Religion is the set of organized beliefs, practices, and systems of a group of people. It is a social genus with institutional structures to control and govern the members of that group. However, it lacks a distinctive kind of discourse that claims transcendent status for itself. It is often confused with culture, philosophy, and science.
Religion is a set of organized beliefs, practices, and systems
A religion is a set of beliefs and practices that are organized into a system. A religion is also a set of sacred things, which have a purpose or a meaning. These things are either benevolent or injurious, depending on the beliefs. In addition, a religion is usually made up of a single moral community called a Church, which is composed of all of its adherents.
It has institutional structures to manage those people
The term religion is a taxon for social practices based on a set of rules and authorities. The term is used to describe a variety of traditions, including “world religions” such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. While these traditions have similarities, they are quite different.
It lacks a distinctive kind of discourse that claims transcendent status for itself
As with any social science, religion is a subject matter that has a distinct way of speaking. The distinctiveness of a discourse claiming transcendent status for itself is crucial. This is where the distinction between theology and religious studies comes in.
It is an existential complex
Many existentialists reject the idea that reason and faith can be reconciled. They maintain that reason has its place but should not trump the personal and free decision to believe. And they argue that faith is essentially irrational.
It affects political decisions in many countries
The resurgence of religion in many countries challenges traditional conceptions of international systems, foreign policy, and secularism. The topic is important because of the implications for the state, society, and international system. It also has far-reaching implications beyond terrorism. For example, religion can play a powerful role in conflict, a problem of enormous destructive potential.