Difference between revisions of "Religion"
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Revision as of 02:16, September 9, 2007
"Religion" refers to a set of core beliefs upon which people base their lives. It is very frequently used to refer to a set of beliefs about a god or gods, but is not limited to this.
Definition
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary give a definition of religions as "the service and worship of God or the supernatural", and "commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance", but also as "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith", while "religious" is defined as "relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity"[1]
Religion as Belief in God or Gods
"Religion" is frequently used to refer to a belief in a god or gods, or other supernatural elements such as angels, demons, souls, and locations such as heaven, purgatory and hell.
Often a particular common set of beliefs are referred to, such as Christianity, Islam, or Judaism.
Developed religions generally consist of a central creed or body of beliefs, an ethical component (i.e. a code of morals), a body of literature or holy texts or stories, and a set of individual and communal practices.
Religion as Organisation
"Religion" is often used to refer to a particular religious organisation, such a Catholicism, Methodism, or Lutheranism.
Religion as Set of Practices
"Religion" is sometimes used to refer to a set of practices, rites, or rituals observed by followers.
Many evangelicals reject the term "religion" because they reject any system of works by which human beings attempt to approach God without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. According to them, for the person who is born again, "religion" can only interfere and distract from that prayerful union.
Religion as Philosophy or Principle
The definition of religion as a cause, principle, or system of beliefs is probably the broadest definition of the term. By this definition, non-theistic belief systems such as atheism, humanism, and agnosticism can be considered religions. Indeed, the Supreme Court of the United States of America has acknowledged that "religion" does not need to include a belief in a god or gods, and included humanism as an example of a non-theistic religion.[2] Another U.S. court has also ruled atheism enjoys protection as a religion.[3]
Atheists typically reject that atheism is a religion because it rejects the existence of God.
Since the belief in gods is not essential to Buddhism, it is sometimes not considered to be a religion, but a philosophy. The Association of Religion Data Archives includes Buddism as one of the 149 religious bodies, but omits atheism, agnosticism or secular humanism [4].
List of religions
Religions can be classified according to how many gods the religion recognises.
Monotheistic religions
Monotheistic ("one god") religions are followed by the vast majority of the world's population.
- Christianity
- Islam
- Jehovah's Witnesses
- Judaism
- Mormonism
- Rastafari movement
- Bahá'í
- Zoroastrianism
- Sikhism
Polytheistic religions
Polytheistic ("many gods") religions believe in multiple gods or spirits or other supernatural being needing to be worshipped.
Pantheistic religions
Pantheistic ("all is god") religions believe that all of creation or nature is a god.
Non-theistic religions and philosophies
Non-theistic religions do not have a belief in God or gods. Some consider the existence of God to be unknown or irrelevant, while (strong) Atheism believes that there is no god or gods.
Parody and joke religions
Several "religions" have been invented in an effort to denigrate traditional religions. As a rule, these religions do not have followers who actually believe the tenets of the religions.
References
- ↑ "Religion" in Merriam Webster dictionary.
- ↑ "Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God, are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism, and others.". Torcaso v. Watkins, (1961)
- ↑ "A federal court of appeals ruled ... Wisconsin prison officials violated an inmate's rights because they did not treat atheism as a religion." Court rules atheism a religion WorldNet Daily
- ↑ Religious Groups Participating in Religious Congregations & Membership Study 2000. [1]