Religion
About 75 to 80 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholics, about 1% are irreligious, about 4.2% are adherents of Islam, and about 15% are Protestant Christians. Other Christian denominations include the Philippine Independent Church (more commonly called the Aglipayan Church), Iglesia ni Cristo (one of a number of separate Churches of Christ generally not affiliated with one another), and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). Minority religions include Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism.
Roman Catholics and Protestants were converted during the four centuries of Western influence by Spain, and the United States. Under Spanish rule, much of the population was converted to Christianity.
Orthodox Christians also live in Philippines. Protestant Christianity arrived in the Philippines during the 20th century, introduced by American missionaries.
Islam was brought to the Sulu Archipelago in the 14th century by Makhdum Karim, an Arab trader, and to Mindanao island by Rajah Kabungsuwan, a Malaccan nobleman. From then onwards, Muslim princes carried on expeditions to propagate Islam. While Islam was easily displaced over the years among the peoples of Luzon, and the Visayas, it retained a foothold in the central parts of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
Other religions include Judaism, Mahayana Buddhism, often mixed with Taoist beliefs, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Animism and Paganism are also followed.
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of The Philippines
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