INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS.

Definition of Religion

Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs and practices directed towards the ultimate
concern of society. An ultimate concern is one which tends to underlie many of the day-
to-day issues for example terminal illness, pregnancy without knowing the status of a
partner.

The term Religion comes from the Latin noun ‘religio’ that comes from three verbs:
‘religere’ (to turn, to constantly observe conscientiously/carefully); ‘religare’ (to bind
oneself) and ‘reeligare’ (to choose again). From the above, one can see how difficult it is
to define religion since each verb points to a different understanding of what religion is.

It is important to note that the term Religion is primarily a Christian term. Judaism and
Hinduism for example, do not have it in their vocabulary. Religion is something that is
lived, a matter of faith, being centred in concrete actions, feelings and decisions.

It is present when human beings dare to respond to the profound forces of life. It is also a
matter of thought, for religion brings meaning into human life.

It is a matter of truth reaching beyond mere superficial opinion and it guides believers
towards wisdom, a probing understanding of the most profound human questions. Religion
is an ideology, a way of thinking; a sense of being indoctrinated.

Several scholars define religion differently;

Fredrick Schleiermacher, a German theologian and philosopher defines it as a feeling

of absolute dependence to God. One does not have to know God but just have that
feeling.

Emile Durkheim a sociologist defined religion as a system of beliefs and practices that
are relative to what is held as sacred, holy. These practices and beliefs unite and bind a
people into a moral community called a Church. These beliefs and practices are created
and determined by people.

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Rodgers Colliers in a book MAN and the SACRED defines religion as the
sacred/holy/religious/secular, which draws a margin between what is holy or religious.

North Whitehead an English American philosopher defines religion as what an

individual does with his/her solitariness.

William Lessa and Evon Vogt define it as a system of beliefs and practices directed
towards the ultimate concern of society.

Tillich defines religion as that of ultimate concern. A person’s religion is that concern
which is more important than anything else, for example, an intense love of family may
be seen as religion.

Sir James Fraser defines religion as those powers that are superior to human beings and
which are believed to direct and control the cause of nature and human life.

Christopher Dawson defines religion as the sense of dependency on external powers

conceived as mysterious as and higher than human wants. Human beings develop a sense
of awe and self-abasement in the presence of such super natural powers.

Roland Robertson defines religion as the power that is known to be understood by a

society because they help to keep the norm or the moral order. He further defines
religious culture as that set of beliefs and symbols pertaining to a distinction between an
empirical and super empirical, transcendent reality; the affairs of the empirical beings
subordinate to the non-empirical.

Edward Sapir defines it as man’s never ceasing attempt to discover a road to spiritual
sanctity and serenity through the dangers and perplexities of daily life. It involves a belief
in supernatural beings responsible for existence of all beings and order in the universe.

Milton Yinger says religion is a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a
group of people struggle with this outlook of problems of human life; knowledge of death
and of suffering and generally all the powers that threaten human life and happiness.

Bolaji Idowu says religion refers to a transcendental reality of faith, the inner reality of
faith as well as the rituals and ceremonies which are a means of communion and
communication with the deity.

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Bourdillon says religion involves a way of thinking; a way of understanding life therein.
Religion is an ideology.

Karl Marx defines religion as a sigh of the oppressed creature, the sentiment of a
heartless world, the soul of the soul-less conditions, the opium of the people. Religion is a
typical superstructure that promises a home for the poor where there will be no suffering.
Marx believed that religion would die on its own and there was no need to fight it.

Religion is a matter of faith; it is about feelings and actions. It connects us with the
deepest part of our lives. It is present when human beings respond to forces of life. It
brings meaning to human life.

Religion addresses different issues:

• Why was I born?

• What is the purpose of life?
• Why do I continue to live?
• Does life have a meaning in the course of human misery and suffering?
• Does life make sense?
• Is there God? Why does he allow evil and misery?

Some theories about the origin of origin

Animistic theory (by Taylor and Codrington) – Early people did not distinguish the
difference between dreaming and reality. People believed that the dead lived in nature e.g
trees, rivers, hills, moons, stars, the sun and worshiped them.

Magic theory (by Frazer) – man manipulated nature by magic practices, magic was later
replaced by religion, and religion will later be replaced by science. Karl Max and
Sigmund Freud supported this theory. Karl Max believed that religion, is an opium and
myth, it makes people accept situations. Sigmund Freud believed that religion is a myth
which kept people in an infantile state.

