# What's the largest religion that originated outside of Asia?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 21, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053 "2015-09-21T01:22:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/1 "2015-09-21T01:22:03Z")
It occurred to me that virtually all of the world’s major religions trace their origins back to Asia: Baha’i, Buddhism, Cao Dai, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Juche, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, Tenrikyo, Zoroastrianism.
Some offshoots of these religions, like Mormonism or Santeria, started in other continents but they’re offshoots - their origins still go back to Asia.
So what’s the largest religion that originated outside of Asia? It’s disturbing but the biggest non-Asian religion I can think of is Scientology. Is there something else that’s bigger?
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### Author:  [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/2 "2015-09-21T01:38:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> So what’s the largest religion that originated outside of Asia? It’s disturbing but the biggest non-Asian religion I can think of is Scientology. Is there something else that’s bigger?
Ever? Or currently practiced? Seems like the Romans had a pretty big deal going for a while. Likewise the old Egyptians, the Mayans (which still exists), the Aztecs, and a number of other peoples.
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### Author:  [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/3 "2015-09-21T01:57:57Z")
VooDoo? (West Africa?)
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### Author:  [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/4 "2015-09-21T02:35:22Z")
Mormonism.
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### Author:  [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/5 "2015-09-21T02:38:34Z")
How about Scientology? Wikipedia says their membership numbers at up to 8 million.
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### Author:  [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/6 "2015-09-21T02:39:53Z")
What about Voodoo/Voudun? It’s a faith or set of related faiths from West Africa, with branches in many countries of the Americas. It’s especially popular in the Caribbean, Louisiana, and to some extent Florida.
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### Author:  [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/7 "2015-09-21T02:45:20Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#):
>
> How about Scientology?..
Scientology actually seems to have some significant inspirations from Buddhism. Both of them teach reincarnation and have significant psychotherapy or psychotherapy-like practices.
In reality, very few religions just come into existence out of nothing. They are to some extent inspired by existing religions. Whether or not a new religion is treated as a new religion or as an offshoot of an existing one is really a question of degree and not of nature.
What about Wicca? It’s modern form clearly comes out of 20th century Europe, but it is based on much older elements that were put together by Gerald Gardiner from various sources, including Celtic mythology, Viking mythology, and Freemasonry.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/8 "2015-09-21T03:15:45Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#):
>
> Ever? Or currently practiced?
I’d rather stick with current memberships.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/9 "2015-09-21T03:22:46Z")
> [@UncleFred](#):
>
> VooDoo? (West Africa?)
> [@robert\_columbia](#):
>
> What about Voodoo/Voudun? It’s a faith or set of related faiths from West Africa, with branches in many countries of the Americas. It’s especially popular in the Caribbean, Louisiana, and to some extent Florida.
Vodou is a combination of African tribal religions and Christianity. So as Christianity is part of its foundation, I don’t feel we can say it doesn’t have some of its origins in Asia.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/10 "2015-09-21T03:30:26Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#):
>
> Scientology actually seems to have some significant inspirations from Buddhism. Both of them teach reincarnation and have significant psychotherapy or psychotherapy-like practices.
I’ve always suspected that Scientology was “inspired” by Gnosticism. There are a number of similarities. And the Nag Hammadi scrolls had been discovered and brought attention to Gnostic beliefs right before Hubbard founded Scientology.
That said, Scientology has no official connection to Christianity or Buddhism. Hubbard filed off the serial numbers and said Scientology was a new revelation.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/11 "2015-09-21T04:28:23Z")
> [@chacoguy](#):
>
> Mormonism.
If one counts the LDS, then presumably Protestantism in general might be the largest, but the OP appears to exclude such offshoots.
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### Author:  [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/12 "2015-09-21T05:48:33Z")
I would argue its “Secular Humanism / Atheism” based on the list here:
> **[List of religious populations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_populations)**
>
> This is a list of religious populations by number of adherents and countries.
> Pew Research Center made its "Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050" based on 2010 baseline estimates. Although 2020 is already in the past, new estimates for 2020 are still work in progress.
> Countries and territories with the greatest proportion of Christians from Christianity by country, as of 2010\[update\]:
I’m going to claim that Diagoras of Melos is the founder of Athiesm, which puts it in Greece and thus in Europe.
