A Religious Potpourri Trivia Quiz

Answer: Polytheist

"Poly" (many) + "theist" (gods)= polytheism. Many religions have multiple deities, including the religions of Classical Greece and Rome, Hinduism, and nearly all indigenous religions. A monotheistic religion, such as Judaism or Islam, has one god.

Answer: Indonesia

Indonesia ranks first with almost 207 million. Pakistan is second with over 180 million. Iran is sixth with over 73 million. Afghanistan ranks eleventh with over 30 million. Places three, four, and five go to India (about 160 million), Bangladesh (about 132 million, and Nigeria (about 80 million). Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, and Morocco, in that order, all rank higher than Afghanistan.

Answer: False

Such descriptions are found in many places, including the Sumerian concept of creation; the Babylonian "Epic of Gilgamesh"; the "Shatapatha Brahmana" and "Matsya Purana" of India; and many indigenous traditions in Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.

Answer: Lumbini, Nepal

At Lumbini, Queen Mary gave birth to Prince Siddhartha Gautama. At Bodh Gaya, the most important site in Buddhism, the Mahabodhi Temple contains what is believed to be the Bodhi Tree where Siddhartha Gautama experienced enlightenment and Buddahood. Sarnath is the place where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dhamma. And at Kushinagar, Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana after his death.

Answer: Hinduism

They make up the Trimurti ("three forms') in Hinduism, responsible for the cyclical nature of existence. Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer or transformer.

Answer: Buddhism

Buddhism is a non-theistic religion that does not believe in either a single creator or a pantheon of deities. The aim of the religion is to alleviate dukkha (suffering) in samsara (nirvana). [Some modern Buddhists consider their religion to be monotheistic, and some modern Zoroastrians consider their religion to be duotheistic.]

Answer: Muslims

The Pew Institute calculated about 1.5 billion Muslims. Hindus came in fourth, with 900 million. Buddhists were sixth at 376 million. Secular/Atheist/Agnostic was third at 1.1 billion. Chinese traditional religion was fifth with 394 million.

Answer: Jerusalem

All three major monotheistic religions consider Jerusalem holy. The holiest city in Judaism, Jerusalem is the site of their holiest place, the Temple Mount, where many important events occurred, including Abraham's binding of Issac for sacrifice, and Jacob's Dream. For Christians, Jerusalem is the site of such events as The Last Supper, and the Crucifixion (on Golgotha, a hill near the city). Islam venerates the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Answer: Purim

Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman who intended to kill them all (see Esther: 7-10). The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam are these: Shahada (Faith) which is a declaration that there is only one God (Allah) and that Muhammad is His messenger; Salat (Prayer) whereby all Muslims are to pray five times a day facing in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca; Zakat (charity) that mandates that Muslims give alms based on accumulated wealth; Sawm (Fasting) that is obligatory from dawn until dusk (except for those for whom fasting could be dangerous such as the ill and elderly) during the month of Ramadan. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) which all able-bodied Muslims are required to make at least once during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah.

Answer: Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism dates back to about 2000 BCE. It encompasses the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster, its Supreme Being is Ahura Mazda, and its most important texts are the Avesta and the Yasna. Zoroastrianism is still practiced, with the Pew Research Center estimating 2.6 million adherents in 2012. The other religions appeared much later.