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According to Otto Rudolf, Religion developed from different aspects of human life,
through the human search for truth. Human beings have failed to understand the human
nature, created in different forms. Man’s consciousness made him search for truth and
reality and wondered about:

• Where the world came from

• Who made the sky
• If the earth will go on forever
• What would happen when one dies
• What happened to the dead
• If life ended to those who died

Human beings developed the realm of consciousness called holy, where they wondered
about the reality of life. As a result, they developed numinous; religious emotions, and
the moment when one is holy, it is the moment when one is touched by numinous. This is
the moment characterised by fear. The religious emotions (numinous) were perceived by
humans as daimonic, evil, strange, weird and fearful. The fear, puzzle of reality, the awe
and the dread experienced by our ancestors became more friendly, and marked the origin
of religion and the sense of God as good.

Religions differ, provides evidence of how human beings have struggled with
supernatural aspects of life. It is part of human culture.

WORLD’S MAJOR RELIGIONS

a) CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is the World’s largest religion and is spread all over the world. In
Christianity, the church is sometimes described as being the physical body of Jesus
Christ, continuing his work in the world. Christianity has about 20,300 distinct
denominations, but all these groups belong to much larger groups or families. The main
Christian groups are:-

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• The Catholic Church - accounts for 22% of the 36%. It is the World’s largest
religious organization and it headed by the Pope in Rome.
• Protestants -account for 11% and include Lutherans, Anglicans, SDA, Methodists,
Baptists, Pentecostals and Evangelicals and many more.
• Eastern Orthodox -accounts for 3% and it is mainly found in the Mediterranean and
Eastern Europe.

➢ They each stress different things about Christian beliefs and because of this may
have different views about certain moral issues.
➢ Sometimes there is no universal agreement about what is right and wrong.
➢ Many believe that they are guided by the Holy Spirit, the third element of the
Holy Trinity.
➢ The Holy Spirit can be described as an invisible power that is given by God which
reveals his truth.

Origin of Christianity

➢ Christianity was founded in about 30AD

➢ by the Disciples of Jesus Christ, the great teacher who wanted to continue with
His Ministry of healing the sick, feeding the hungry and preaching about God’s
Kingdom.
➢ It follows its own path outside Judaism.
➢ The followers of Christianity are called Christians.

Beliefs of Christianity

Christians believe;

• In one God - Christians are monotheistic, they believe there’s only one God, and he
created the heavens and the earth.
• In the Trinity or one God in three persons- the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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• That Jesus Christ is the son of God and is the spirit made flesh. He is not merely a
prophet but God’s revelation of Himself in a human being.
• That Jesus’ sufferings and death on the Cross was a sacrifice to wash away man’s sins
and bring salvation.
• That following Jesus’ example would lead to everlasting life.
• That Jesus rose from the dead and went back to heaven.
• That Jesus would come back to earth to judge the living and the dead.
• That death is the separation of the body and soul.
• That the cause of death is the result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve.
• In the covenant and the Ten Commandments as terms of agreement.
• In miracles.
• That God created everything we see and they use the Cross as their symbol to identify
with Jesus.

Worship
Christians worship in the following ways:

• They pray to God through Christ.

• They worship in buildings called churches though Jehovahs’ Witnesses call their
churches Kingdom Halls.
• They worship either on Saturdays or Sundays. Saturday is regarded as a holy day by
Adventists while the rest pray on Sunday.
• Prayers during the week may take place at home or church. Bible studies characterize
home prayers.
Christians have the following festivals and celebrations.

Festivals and Celebrations

The following are the festivals:

• Christmas - it is the celebration for remembering the birth of Jesus Christ.

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• Easter - this is the most important celebration on the Christian calendar. It forms the
foundation of Christian beliefs. This is when Christians celebrate the death and
resurrection of Christ as He had foretold.
• Ascension Day - is the celebration remembering the day when Christ left for heaven.
• Pentecostal Day - it is the celebration remembering the day when the apostles and the
Disciples received the Holy Spirit. This marked the beginning of evangelization of all
peoples.
• Palm Sunday - is the commemoration of the day Christ entered Jerusalem
triumphantly.

b) ISLAM
ISLAM, means submitting to the will of Allah or God. Islam started in 622 AD in Saudi
Arabia, founded by Prophet Muhammad in Mecca. The Arabs at that time believed in
spirits and demons which they worshipped in all nature. They worshipped such things as
the moon, sun, rocks and even sand.
Muhammad’s teachings annoyed the leaders of that time the Qurayshs who wanted to kill
him. This made Muhammad to run away to safety in Medina or the City of the Prophet, in
622 AD. This running away to safety or flight is called HEGIRA. 622 AD is an important
date to Muslims as they date their years from 622AD just like Christians date their years
from the birth of Christ. 622 AD is year 1 on an Islamic calendar.