> **[Diagoras of Melos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagoras_of_Melos)**
>
> Diagoras "the Atheist" of Melos (Greek: Διαγόρας ὁ Μήλιος) was a Greek poet and sophist of the 5th century BC. Throughout antiquity, he was regarded as an atheist, but very little is known for certain about what he actually believed. Anecdotes about his life indicate that he spoke out against ancient Greek religion. He allegedly chopped up a wooden statue of Heracles and used it to roast his lentils and revealed the secrets of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The Athenians accused him of asebeia (impiet...
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### Author:  [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/13 "2015-09-21T06:52:05Z")
The Roman/Greek religion ---- state religion in both, but more rigorously so ( and syncretic ) in the case of the Romans — had Asiatic origins. Apart from the common Aryan/Sanskrit roots stretching from the Steppes to India there were elements from Egypt/Crete. Not less with the newer cults advertised as being straight from the East, Cybele, Christianity, Mithras etc… Worked in early 20th century California just as much ---- _The Temple brings peace and wisdom in it’s teachings from the Timeless Orient, plus a chance to contact the beloved dead_.
You will note no-one wants to contact the hated dead.
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### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/14 "2015-09-21T07:07:59Z")
[List from adherents.com](http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html) ([Wikipedia shows all Asian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groups)).
Largest are “primal-indigenous,” which seems like a cop-out/vague, and many, many African indigenous and diasporic (Vo(o)do(o/u)(n) and Santeria are in the latter). The largest single religions in order are Spiritism (don’t think there’s a defining commonality in much of that), Neo-Paganism (again many stripes, although perhaps a lot is Celtic-influenced), U-U if you count that, Rastafarianism, and Scientology. Those last two are somewhat uniform (Rasta has [sects](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansions_of_Rastafari) and _some_ Jewish influence but still unique and North American with claims to Africa).
If you consider solipsism, then it’s the largest in the world, with a population of one. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/15 "2015-09-21T07:47:06Z")
There was the native paganism of pre-christian Europe, although that might be derived from the Steppes also.
Voodoo doesn’t count since that too was derived from Christianity.
Meso-American religions are the most likely. Although archaeologists and explorers spent a lot of time linking their pyramids to those of Old Egypt. A _lot_ of time.
And carving out living hearts and raising them to the sun is now more the private pastime of psychopaths than accepted religious practice.
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### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/16 "2015-09-21T10:34:22Z")
> [@coremelt](#):
>
> I would argue its “Secular Humanism / Atheism” based on the list here:
> [List of religious populations - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_populations)
>
> I’m going to claim that Diagoras of Melos is the founder of Athiesm, which puts it in Greece and thus in Europe.
> [Diagoras of Melos - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagoras_of_Melos)
Atheism is a religion to the extent that not collecting stamps is a hobby. It’s lumped in with religions for statistical purposes, but calling it one in this context is idiotic.
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### Author:  [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/17 "2015-09-21T10:55:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> It occurred to me that virtually all of the world’s major religions trace their origins back to Asia: Baha’i, Buddhism, Cao Dai, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Juche, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, Tenrikyo, Zoroastrianism.
When did Juche become a major religion? For that matter, when did it become a religion?
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### Author:  [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/18 "2015-09-21T11:11:39Z")
There’s an argument to say Judaism started in Africa. And it can trace it’s evolutionary routes back to Ancient Egyptian religion.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/19 "2015-09-21T11:16:30Z")
> [@Monty](#):
>
> When did Juche become a major religion? For that matter, when did it become a religion?
It’s admittedly on the border. Some people define it as a religion and others don’t.
While we’re on the subject, I’ve always felt that Confucianism is a system of philosophy rather than religion.
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### Author:  [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2015, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-largest-religion-that-originated-outside-of-asia/732053/20 "2015-09-21T11:20:06Z")
> [@Derleth](#):
>
> Atheism is a religion to the extent that not collecting stamps is a hobby. It’s lumped in with religions for statistical purposes, but calling it one in this context is idiotic.
Not really from neolithic to classical times the default for humanity was some kind of belief in animism or polytheism. Denying the existence of gods and spirits in the face of almost universal belief otherwise is in itself taking a religious stand. Theres a strong case that, if buddhism and Confucianism are counted as religions, then Atheism should be to.
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