Religion & Theology

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to determine if people on earth are religious and what are the certain behaviors and beliefs that illustrate religiosity of people. The functions of religion are also discussed in this paper. It is concluded that religion still plays an important role in the life of people on earth.

Religion & Theology

Introduction

We have been conducting a research at our planet Mars to analyze the religion practiced at different planets. In the similar context, planet Earth has been assigned to me, where I am supposed to determine if Earth is a religious planet or not. My report seeks to analyze what is meant by “religion”; how religion influences daily life within various religions and current affairs and the varieties of religious experience and practice in a wide range of cultures.

Discussion

Religion

Religion can be defined, in general, as a set of ritualistic practices and metaphysical beliefs shared by a given community members concerning one or more supernatural forces or deities (Idinopulos & Wilson, 1998). The wide-ranging philosophical role of religion lies in its capacity to give implication to existence and explicate the mysteries and origins of life and death. Traditionally, the term religion in Western culture relates all features of our life regarding the divine. However, religion has been redefined as individual and corporate practices and beliefs dealing with our relationship with reality or with some ultimate being and is differentiated from spirituality, which refers typically to the more existential element of that relationship, or to one's core values more broadly or search for meaning (Nelson, 2006). Religions have had vital roles in affecting people in societal and environmental conduct.

Religion is a varied and universal phenomenon. Though there have been people on who have disdained all religion and take up atheism; however, until recently, for practical purposes, they have been a very small minority. In the 1700s, since the Enlightenment in Western Europe the efforts to promote an atheistic belief have received little success, with the exception of educated elites of the more advanced industrialized countries. The undertakings to repress religion during the time of Communist domination in Communist countries have almost entirely failed.

Religion has an influential impact on people in different ways. Spiritual needs can be satisfied by religion along with organization of energies to get grand projects done. Religious faith drove the building of the pyramids, and other various architectural monuments in ...