The followers of Islam are called Muslims. Muslims are people who have become aware
at some point in their lives, of the reality of the existence of God and have committed
themselves to submission to God’s will as expressed in the relations given to the Prophet
Muhammad.
In Islam God cannot be compared with the human race and prefer to use the name Allah
Muslims do not take alcohol nor eat pork.

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Muslim Groups/Types

There are two main types of Muslims, these are:-

• Sunni Muslims (85%)

These Muslims strictly follow the Quran and Sunni traditions and customs. It is the
largest sect under Islam. They strictly follow the words and teachings of Muhammad
and of the Caliphs or the successors of Muhammad. They regard Abu Bakar as
Muhammad’s successor. Iraq is predominantly a Sunni Muslim country.

• Shiah Muslims or Shiites (15%)

These regard Ali a cousin and son in law to Muhammad as his successor. They broke
away from Sunnis. They are found mainly in Iran, Pakistani and Yemen.

Another group of Muslims called Ismailis are mainly found in East Africa and are a
group of Shiites.

Below are Muslim beliefs

Muslim Beliefs

Muslims;

• believe in one God Allah and Muhammad is his messenger or prophet.

• regard Muhammad as the greatest prophet.
• recognize the Old Testament.
• share a common belief with Judaism and Christianity.
• accept Abraham, Moses and Jesus as prophets of God.
• believe in salvation

We can now move on and discuss five pillar of Islam.

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The Five Pillars

• The Creed or the Shahada or Confession of Faith

This involves the saying and expressing the belief that there is no God but Allah and
Muhammad is his messenger. These are the first words a Muslim should hear and the
last words a dying person must hear. It is the yardstick and measuring rod for Muslims
and must be said aloud. It is Islam’s greatest proclamation.
• Ritual Prayer or the Salah
Muslims are called to prayer five times a day in the morning, at noon late afternoon,
just after sunset and later in the evening while facing Mecca.
• Social Taxation or Zakah
This is alms giving to the poor. This will purify or legitimize what is left for one to use.
It is usually 2½% of one’s income.
• The Fast or Sawm
This is where every Muslim must fast during the month of Ramadan for 28 days. There
is no eating or using perfumes or come in contact with a woman.
• Pilgrimage to Mecca
Every Muslim should make a trip to Mecca in one’s life time and this is obligatory.

Worship

Below are the ways of worship for Muslims.

• They pray in buildings called Mosques.

• They pray five times daily, individually or in groups.
• At mid-day on Fridays, all male Muslims pray together while women have their own
prayers at home.
• Friday is regarded as the holy day when all Muslims are expected to go to the Mosque
to pray.
• Prayers are accompanied by actions called Araka.
• Religious leaders are called Imams/ Mullahs/Sheikhs.
Unlike Christians who use the bible, Muslims have their own scriptures or holy books.

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Scriptures or Holy Books

For Muslims;

• The Quran or Koran is the complete and final revelation from Allah to mankind. It is
perfect and holy.
• The Hadith or Reports of what Muhammad said and did provide guidelines on how to
behave.

Festivals

Muslims have the following festivals;

• Eid-Ul-Fitr- the ending of Ramadan.

• Eid-Ul-Adha- the end of haj.

Symbols

Muslims use a half crescent and a star symbolizing the vastness of the religion. It must
spread and cover the whole World like the stars are and let them shine like the moon.

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Areas of Influence

Islam has influence in;

• North Africa, Middle East and South East Asia.

• Indonesia which has the World’s largest Muslim population of about 125 million
followers (95%) of the population.

c) HINDUISM

Origins of Hinduism

Hinduism is the World’s oldest religion which started about 3000 to 4000 years ago. It
started in India out of a number of religious beliefs among the Aryan people who lived
around the river Indus in North India. It has no known founder like other religions.
Hinduism spread to Africa as well as to countries like the Seychelles and Mauritius
through Indian traders.

