What does the word “religion” mean to you?

Question

My dictionary says that religion is “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially in a personal God or gods”.

What I really want to know is what to you think of when you say or hear the word religion? What does this word mean to you?

Thank-you in advance.

Answer 1

Religion is man's or another's false beliefs and teachings regarding God and His relationship with mankind appears as truth, but is the "broad way which leads unto destruction."

The spiritual interpretation of the word 'Dragon"= religious system or religion.

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27

Fear, guilt and condemnation form the walls of the religious prison created by men.

Answer 2

Religion is difficult to define. Everyone has a different idea of what it is. Most people simply look in the dictionary or use something else equally simplistic. Religion is a human creation and as such can vary as widely as human imagination. To me it means"organized worship of God", which I don't need.

Answer 3

Attempts to define religion are difficult because religion isn't "real". You can't touch it and it's not done in such away that it can be universally recognizable (such as a verb: to run). Instead, you define religion by its characteristics. Not all religions have deities (such as Buddhism), so yourdictionary is immediately proven wrong. Because deities are present in almost all cases, it's a useful definition. Sociologists define religion pretty explicitly by its characteristics because they have to in order to study it with any reliability or validity. Michael Molloy (specializes in academic study of religion), has these characteristics: Belief system: a set of beliefs that comprise a systematic interpretation of the "universe" and a human's place in it. AKA worldview. Community: the belief system is shared and practiced by at group. Central myths: central stories that express the belief system, retold and often re-enacted. Myths in this context does not mean untrue or fairy tales, only that they are separate and important stories that need to be differentiated from stories such as parables or fables used in teaching. Ritual: beliefs enacted, or ceremonies Ethics: established rules about human behavior Characteristic emotional experiences: emotional experiences that are characteristic of a religious experience, ritual, or participation in a belief system. Examples (not limited to): conversion, rebirth, feelings of divine forgiveness, fear, awe, guilt, bliss. Material expression: physical expressions (social artifacts) of a belief system, such as music, art, temples, churches, icongs, clothing, locations. Sacredness: a distinction is made between sacred and ordinary. Objects, people, actions, locations, or ideals may be defined as sacred. Atheism can be construed as a religion. It does have many characteristics of one. It's missing rituals and central myths, however, that usually disqualifies it as a "religion". It is, instead, usually called a "philosophy", which requires no ritual. Anarchy is a type of government, just as atheism is a type of belief system. I'm not as familiar with operational definitions of government, so the parallel breaks down for me. Anarchy does meet some qualifications as a Nation-State, but it doesn't meet others. For example, anarchy has no defined borders or soveriegnty because no one has the authority to define them nor the authority to consider themselves, let alone a group, sovereign over anything. People sometimes consider the absence of religion (or government or eating) a religion (or government or food choice) because 1) a choice has been made and 2) that choice has been made based on a belief system and therefore must be taken on faith. Because religion is explicitly undefinable (a banana is always a banana, no matter what you call it and religion is only religion as long as we agree that's what it is), people usually define it for themselves. We mostly agree on those definitions because it's convenient. For most people religion = faith. If religion is faith, then atheism is religion. If government is only defined as a method of legislation and enforcement, then anarchy is a government. Perceptions of social constructs are the only way social constructs are defined because they are not "real", that is, they are not empirical in their own right. Define prejudice. It's done by listing behaviors that indicate someone is prejudice. Religion is the same and so is the social construct of government.

Answer 4

Thankfully Jesus didn't come to establish as religion but to establish a relationship between man and God. Religion is nothing more than a set of rites which men carry out in their attempt to reach God. Christianity is Gods' way of reaching man.

Answer 5

I think of these passages from the Bible when I think of "religion".

James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Colossians 2:16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations-- 21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)--according to human precepts and teachings?

23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Answer 6

Belief in God or a reality unknown to the mind and senses which is of greater power and meaning than that which we as human beings know.

Answer 7

The word "religion" makes me think of closed minds, judgmental thinking, making ones own mind and thoughts to be God and creating barriers between those who believe differently.

Answer 8

religion means to me any act that behaves in accordance with their belief. An atheist can be a religious in their disbelief by trying to convert others to their thinking.

Answer 9

The Bond or relationship between God and humanity. All the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church by which we join ourselves to God.

Answer 10

Ridiculous dogma.