Is Judaism now a minority religion?

[David19]

My mum mentioned something to me that, Judaism is probably a small religion now, due to so many Jews being killed in the Holocaust, i was just wondering is this true, as i thought Judaism was a major religion, it just seen that way because it's one of the 3 'main' religions (along with Christianity and Islam and also, technically the building block of the Christianity and Islam), did it ever have huge numbers (which i didn't think it did, since they didn't convert people, and were constantly being killed e.g. Inquisition, Ancient Roman's and pagans, etc).

Also do you think it would ever grow again, or will it continue to get smaller (since there does seem to be a lot of anti-Semitism growing e.g. growth of neo-nazi organizations).

Anyway, what do you think?

[omar]

It always was a small religion!

[Morr]

The Jews were always a minority.

Mainly because in Judaism there is no missionary agenda nor a dogma that includes the need for conversion of people from other religions.

[Toby Stimpson]

I think it's seen as a 'major' religion because in the West atleast it has a major influence over history as well as the obvious western bias towards the Abrahamic religions. Hinduism and Buddhism are like 100 times larger than Judaism, as well as having a part in some Jewish rituals...but no one ever mentions that. I do think though that when you look at the number of Jews worldwide it is quite sizeable...I think theres like what? 30 million jews? Im not sure...but it is a pretty widespread religion as there is a Jewish community in most European countries, as well as North America, Australia/New Zealand, India, China, some middle eastern countries, etc,.

Namaste

Tobias

[Choro's Mom]

I think it's seen as a 'major' religion because in the West atleast it has a major influence over history as well as the obvious western bias towards the Abrahamic religions.
Bingo. Judaism has never been a "major" religion in terms of numbers of adherents; its significance is that it is the first monotheistic faith (yes, Abraham comes before Ankhenaton), and both Christianity and Islam have their roots in Judaism.


Hinduism and Buddhism are like 100 times larger than Judaism, as well as having a part in some Jewish rituals...but no one ever mentions that. I do think though that when you look at the number of Jews worldwide it is quite sizeable...I think theres like what? 30 million jews? Im not sure...but it is a pretty widespread religion as there is a Jewish community in most European countries, as well as North America, Australia/New Zealand, India, China, some middle eastern countries, etc,.
There are in the world today approximately 15 million people who identify themselves as Jews. In 1933 the number was about 16 million; the world Jewish population has not yet recovered from losing over one-third in the Holocaust.

For that matter, the Jewish population in the Roman Empire was estimated at about 10 million. That means there are in the entire world today barely one-and-a-half times the number of Jews that there were 2000 years ago. Between forced conversions, massacres, and voluntary intermarriage, no, Judaism is not a "major" religion in terms of numbers.

Here's a list of world religions ranked by numbers (this gives Judaism at 14 million, not 15):

1. Christianity: 2.1 billion
2. Islam: 1.3 billion
3. Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion
4. Hinduism: 900 million
5. Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
6. Buddhism: 376 million
7. primal-indigenous: 300 million
8. African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
9. Sikhism: 23 million
10. Juche: 19 million
11. Spiritism: 15 million
12. Judaism: 14 million
13. Baha'i: 7 million
14. Jainism: 4.2 million
15. Shinto: 4 million
16. Cao Dai: 4 million
17. Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
18. Tenrikyo: 2 million
19. Neo-Paganism: 1 million
20. Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
21. Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
22. Scientology: 500 thousand

http://adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

[gurlygurl2004]

My mum mentioned something to me that, Judaism is probably a small religion now, due to so many Jews being killed in the Holocaust, i was just wondering is this true, as i thought Judaism was a major religion, it just seen that way because it's one of the 3 'main' religions (along with Christianity and Islam and also, technically the building block of the Christianity and Islam), did it ever have huge numbers (which i didn't think it did, since they didn't convert people, and were constantly being killed e.g. Inquisition, Ancient Roman's and pagans, etc).

Also do you think it would ever grow again, or will it continue to get smaller (since there does seem to be a lot of anti-Semitism growing e.g. growth of neo-nazi organizations).

Anyway, what do you think?


Why are neonazi and white supremacy groups growing?

[David19]

Why are neonazi and white supremacy groups growing?

I'm not sure exactly why, but neo-nazi's do seem to be growing (in particular anti-Semitic groups), apparantly a lot of teens in Germany are becoming 'fascinated' by neo-nazi's, in America, there's that group Prussian Blue (those 2 neo-nazi girls, i think) and plus the www.joyofsatan.com has grown and has a lot of members, check out more of her (the owner's) bs, on www.666blacksun.com).

[gurlygurl2004]

So alot of Satanic practioners are neo nazis? Is this why Satanism seems to have a perdominantly white base?

[Ron]

So alot of Satanic practioners are neo nazis? Is this why Satanism seems to have a perdominantly white base?
Natzism or Nazism is completely incompatible with modern Satanism.

Big diff.
(Somehow there's a strong sense of déjà vu in writing this post. I reckon that I have already spoken of this distinction on here. )

[Toby Stimpson]

There is a little difference...some white suppremacists may choose to be Christian or Satanist or what have you but that doesnt mean all Satanists are neo nazis...not by a long shot.

Tobias

[gurlygurl2004]

Oh okay, I was just wondering. I never said that all of them were Nazis. But I was wondering because of one of the posts above me to links to some satanic groups that apparently have a nazi or white supremacy connection.

[David19]

Oh sorry, i should have said, the Joy of Satan shouldn't be taken as representing all Satanists and Satanism, there are a lot of Satanist's who hate the Joy of Satan and neo-nazi's, a lot of the good satanist's are one's like Diane Vera & the Church of Azazel and various others. Also Anton Lavey, the founder of the Church of Satan, was Jewish (or 'ethnically' Jewish) and i think his daughter is (anyone know if that's true?).

Anyway, i only showed the Joy of Satan because it's the only one i could think of to show the rise in anti-Semitism.

[gurlygurl2004]

Understood:)