Teachings and Beliefs

Hindus believe in;

• The law of Karma which may be described as the law of cause and effect. Good
actions produce good results and bad actions produce evil results. This means that a
human being will be reborn in various states according to his/her previous good or
bad deeds.
• Reincarnation, that is, life is an on-going process of rebirths depending on one’s
karma. This process is called samsara. This helps to understand the Hindu respect for
all life even animals.
• Hindus burn their dead to free the soul from the body ready for rebirth or union with
Brahman. The lighting of the funeral pyre is done by the eldest son.

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• Moksha, this is the freedom from rebirth and attainment of perfection and re-union
with Brahman, the universal soul. It is the salvation- the ultimate goal for every
Hindu.
• They believe in the caste system where one belongs to a particular high or low caste
according to one’s Karma. There are four main castes. These are;
- The Brahmin or Priestly Class: came from the mouth of Brahman the creator.
This is the highest caste.
- The Kshatriya or the ruling class: came from the arm of Brahman.
- The Vaisyas: created from the thigh of Brahman. These are the farmers and
traders.
- The Sudras: created from the foot and these are the labourers and servants or
workers.

The Untouchables are found outside the caste system and are mostly isolated and
sleep on the streets.

Worship

• Hindus worship in many beautiful temples and shrines to statues and to many gods.
Worship is individually and not congregational.
• The main aim in life is to achieve divine state of everlasting happiness. There are
three ways to achieve this:
- Good works to fulfil one’s allotted duty in life perfectly and unselfishly.
- Devotional, that is, personal piety, pilgrimage and worship.
- Knowledge, this is the study, reflection and meditation leading to spiritual insight.

Gods

Hindus believe in different gods as stated below.

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• They believe in Brahman who is the spirit of the whole universe. Man’s soul is part
of this. He is absolute and un changing.
• There are many other gods, for example, Shiva, Vishnu, Shakit and Kali. Vishnu is
said to have visited earth several times and Krishna is the form he took on one such
visit.

The diversity in gods has given rise to many sects.

Hindus are vegetarians though this is not obligatory. Beef is not eaten because cattle are
considered as sacred.

Belo are the scriptures the Hindu use.

Scriptures

• Bhagavad-Gita - a book of worship and the best known Hindu writing.

• Vedas - a book of hymns, prayers and sacred stories that have been passed down
through generations.
• Laws of Manu -these explain how one should live.
• Puranas - contains stories about gods and kings; the narrative of the history of the
universe from creation to destruction, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology and
geography.

Festivals

Different festivals are celebrated in Hinduism. These are;

• Holi- the festival of colours, celebrated in March. Marks the end of winter and
honours triumph of good over evil. The festival celebrates love; a time to embrace
the positive and let go of negative energy.
• Diwali – The Hindu festival of light, celebrated in October and November. It is a
festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
• The Kumbh Mela - Pilgrimage to bath in the Ganges River, the most sacred river
to Hindus for purification.

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• Making a pilgrimage to Kashi, in order to attain proper salvation. Kashi is reckoned
as a spot adored to perform Pitru Karya or the ceremonies related to departed souls.

Symbol

AUM or OM is the main symbol in Hinduism. It represents Brahman or God. It is the

primordial; the first breath of creation by Brahman, believed to be the sound heard at the
time of the creation of the universe. A cow is their sacred animal which signifies
abundance; an ever provider just like mothers; she gives more to humans that she takes.

Main Areas

Hinduism is mainly found in India, Nepal and Pakistani.

BUDDHISM

Buddhism began as a reform movement within Hinduism in 560 BC and it is based on the
teachings of Siddhartha Gautama commonly known as the BUDDHA. The Buddha
compared to himself to a doctor whose work consists of four stages which are:

• the diagnosis of an illness

• identifying the cause of the illness
• finding the cure for the illness
• prescribing the medicine.

Using the doctor analogy, taking the medicine helps the patient feel better, and
completing the course cures her. Buddhists say that taking the medicine of mind training

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brings more and more peace and happiness until eventually the cure of enlightenment is
attained.

Beliefs

Buddhists have the following beliefs:

• They believe that there is no creation or beginning because there is constant rebirth or
reincarnation from one body to the next. What one experiences in this life is a result
of one’s activities in a previous life.
• Beliefs or principles are focused on the nature of human beings and their lives of
suffering.
• There are two main categories of teachings: the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold
Path.

The Four Noble Truths

The four noble truths state that;

• Life is suffering. This is to be comprehended.

