Christianity is one of today's largest religions, yet many people who were not raised in a Christian atmosphere do not understand what Christianity is about. But the religious practices in Christianity are not as complex or strange as they may first appear to an outsider. Take a look at some of the most important practices in use today.
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Baptism is very common in most branches of Christian religion. Jesus Christ, known as the savior of lost souls, is worshiped as the Son of God by Christians and is said to have died on the cross so that God will forgive us for any and all we commit in this life. When someone asks Christ for forgiveness, they are then baptized to show that they have become a Christian and have been excepted into the church. This is very important, because salvation is believed to be the only way to go to Heaven. Many religions believe that a person must also be baptized to enter Heaven's gates.
Easter is another celebrated day in the Christian tradition. This is the day that Jesus rose from the dead, as he prophesied he would do. If he had not risen then salvation would not be possible. Christian churches celebrate this with Easter egg hunts for the younger children, as well as singing hymn songs of praise to the Lord, and often having a church dinner.
Christmas is celebrated by many, not just Christians, but it has a very special meaning to it for those of the Christian faith. Religious practices in Christianity include celebrating Christmas as the day of Jesus's birth. This is not the actual date, the actual date is unknown, but it is a symbol of the hope he gave the world. We show the love of God to others by giving gifts and gathering with family on Christmas Day.
Lastly, though many people are already aware of this common practice whether they realize it or not, Sunday is considered a day of rest. In the Bible it says that God created the world and mankind in six days, and on the seventh He rested. Christians try to honor Sunday and keep it holy; if it is possible they will not work, though current economic times usually make this hope fairly unrealistic. Church services are held on Sunday mornings to worship the Lord, and Nondenominational church sometimes again on Sunday night. Many churches hold other services throughout the week as well, and host a vacation bible school during the summer. Church, as we all know, plays an important role in the lives' of Christian followers.
As you can see, religious practices in Christianity are all involved in some way or another with spreading the good word of the salvation of Jesus Christ and the love of God. The idea is that by spreading peace and love, not only will harmony come to the world, but all will be saved from Hell's fire and can rejoice together forever one day in Heaven with God Almighty.
When you stop to think about it, humankind has always enjoyed some type of leisure and recreation, so the history of leisure and recreation goes back a very long way. The Romans had the Coliseum, where they watched chariot races and other entertainment. The Greeks had amphitheaters where they viewed drama and comedy, and of course they invented the Olympics, one of the greatest entertainment sport spectacles on earth. The list goes on. Even the Bible discusses singing, dancing, music, and other forms of acceptable recreation, so even the most ancient civilizations enjoyed entertainment and recreation of some sort.
The Middle Ages
Life for most people in the Middle Ages was dark and difficult. More emphasis was put on work, and there was little time for leisure. However, jousting tournaments, hunting tournaments, and the earliest forms of chess, checkers, and other games developed during this time. The people worked hard, the Church forbade many forms of entertainment, but there were still leisure pastimes to help develop the growing history of leisure and recreation.
The Industrial Revolution
This history of leisure and recreation goes far back in time, but leisure and recreation really took off when the Industrial Revolution hit Great Britain in the 1700s. The Industrial Revolution revolutionized work in the modern world, and helped create the modern factory environment. Machines mechanized the manufacture of fabric and fibers, and this ultimately led to more leisure time for the workers. They worked long hours in the factories, but they also had time off, and most employers gave at least some holidays off. Thus, people who had labored from dawn to dusk on farms in rural England, moved to the big city, got jobs in factories, and had leisure time away from their jobs. The Industrial Revolution helped create the notion of leisure time, and it helped create a different view of work and leisure.
The 20th Century
If the Industrial Revolution helped create the history of leisure and recreation, the 20th century helped cement it. Workers demanded shorter working hours, paid vacations and holidays, and weekends off, leading to even more leisure time for the world's workforce. Today, work and leisure are still strictly separated, but leisure time and recreation are some of the most important aspect of modern life, showing how the history of leisure and recreation has altered throughout time, and become increasingly popular as people gain more freedom from work and toil.
Tribal Warfare
It's interesting to note that the wide separation between work and leisure in our modern society is something that wasn't necessary in early, tribal cultures. Early man (and woman), worked when it was necessary to find food or to create items they needed to live, but they did not work continually, they interspersed work with pleasure or leisure, something our society not longer enjoys. For example, in Native American societies, boys "played" at war and warfare, but this play taught them how to use a bow and arrow, useful for hunting as well as defending the tribe. Work became play, while today, the two terms are decidedly distinct.