rest of the animals on Earth. Then He created
the first man and the first woman, named Adam and Eve, in his own
image to be the rulers of Earth. On the seventh day, God
rested.
Afterlife
The Abrahamic Faiths
believe that after death all souls will be judged by God, who will
then decide whether they go to Heaven or Hell, but not all
Christians believe in Hell as a literal place of suffering in the
Afterlife. Some believe that Hell is purely metaphorical — that it
represents a state of suffering even here on Earth — and some reject
the concept of Hell completely.
What makes it unique?
There are
literally thousands of Christian denominations, which have widely
varying beliefs about many things, including the historical validity
of the Bible, the existence of Hell, and the Immaculate
Conception.
However, all Christians believe that Jesus Christ
was the Son of God who lived on Earth and that he died on the cross
to save people from "original sin," which is the concept that all
people have inherited the first sin committed by Adam and Eve in the
Garden of Eden. |
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Now that you know
your compatibility with the world's major religions, you need the
next important ingredient, your spiritual style, or the way you like
to worship. Put the two together — your beliefs and your style — and
you should be able to find the best environment to express your
faith. As you've seen, within each of the world's religions there's
a lot of variety — from major theoretical differences between
branches to more subtle differences in congregations, so it's
important to be clear on what you need from a religious
community.
Based on your test results, Tickle can explain
where you stand on three very important spiritual style points:
community (group worship or lots of alone-time), openness (level of
flexibility), and political point of view (liberal or
conservative).
How much community
do you want in your religious community?
You tend to enjoy
spending time reflecting on your spiritual beliefs in solitude. This
is not to say that you wouldn't be open to joining a loose-knit
community of people who are also on a similar spiritual path, you
probably just don't need the kind of structure or congregation an
organized religion offers.
How
open do you want your religious community to be?
The
religious community you become involved with will probably need to
be somewhat open and accepting of other religious traditions and
beliefs, and it should support your individual pursuit of spiritual
truth. You're likely to be put off by the extreme contention that
any single religious organization can hold the key to truth and
salvation, leaving all who don't believe to suffer for eternity.
Make sure you begin your search for the right community by asking
the difficult questions such as, "Does this community assume its
religion is the only true one?" or "Who does this community believe
can ascend to Heaven, Nirvana, or Enlightenment?" If the answers fit
your values and beliefs, then you're probably on the right track.
Where do you want your religious
community to lean politically?
You're likely to believe in
equality for all people, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality.
Because of this core belief, you may want to find a religious
community that's active in social and human rights causes. You also
tend to believe that people should be allowed to make their own
decisions without official church involvement when it comes to
matters of individual lifestyle and major life choices. Make these
important distinctions when choosing a religious community, so that
you're sure to find a congregation that's at least somewhat aligned
with your political views.
As you consider
your spiritual style and the religious community that's right for
you, here's some basic information on the world's five major
religions.
 |
 |
|
|
Began |
|
Sacred
Texts |
|
Spiritual
Leader |
|
Worship
Center |
|
Believer |
|
%
World
population |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Judaism |
c. 2000
BCE |
The
Torah |
Rabbi or
Cantor |
Synagogue |
Jew |
<1% |
|
|
|
|
|
Hinduism |
c. 1500
BCE |
The
Vedas |
Priest |
Temple |
Hindu |
15% |
|
|
|
|
|
Buddhism |
c. 560
BCE |
The
Tripitaka |
Bhiksu
and Bhikuni |
Temple |
Buddhist |
6% |
|
|
|
|
|
Christianity |
c. 30+
CE |
The
Christian Bible |
Priest,
Minister, Monk, or Nun |
Church |
Christian |
33% |
|
|
|
|
|
Islam |
c. 622
CE |
Qur'an
|
Imam |
Mosque |
Muslim |
22% |
|
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