Why religion?

Question

What needs does religion serve, what function does it perform, that it is such a ubiquitous feature in human culture? In all its myriad forms and varied (sometimes contradictory) beliefs, why is it found everywhere people are or have been? Is the tendency to religious belief actually a defining characteristic of being a human?

Answer 1

Why - Life is full of mystery. If I were not told otherwise, I would assume that all the wonders of the world were gifts from someone really good at chosing presents.
Needs - to belong
Function - placate angry gods, producing good harvests
Why Everywhere - language turns wonder into questions, and natural wonders into answers
Human - the window of evolution of a famous genome between 150,000 years ago and presumeably the same number of years in the future.

Answer 2

This sounds like a homework question. Or should I say, Questions! Religion is a way of explaining the world- it gives our lives meaning. Some people use science in the same way. For others, material gain is sufficient motivation to live and work! Religion brings people together. It's found everywhere because all people are trying to make sense of the world, so it has many forms. I think it is curiousity that is a defining characteristic of being human- we all want to think that there's a purpose to humanity, a reason to be here.
Fish are here to clean up the oceans. Krill feed whales. Trees make oxygen. Humans, being on the top of the food chain, don't create food for another creature. They create waste instead of making the earth more beautiful. Some religions tell people that our intelligence, awareness, or compassion allow us to make a difference in the world in certain ways. Science may explain the world, but religion and more importantly spirituality helps us to explain and define ourselves.

Answer 3

I think that religions originally came into being to explain the world. All religions have creation myths and myths about why people behave badly ("sin"). Then religions began to be used to control people's behavior - dietary restrictions to improve health, directives to not engage in certain "sinful" behavior (which often was anti-social behavior).

As for why people believe today, I think for the most part people stay in the faith they were raised in. They get indoctrinated at an early age, and stay with the beliefs they learned as children. I don't know that it serves any real function.

Answer 4

Humans cannot fathom the concept that this is all there is. If humans are conscious of their own mortality, then to accept that it's ends at death is tantamount to insanity. Religion provides the source, the higher purpose and the objective morality that is intuitively known. Religion binds and defines human society, whether that religion is god based or ideology based.

Answer 5

relatively primitive form of governmental control, utilizes fear as a enforce ment, uses higher authority( who says? Big Guy In Sky says and will blight your cows knock up your daughters and such if you do not do as told. when this was not strong enough then crucifictions and burnings on the stake got the point across nicely.)

Answer 6

I offer no intent here to offend anyone,,please just let me exist.

"Religion" is TRUTH,, as opposed to Science, which is FACT.

We are usually BORN into a faith based system, accept it as pressed on us, and possibly continue it throughout life as acceptable.

The issue is more that religion should be thought of as a "comfort zone": and if comfortable, should be followed perhaps,,,even accepted as a TRUTH.

The point is,,,,whether it's "religion" or peanut butter,,,when IT no longer offers us a place of COMFORT we should and often do,,, seek other levels for a comfort zone.

I;m not dismissing anyones belief system, and encourage all to explore what theirs is. I'm only saying that narrowing our definitions,,, is to narrow our experiences.

Reverend Steven

Answer 7

People need something to hold on to,something to believe in,weather it b Buddha or Jesus Christ.It gives people hope when things don't go exactly rite or when something unexplainable happens.It gives people answers to the questions they ask and comfort in knowing there is a higher being that is taking care of all of us.

Answer 8

religion brings something into people that breaks the mundane. having any sort of religious belief gives people hope that there is something bigger out there than we can even imagine. something better.

Answer 9

it fulfills the spiritual and offers an explanation to people and helps people out of all kinds of situations

Answer 10

to shape humen in better order -so they spend their life in morality -and thankful to God fr the effection He made on him