• The cause of suffering is desire. This is to be abandoned.
• The cessation of suffering is the cessation of desire. This is to be realized.
• Selfishness can be removed by following the Eightfold Path.

The second main category of teaching is the noble eightfold path.

Noble Eightfold Path

The noble eightfold path states the following:

Right views: Knowing the difference between good and bad and the effects of your
actions.

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Right Intentions: Doing things for the right reasons without expecting reward or
recognition.

Right Speech: Non abusive language without causing harm or offence to others.

Right Action: Acting in a socially considerate way to others. Having equanimity for all
human beings.

Right Livelihood: Not earning a living through the suffering of others, for example, not
selling alcohol or weapons or meat.

Right Effort: Striving to perfect your spiritual path rather than improving your material
wealth.

Right Mindfulness: Having awareness of your thoughts and actions so that you live in
harmony with the World.

Right Concentration: Practising meditation to gain liberation or Nirvana.

Worship

Buddhists worship by;

• Meditation and individual prayer.

• Offerings made before a shrine at home and in the temple.

Holy Books

The holy books of the Buddhists are the Sutra Pitaka and the Vinaya Pitaka

Symbol

The symbol for Buddhism is the Dharma Wheel: Buddhism’s Dharma Wheel and its
eight points symbolize the various types of living (Eightfold Path of Buddhism) that lead

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to a peaceful existence in the world. The Wheel of the Law (also called Dharmachakra)
denotes the Buddha’s First Sermon in the forest at Sarnath, where he set Buddhist Law
(dharma) in motion.

Festivals

Buddhism has the following festivals:

• Vasak - celebrating the full moon in May.

• Poson Parahera - celebrating the full moon in June.
Esala Parahera - celebrating the full moon in July.

Areas of influence

Buddhism has its major influence in Japan, China, Sri-Lanka and South East Asia.

We will now proceed and look at Judaism.

JUDAISM-------17 MILLION

Origins

Judaism originated from Canaan about 4000 years ago. It was founded by Moses and it
gave rise to Christianity and Islam. It is the state religion of Israel.
The star of David (Diagram on the right hand side) or shield is regarded as symbol to
Judaism.

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Beliefs

Judaism has the following beliefs:

• Believe in one God Jehovah who created the universe.

• Believe in the forthcoming of the Messiah or Saviour.
• Recognize the Old Testament of the Bible.
• Recognize the Sabbath as the Seventh day beginning of Friday at sunset and ending
on Saturday at sunset.

Scriptures or Holy Books:

Judaism uses the holy books below.

• Their teachings are based on the Old Testament of the Bible.

• The Torah, which was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai as the basis for Jewish morality.
God showed him how it was to be interpreted.
• Talmud that contains Jewish laws.

Worship

They pray in synagogues three times a day.

Festivals

Judaism celebrates the following festivals:

• Passover day
• Psalm
• Sabbath day
• Feast of the Tabernacle ( Sukkoth) which is a harvest festival.
• Pentecost which is the coming of the Holy spirit

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• Rosh Hashannah- Newy year day.
• Yom Kippur- day of atonement which is repentance day.

Areas of influence

Judaism areas of influence areEurope, USA, Russia and Israel.

THE SIX DIMENSIONS OF RELIGION

Discuss the six dimensions of religion.

1. The Ritual Dimension:

- Ritual is the way in which religion expresses itself; worship, service, prayer,
etc. ritual involve unified actions between mind and body. For example;
Positive spiritual rituals can be as short as habitually greeting people with
such words as good morning, evening, God bless, God be with you.
- Rituals often reflect the ways of the past as well as the ways of divine beings
through legends most often directly associated with the features of the
ceremony or festival at hand.
- Rituals often denote such events as births, deaths, marriages, anniversaries,
etc, effectively bringing those observances into conformity with the spiritual
world through overtones of religious teachings.

2. The Mythological Dimension:

- This is composed of myths, symbols and takes through which the spiritual
world is symbolised.
- The term mythological or myth means whatever is being termed is false,
that is in theology.
- In religion, a myth is a traditional story with a historical basis. Myths are
often employed in spiritual rituals.

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3. The Doctrinal Dimension:
- Doctrines are created for the purpose of clarification, organisation and
intellect within the mythological or symbolic words of religious
conviction of faith and ritual.
- Doctrines most commonly make use of myths and symbols.
- Both mythological and doctrinal dimensions of religion nearly always are
viewed in the same manner.

