What is a religion?

In the next few pages, I will try to answer the following questions; what is a religion, as a cultural entity or a phenomenon? Why does it exist? How is it used? What purpose does it serve among all people and all cultures? And I will use examples of religious traditions and practices in the different parts of the world, to supplement and support my definition? My main sources would be our text book; Ways to The Center by Carmody and Brink, and anthology of the world scriptures by Robert Van Voorst.

A religion is a system of symbols, myths, doctrines, ethics, and rituals for the expression of ultimate relevance. When we study religion we must also study the society, the culture, and the history of its followers. We have to assure that religion deals with the values which are relevant in the realm of the ultimate.

Now, let us look at the definition of a religion according to famous psychologists, researchers and philosophers;

Rudolf Otto said that the essence of religion is the human experience of the sacred or the holy, and the profound emotions of awe and fear which accompanies this experience.

Carmody and brink, 25.

Freud stated that humans were driven by unconscious sexual and aggressive drives, and that religion is merely one of the societies tools for controlling such drives, Freud predicted that religions would disappear, but I think he was wrong. Carmody and brink, 25

Jung from the 19^th century contented that religion is one of the fundamental ways in which people used archetype symbols to contact he potentials of the collective unconscious.

Carmody and brink, 25

Erich Froman contented that religions can be used as a key to social progress and equality instead of oppression. Gordon Albert said that true religions lead to personal growth

Emile Durkheim and Robertson Smith emphasized that religions help in promoting social cohesion. Carmody and brink, 26.

Carl Marx saw religion as another social institution which reflects and reinforces the prevailing social class structure and that religion served as a tool of oppressing the masses, and that religion is nothing but opium to the nations. Definitely, I disagree with him for his theory failed and the Soviet Union collapsed and was dismantled. Carmody and brink, 26.

Anthropologist Arnold Van Gennep from the 19^th century and victor turner looked at how religion helped individuals move through social roles and life events like birth, marriage, and death.

As for my own definition, according to my previous class of comparative religions and my own readings, is that a religion must have few components to be considered as a one;

• Founder, or a prophet who claims to have had a revelation or a message form god to humanity or to his people, like Moses in Judaism, Jesus and the disciples in Christianity, Mohammad in Islam, the Buddha in Buddhism.
• A holy book or the message which the founder claims to have had through revelation or communication with God Almighty, the Holy Quran, the Holy Bible, and the book of the Mormons.
• Faith in God Almighty or the Grand Spirit, in whom they trust, depend on and seek help from, in time of distress and troubles.
• Rituals or Worship, like 5 times daily prayers performed by the Muslims, three time daily prayers performed by the Jews, and the endless prayers performed by the Christians.
• Followers or believers in that particular faith.

Religions exist from the beginning of human history to help face difficult situations, to seek help from the Great Spirit or God, and to answer hard questions like; why we are here?  Is there life after death?  If so, how it looks like? How is it? What is in the Heavens?? Where is eternity?? Where is the kingdom of God?

As Erich Froman said that religions can be used as a key to social progress and equality instead of oppression, and we find that in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, in what is known as alms, the tithe, or charity to help the poor and take care of the needy in the society.

Religions can help in answering questions and facing the nature disasters like volcanoes, earthquakes, and thunderstorms, especially in the ancient religions of the American Indians, ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt.

Work cited

1-     Carmody, Denise. Ways to the center. California. 2002

2-     Van Voorst, Robert. Anthology of world scriptures. California. 2003