What IS religion?

[Nightblood.]

I'm in a World Religions class this semester. On our second day of class we were asked to answer this question. Without specifics for certain religions (i.e. no specifics to Christianity, Islam, etc), what IS religion? Not necessarily what the Webster definition is, but what do you define it as? We had some interesting answers in class and I'd love to see some of the responses from people on here.

[ARootlessTree]

Quite simply, it is a means for man to answer the unanswerable, in a sense. As those questions get answered, the need for religion diminishes. It's also a social construct- it teaches you how to behave, and it uses heaven, or Nirvana, as a carrot on a stick, so to speak, to motivate that.

[Music]

I believe religion is an example of life. Not always how it should be lived, but a place where you can refer to for life's questions and an opinion to keep in mind when situations arise. A place of comfort, a place for debate.
It's not the end all of all situations, but sometimes it has its place.

[theinfatuatedpanda]

Many say the etymology of religion lies with the Latin word religare, which means “to tie, to bind.” This seems to be favored on the assumption that it helps explain the power religion has.
Although some argue that religion doesn’t really exist.
It's just a matter of opinion I guess.

[Coffee.]

Umm...a nice answer or how I honestly feel?

Hahaha, I kid mostly. I think it's somebody's own personal spirituality and how they choose to express. I don't have any type of spirituality, personally, and think most of it is cult-like, scams, wanting money, wanting to divide people, and are ways to be able to keep the lower classes quiet. However, religion has saved many people, so I try to have respect.

[ARootlessTree]

Originally Posted by MandyTeen

Many say the etymology of religion lies with the Latin word religare, which means “to tie, to bind.” This seems to be favored on the assumption that it helps explain the power religion has.
Although some argue that religion doesn’t really exist.
It's just a matter of opinion I guess.

That is a tricky statement. Existence is an already not agreed upon concept in philosophy- what does it mean to exist? If there are things that do exist, what quantifies the things that don't?

[LostAngels]

The following is my own personal opinion, and I mean absolutely no offence by it, regardless of how intense it is.
In my World Religion class last semester, I had to write and essay on 'What is religion, in your own words?' This was a small aspect of my response, and believe it or not, I got 100%.

"I feel strongly that the entire concept of organized religion is nothing more than the world's most damaging and contagious societal illness.
The fact that the vast majority of the world's population are incapable of living their every day lives by their own rules and values, is a thought that often makes me feel uneasy. Knowing that so many people are so mentally weak is a very off-putting, disheartening feeling that truly makes me question the potential and intent of everybody I come in contact with.
Religion was created by disorganized, power-hungry people who merely discovered a way far more efficient to control people than money. That is, giving people false hope, and instilling 'faith' in them, rather than teaching them to go try and make an impact on this world themselves.
The bible is full of contradictions, hypocrisy, and has been rewritten more times than I can count.
How is it something can be so strongly relied on and believed in, when it has been REWRITTEN every so often to fit the current views and beliefs held within that era?"

[thebigmole]

This might come off a little abrasive but it's 2 in the morning, and I'm laying awake craving cupcakes I can't have. So...

My answer in one word: EVIL. Sets of rules that some people a long time ago mostly pulled out of their asses. Now please don't think I equate religion with a belief in God, I think it's perfectly possible to have one without the other. It's religion and all of the hell it causes that I take issue with.

[Moxie.]

I see religion as a person's choice of spiritual beliefs. It's what gives them comfort and helps them to see how they want to live their lives. In a way, I also think religion has been damaging to many cultures. But, it's not necessarily because of the beliefs within the religions -- it's mostly caused by other people and their lack of tolerance for people who believe differently from themselves.

Sorry if that doesn't make sense. I just woke up and I'm still groggy.

[MadPoet]

I think one of the mistakes many non-religious people make is thinking that all Christians believe religion is the most important thing. Obviously there are a lot of Christians who do believe that. But religion is not what is important to me. God is important to me. I don't need the label of Christianity to know what I believe in. I don't go to church, and I absolutely hate that churches run like a government, trying to tell you what you can and can't do. It seems like the purpose of the church is not to spread the word of God, but to judge God's people and scare them into believing. That's not how I think that things should be. God is what is important in life, not religion. Religion is simply a means to categorize yourself and make it easier when someone asks "What do you believe in?" To me it is nothing more than that.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Religion is equivalent to a cult and is a way to control people through presenting stories and ideas as fact. It dictates how people should live their life, enforces its own morals and presumes itself to be correct. Religion is also a way to answer questions that are not yet resolved through other means.

[NonIndigenous]

Religion to me would mean someone's fundamental beliefs and values of which they base all of their choices and actions. That's putting it simply.

Originally Posted by The Man And XX Master

...a way to answer questions that are not yet resolved through other means

That's my definition of bullshit.

[Solivagant]

Religion to me is about incorporating the practices of different religions in my daily life. I don't care much about the history. Its about the present practices to me.
I was born in a Punjabi household and I follow many Punjabi practices. The whole concept of Gurudwara is my favourite. There we have "Langars" and everyone, male-female, Hindu-Muslim-Sikh, rich-poor, they all sit down on the floor and eat the food together made by people like them. Then there is the concept of "Seva" which means service. There are cleaning cloths kept there and anyone can clean the Gurudwara. It basically to show that everyone is equal.
Then there is this rule in Islam that everyone should donate a certain percentage of their earning every month to charity. I want to do this when I start earning.
I go to the Church sometimes because I like how everyone sings together and the Priest sometimes says some lovely things about life. I find it very soothing. Same for Gurudwaras.
So, that is religion to me. I don't know the histories of any of these religions, but I am following their present practices and all. It doesn't matter to me how these started, just that I follow them because I like them.

[NevermindMe]

Originally Posted by Toz

Quite simply, it is a means for man to answer the unanswerable, in a sense. As those questions get answered, the need for religion diminishes. It's also a social construct- it teaches you how to behave, and it uses heaven, or Nirvana, as a carrot on a stick, so to speak, to motivate that.

Our opions on religion are very differnet, and yet your definition is very similair to what I was going to post. Interesting.

- Justin