Kory Keul
REL 230
Written Report Ch. 1
Understanding Religion
The big questions in life are tough: Where did we come from? What is our purpose? What happens when we die? Mankind has sought the answers to these questions often turning to religion to do so. The Latin translation of the word “Religion” means “To reconnect”. Religion is the joining of the mortal realm to the spiritual realm. Even though the various religions have unique and widely varied, their belief systems are similar in that they provide comfort and make people more secure in an unknown universe.
Anthropologist James Frazer (1854-1941) explained religion as the link between science and magic. I think that is a wise realization. Science explores what can be proven fact or fiction, while magic is an unexplained phenomenon that explores other realms of existence. I believe in magic as I have seen pagan rituals and catholic prayers work.
Although there are no requirements to what is needed to be a religion, most have some common characteristics. Most have a belief system that explains the mysteries of life and death. Myths that explain the origins of their beliefs are also common. Many religions have there own code of ethics and use rituals to worship there god(s), but this is not required to make a belief a religion. Another common characteristic is the belief that some things are sacred.
Some people, me included, believe in pantheism: a belief that all life and nature are holy and sacred. I think life must have been created by something because we have such great design, so there must be some sort of designer(s). The concept of life can be very vague but it’s all we have. The only thing you can truly control is you ...