Some Facts Behind Religious Views

Faith groups' beliefs different topics:

There is essentially no consensus among religions on any factor related to:

• religious belief, ritual, organization 
• family structure 
• personal sexual behavior 
  
  
  
  

Some examples (in alphabetic order) are:

• Abortion: allowed, prohibited, allowed under some circumstances 
• Adult celibacy: encouraged, accepted, discouraged 
• Afterlife: unknown, heaven/hell, purgatory, limbo, reincarnation, transmigration of the soul, nirvana. 
• Animal sacrifices: common, rare, prohibited 
• Appearance: no real rules, beard, shave, no makeup, no jewelry 
• Artificial birth control: forbidden, ignored, encouraged 
• Calendars: Gregorian (secular calendar), Julian, various moon or sun-based calendars 
• Clergy celibacy: required, optional, discouraged 
• Clergy gender: male only, female only, either 
• Clergy present: yes, no 
• Days for rituals: daily, Saturday, Sunday, special days, full moons, new moons, equinoxes, solstices... 
• Documentation: oral tradition, written tradition, combination 
• Family organization: male has power; power shared 
• Family types: nuclear, extended, polygamous, intentional community 
• Gender of deities: all male, all female, both genders, no gender 
• Homosexual orientation: eligible/not eligible for membership & clergy; eligible/not eligible for union ceremonies; disordered, sinful, morally neutral. 
• Meeting place: church, synagogue, mosque, temple, outside in nature, room 
• Nature of deities: permeates universe, remote, intimate, within 
• Nature of humanity: inherently sinful; naturally good 
• New Year: Jan 1, Jan 14, Spring Equinox, May 18, Sep 14, Nov. 1... 
• Number of deities: 0,1,2, trinity, many 
• Origin of the universe: belief in Evolution, belief in a creation story 
• Prayer: encouraged, non-existent; at defined times of the day, while alone, while in groups 
• Premarital sex: encouraged, forbidden, tolerated 
• Religious calendar: lunar, solar, mixed 
• Role of women: equal, restricted, superior 
• Sacred texts: inerrant, contain mistakes and ignorable items, none (oral tradition) 
• Surgical modifications: none allowed, circumcision of males, female genital mutilation
• Special clothing: kirpan, turban, temple undergarments, yarmulke, tallith, tefillin, phylacteries, hijab, rosary, tasbih, takiyah... 
• Symbols: cross, crucifix, fish, 5 pointed star, 6 pointed star, 8 spoked wheel, crescent, goat head...

Source: http://www.religionfacts.com