Famous Religious Figures Today

We often take certain things for granted. Like religion, where we feel that certain religions are born, they then grow and later on get decayed. However, when someone starts a new religion, we take it as a cult, something that hinders our way of life and thoughts.

Most of the religions are like faith. We have to treat its traditions and teachings as sacrosanct and timeless. Well, the same thing can be said about the religious leaders of these sacred religions. Today’s religious figures or gurus are more involved in creating a peace and understanding the human values.

These new religious figures provide guidance in living a happy and peaceful. Well, their achievement is what encourages each of their followers and onlookers to know the importance of their teaching.

Famous Religious Figures

Below are the five current religious figures who have paved a way and created a dynasty that rides on their success and teaching. Let’s check these great ones –

  • Tenzin Gyatso – 14th Dalai Lama

Born as Lhamo Thondup, Tenzin is the current Dalai Lama. Do you know that Dalai Lamas are one of the significant monks of the Gelug schools? This is one of the newest schools of the Tibetan Buddhism.

In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to India due to the Tibetan uprising. Currently he is a refugee in India but has traveled all around the world. During the international visits, he has spoken a lot about the welfare of Tibetan people, economics, environment, women’s right, nonviolence, etc.

In addition, he is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and even Time magazine has named him as one of ‘Children of Mahatma Gandhi’.

  • Pope Francis

Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church. He is even considered as the sovereign of the Vatican City State. Do you know that he is the first Jesuit pope who is from the Americas? Also, he is the only pope from the Southern Hemisphere and even the first one to visit the Arabian Peninsula.

Now throughout his public life, Pope Francis has been recognized for his emphasis on God’s mercy and his humility. In addition, as an international Pope, he is often concerned with the welfare of the poor and supported the interfaith dialogue.

According to him he feels that the Church needs to be more open as well as welcoming. He is a strict non-supporter of unbridled capitalism and Marxism.

  • Bechara Boutros al-Rahi

Bechara Boutros al-Rahi is the 77th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch. He is also the head of the Maronite Church and was made the cardinal on 24th November 2012 by the Pope Benedict XVI.

Boutros al-Rahi has often supported and shown deep interest for love and communion. He always strives to establish a complete and sincere dialogue with the Muslim community all around the world. For him, it is always striving to create peace and building a future together with the Muslims through common life and cooperation.

As per him, his predecessors struggled often with the insistence for freeing both the national decision making and the land of Lebanon. But he is striving to work for the reconciliation in the Mount Lebanon and work on the church reforms.

  • Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar is a famous spiritual leader and guru in India. Often referred to as ‘Sri Sri’ or Gurudev or Guruji, he started the Art of Living Foundation in 1981. This is a volunteer-based NGO that provides social support to various people. He established the Geneva-based charity organization called the International Assocation for Human Values in 1997. The basic work of this charity agency was to engage in relief work and rural development. Also, it aims to foster a global value all around the world.

According to Shankar, spirituality is what enhances human values like compassion, love, enthusiasm, etc. He feels that it is not limited to a single religion or custom. It is open to all people. In addition, he even feels that spirituality and science are compatible as well as linked, where both springs from the basic urge to know.

  • Jaggi Vasudev

Simply and often referred to as Sadhguru, Jaggi Vasudev is an Indian mystic, yogi and a prolific author. He started the Isha Foundation which is a non-profit organization that provides yoga programs all around the world. Through his foundation, he is involved in environmental and educational initiatives and even social outreach.

As an author of multiple books, most of them have appeared in The New York Times Best Seller list pertaining to the various categories like religion, health, faith and spirituality. In 2017, he was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan which is considered as one of the highest awards given by the Indian Government for his extensive contribution in the field of spirituality.

The above five universal religious figures are famous not only for the religious positions they hold. They have made a great change in the lives of various people and are striving to make the world a better place to live.