4. The Ethical Dimension:

- Organised religions are usually governed by ethical codes for good
conduct. Most of the religions’ rules for good brother hood/sister hood are
written within religious doctrines or constitution.
- These written rules are not only seen to apply individually, but can quite
often be seen reflected within a society’s economic regulations and
political laws.
- Religion is the most powerful source of influence in the world.

5. The Social Dimension:

- Organised religion is more than a belief system having both social and
communal significance.
- The social dimension is primarily determined by its ethical ideals and
rituals contained therein.
- The beliefs and ethical ideals of a religion are determined by the
prevailing social conditions and attitudes within its community of origin.
- Such a religion therefore usually has an ability to adapt to the physical
environment surrounding it.
- Organised religion is established for the explicitly purpose of allowing a
minority, the priesthood, to maintain mental (spiritual) control over its

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 converts. In addition, organised religion depends greatly upon the inner
fears of its converts.
- Institutionalised religion teaches that its priesthood has the secretive
knowledge required to overcome such fears. It is due to such assumed
knowledge that the religion’s priesthood maintains position of honour and
influence within the community.

6. The Experiential Dimension

- This dimension relates to personal religious experiences felt by the
individual e.g. encounters with deities, spirits, demons, and contact with
an unseen world, sources of inspiration, and moments of revelation.
- Religious experience is a crucial factor with religion. The more personal
religious experiences become, the greater the faith becomes within the
converts.
- Personal religious experience usually revolves around existing doctrines,
and is commonly associated with the mythological and symbolic aspects
of the religion.
- In an organised religion, to have contact with, and participate in, the
spiritual world through the observation of rituals builds hope of every
convert.
- Personal experiences not only confirm faith, they also help in
personalising God within the mind of the believer, thus allowing contact
on a more personal level.
- It is through religious experience that God takes on a new enhanced
meaning within the life of the convert.

Common Characteristics of Religion

• Most religions entail belief in the super natural (spirits, gods, God) or belief in some
other ultimate reality beyond.
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• There is some distinction between sacred and profane objects, between reality and
appearance.
• Religions require ritual acts around sacred objects, for example, veneration of relics,
procession, and worship at shrines, gathering together in places of worship.
• Religions promote a moral code or ethical principles and precepts.
• Feeling of absolute dependence on super natural being. This has been emphasized by
Fredrick Schleiermacher in 1917 in his book: The Idea of the Holy.
• Almost all religions encourage prayer and communication with gods including hymns,
spells, chants and many more.
• Religions provide a world view and significance of life, for example, myths
• Religions require a more or less total organization of life based upon a world view, for
example, dress code.
• Religions are social organizations bound by preceding characteristics
• Religions promise an inner harmony of peace and well-being.
• Religions teach of a new age to come or promise of afterlife.
Religions propagate themselves.

IMPORTANCE OF RELIGIONS FOUND IN ZAMBIA

Explain the importance of religions found in Zambia.

Religions relates to faith and beliefs of individuals:

❖ It shapes the conscience of the mass.

❖ It shapes the ethos and values system of the civilization on lives in
❖ The faith Religion creates has phenomenal power to prosper or annihilates the
lives, civilization and future generations as has been witnessed by world history.
❖ It helps in group cohesion and can minimise group conflicts by presenting codes
of behaviour to which all substance.
❖ It offers explanations for the mysterious natural phenomenon early humans
observed;
❖ The occasional scarcity or abundance of food etc.

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 ❖ It provides a bonding experience to help group/ tribal unity. It makes us to have
love for everyone.
❖ In a world where everything is under consistent changes, we need religion which
we think is the supreme power that is not subject to any change and surrender to
it.
❖ Religion are foundation for morals and beliefs as they help to shape us and
determine what we see as right and wrong.

In summary, we can say that;

❖ Religion provides mental peace

❖ It inculcates social virtues such as truth, honesty, love, non - violence, discipline,
etc.
❖ Religion promotes social solidarity
❖ Religion converts the animal qualities to human qualities.
❖ Religion is an agent of socialisation and social control
❖ Religion promotes welfare (teaches people to serve the masses and promote their
welfare).
❖ Religion gives recreation (religious rites and festivals relief to the people from
mental exertion)
❖ Religion influences economy (self –sustainability)
❖ Religion influences political system
❖ Religion strengthens self-confidence (beliefs like ’work in worship’, ’duty is
divine’, result in predestined, etc.

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