Religion is one of the most powerful aspects of human life. It is a way of life, a tradition and a faith in something bigger than yourself that brings people together to work on common goals like charity and helping others. It provides a structure for family and community, offers hope and moral support when things go wrong and creates unique health benefits such as reduced stress levels and depression and a better ability to deal with life’s challenges.
A lot of the different religions differ in their beliefs but similar characteristics run through them all. Most religions include prayer, a figure of authority, sacred books and ceremonies, places, symbols and days that are important to the belief system and an organisation or structure that administrates the religion. They tend to teach that some higher power is in control of the universe and can be consulted for guidance and strength. They also offer hope, either in a literal sense such as going to heaven as in Christianity or nirvana in Buddhism, but more often in the form of a moral code that promotes good behaviour and rewards those who follow it.
It is possible to argue that there is no such thing as religion but this is a flawed view that overlooks the fact that most of the world’s population participate in religious activities. A more valid and helpful view would be to consider the concept as a taxon of sets of social practices based on their shared properties, anchored in a set of distinct but interrelated characteristics.