Religion Is More Than A Belief System - 853 Words

The definition of religion is a hard one to summarize in one sentence. Webster s definition follows asAn organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or groups of gods. When I was a child I was not exposed to other belief systems, so is saw religion basically as a reward system for simply acknowledging that a certain deity existed. Throughout my mental growth I began to notice that my understanding of religion was incomplete. I needed to take into consideration that religion is more than a belief system, it is one of the oldest concepts in recorded history,. It is very likely that before 300 A.D. there was no word for religion, but the concept still was passed on from culture to culture. The earliest western civilizations on record are the Ancient Egyptians and the long list of inhabitants, between the tigris and the euphrates rivers, in Mesopotamia. These civilizations both acknowledged a series of gods. The civilizations that sprung up in lower and upper Mesopotamia were constantly rising and falling. The ruling empires fluctuated from the Sumerian Empire, to the Babylonian empire. Despite both the Egyptians and the Mesopotamian civilizations having gods that they worshiped they still had no word for a belief in god. It was not until the later half of the Roman Empire that the word religion was given meaning. The Jewish ideals were growing in the shadows of the Roman Empire, the beliefs of the Jews were labeled as superstitious due to theShow MoreRelatedPascal Boyer s Article Of `` Why Religion Is Natural?1139 Words   |  5 PagesWhy religion is natural? is one that really gets the audience to think. It begins to raise questions like Where does religion come from? and Who sets the standards for religion?. More importantly, it causes us to wonder what religion really is. In this article Boyer perfectly defined and framed his view on religion which came mostly from a psychological point of view, but he also mentioned it from an anthropology perspective and neurological perspective. Religion is a system of beliefs andRead MoreUnderstanding Religion: Reflection Essay916 Words   |  4 PagesUnderstanding Religion: Reflection Essay People need something to believe in. Even if an individual says that they are an atheist and that there is no God or a controlling presence of any kind, they have a religion. Of course then the religion is not believing in anything, supposedly. The fact that religions are formed by societies, and individuals, using basically the same rules is a context that has persisted over the years, and bears some investigation. This paper examines two religions, ChristianityRead MoreReligious Beliefs1421 Words   |  6 PagesReligious Belief System REL/330 Religious Belief System A belief system is a system that is an opinion which determines how we interact with every aspect of out life. Your belief is something that is stored deep into your subconscious mind that will either give you the drive you need to succeed or tell you that it is ok to fail. Religion is a particular type of belief system, but not all belief systems are religion. Telling the differenceRead MoreReligion Is A Complex And Beautiful System1222 Words   |  5 PagesReligion Religion is a system that many people have come to know as one of worship and faith. As college students, religion is a topic that many of us wonder about, question, and encounter throughout our daily lives. One thing is certain when it comes to religion, there is no ignoring the important role it plays on many individuals lives, communities, nations, and basically in all corners of the world. Each human experiences religion in different ways; it is amazing to be able to observe the varietyRead MoreReligion : Religion And Religion1747 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Jensen Religion Studies 102 Meaning of Life: Religion Throughout human history, religion is now and always has been the main topic of discussion. In my paper, I will discuss reasons why it is important to study religion and how it was constituted. Religion is what makes us who we are today. Therefore, there are many reasons to study religion. Religion has shown itself as being able to unite people and to divide them since everyone has his or her own beliefs. The study of religion is not onlyRead MoreReligion Traditions740 Words   |  3 Pageseligion traditions Religion Traditions Terika Jenkins REL/134 November 17, 2012 Jack Batchelor Religion Traditions Religious traditions play a huge role with humans and their beliefs of who controls the world. Religion is believed to have many different meanings to different people. The definition of religion varies but the common definition is people in an organization that to worship together and have the same beliefs. It is also viewed a system of belief that worships a God or godsRead MoreKarl Marx and Emile Durkeim on Religion1280 Words   |  5 PagesThrough looking at Karl Marx’s application of religion as well as Emile Durkheim’s concepts of religion, it is shown that religion is an ideology that is seen throughout modern society. Although there are many different views surrounding religion, my main objective in this essay is to assess Marx’s claim that Religion is an ideology by focusing primarily on Marx and Durkheim’s views on religion. In order to establish religion as an ideology, we must start by looking at what makes something an ideologyRead MoreInflu ence Of Religion On International Trade Essay1394 Words   |  6 Pageson trade. Religion can be defined as a system of shared beliefs and rituals that are concerned with the realm of the sacred. Religion is a system that guides people’s behaviors and influence them in the way they interact with other people and the world. Religion is one important source of a society s beliefs, attitudes, and values. It teaches people how to develop qualities such as love, peace, long-suffering, kindness, and goodness. Those qualities make them an asset to society. Religion practicesRead MoreOur Belief Systems And Values966 Words   |  4 Pagesdefine our belief system and identify our current values to help us understand ourselves better. A belief system is the essential elements that shaped our set of values for which we base everything we do. Religion has been around for thousands of years. Some people believed in many Gods, and some believed only in one God. The differences among people’s religious belief is obvious, but sometimes they share something in common about good and evil. How people acquired their religious beliefs dependsRead MoreReligion As A Cultural System1033 Words   |  5 Pagesanthropologists took in regards to religion, anthropologists thoroughly focused on the different aspects of religion through the theories conducted in the 19th and 20th century. These different theories conducted in the nineteenth and twentieth century allowed anthropologists to look at religion as a product of the interpenetrations of cultural systems rather than a unified system. Religion was viewed as a belief in all societies and is highly visible. Religious practises and beliefs are a persistent tribute