Hinduism is considered as the oldest religion in the world. The Mahabharata - its epic poem was written around 400 B.C. In Hinduism, they call their supreme deity as Brahman. They consider him as the creator of the universe.

One of Hindu people's goals in life is to achieve nirvana - that is the realization of one's union with God; perfect unselfishness and knowledge of the Self; it could also mean the attainment of perfect mental peace and detachment from worldly desires. Such realization liberates oneself from samsara and ends the cycle of rebirth. (Samsara means the cycle of the continuous action, reaction, birth, death and rebirth.)

Hinduism believes that Brahman takes the form of three main deities namely: Brahma who corresponds to the creative spirit that arises from the universe; Vishnu who corresponds to the force of the order that sustains the universe; and Shiva, corresponds to the force that brings a cycle to an end and rebirth.

Many people in India want to acquire extraordinary powers. Some of these powers are good while others are used with evil intent.

Watch out of any Indian guru that practices any magic. True gurus do not perform them. The mission of true gurus is to help his disciples achieve enlightenment. According to tradition enlightenment can be attained through meditation, self-discipline, and freeing yourself of worldly desires, among others.

One of the most popular gurus of India that was believed to have attained enlightenment is Gautama Buddha.

There are so many religions in the world today. One of the most powerful is the Roman Catholic religion. Also called Catholicism, it embodies the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole. It is headed by the Pope and is considered distinct from other Christians because of its belief, practices and traditions.

Among the beliefs of the Catholics are the ability of the saints to intercede on the behalf of the believer, that there is afterlife purification (Purgatory) before entering the kingdom of God, and the Eucharist as the true body of Christ. Roman Catholic religion practices the use of the Holy Rosary Beads in prayer, veneration of the saints, and the use the crucifix. Roman Catholics also believe in the Holy Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit).

In Catholicism, the Holy Eucharist is called the Mass and it is celebrated more often than the Protestant. The priest presides the mass and wears elaborate vestment.

The Catholic Religion observes the seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders as effective in receiving God’s invisible grace.

The seven sacraments are ceremonies instituted by Christ to give humanity grace. For Roman Catholics, these are very important because the ceremonies are occasions of experiencing God’s saving grace. Jesus Christ himself is the sacrament. He gave his life to save man, so that the grace from the Father will flow to mankind. Grace is free and a gift from God and is necessary for man’s own salvation.

The sacraments are called the mysteries and the Roman Catholic religion recognizes all these seven sacraments. They may be categorized according to Initiation, Healing, and Vocation. The three Initiation sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist, while the two healing sacraments are Penance and Anointing of the Sick. The last two sacraments of vocations are Holy Order and Matrimony. Of the seven sacraments Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders were given only once and they render a permanent seal or character upon one’s soul.

Each of the seven sacraments has ecclesial and sacramental grace that gives meaning to a Roman Catholic believer’s life. The rite of the sacraments is composed of matter and form; matter as the action such as pouring of water and anointing of oil, and the form as the word being spoken by the priest.