Origin of judiism

[flameingcrouton]

How old is judiism (srry if I spelled wrong) compared to other ancient religions? What is the oldest religion in the world

 

[Deamiter]

I'm not sure if there's a beginning date for Judeism -- I suspect there is not (though estimates probably abound) but I honestly am not sure.

As for the earliest religion though, it rather depends on how you define religion and what evidence of said religion you find compelling.

Large organized religions sometimes left relics like Stonehenge (around 2000 BCE) and the Egyptian empire began around 3100 BCE with the unification of many similar tribes. China in particular has archeological records that go back to the 16th century BCE and nowhere in ancient history is religion absent.

At the very far end, there is evidence of bear worship back to around 30,000 BCE in cave paintings and arranged bear skulls. The parallels between these practices and tribal practices in South America today lead anthropologists to conclude that it is indeed worship even though a skeptic is well within their rights to point out that one certainly cannot be 100% sure about the intentions of people who left so little evidence to work with.

Essentially "religion" or some form of worship -- usually of animals and nature has been around as long as humans. Judeism in it's Biblical form is probably evidenced to third or forth milennia BCE but I'm guessing there -- you'd have to do a more comprehensive search to find what experts say on that one.

 

[laptoppop]

I believe one would probably have to date Judaism as starting with the Abrahamic covenant. One could also make the case that the Mosaic covenant is a fuller expression, and should be the "real" starting place.

 

[Deamiter]

I believe one would probably have to date Judaism as starting with the Abrahamic covenant. One could also make the case that the Mosaic covenant is a fuller expression, and should be the "real" starting place.

Very interesting point -- as one of my Jewish friends frequently reminded me, the Hebrews existed well before they could be called Jews. I don't know where he'd put the start of the Jewish religion but I suspect he'd have a similar answer.

It all falls to the definition of religion of course. As a particular style of worship, I'd probably agree with laptoppop. However, Abraham was not the first in the Bible to worship God.

If you insisted that a line be drawn (as for the sake of discussion it often does need to be drawn somewhere) I might agree that the Jewish religion started with Abraham, but as with any slowly evolving system, the Hebrew people just before Abraham and just after Abraham probably worshipped and went about their lives in pretty much exactly the same way.

 

[mohawk]

YOu may want to look up Zoroastrianism, possibly originating around 650bc. It is thought that the magi were Zoroastrian.

 

[Rusticus]

The Jews regard Moses (they call him Moshe) as having been the first Jew.

Of the religions still practiced today, Hinduism is generally accepted as being the oldest one. (It pre-dates Judaism.)

But religion, as such, is as old as mankind, as far as I can tell. (It is one of the things that makes us human, I believe.)

 

[ArnautDaniel]

I believe the Gathas written by Zarathustra (Zoroaster to the Greeks) are the oldest written religious texts.

 

[HaNotsri]

Jews actually regard Abraham as being the first Jew

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

Judaism as practiced today has its origins in the Rabbinical Reforms of the late first and early second century.