What is the purpose of religion?

Answer 1

It depends on which field of study you want to approach the question from.

Some sociologists claim that religion is a communal activity that fulfills some primal need to belong to a mass for a variety of reasons including safety, values, and a support system.

On the psychological side there are even more different opinions on the purpose of religion than there are fish in the sea. The one I have developed from various theorists is a rather long explaination so here it goes. Somewhere in the history of mankind there was a single person who had what Rudolf Otto called the "mysterium tremendum" or what William James called a "religious experience." This is basically a period of intense realization that causes a psychological or physical revelation or epiphany. Once someone has had this realization they might develop a theory as to how they came to such a revelation. This revelation becomes the basis for what we call a religion. For example the practice of fasting has throughout history been a way in which people seek enlightenment. This practice possibly originated by a single person who experienced a spiritual awakening by withholding food who then told others. Prior to the "established" religions people would make their own way through life and find their own way to create relgious experiences. With the development of an organized church (by which I mean established house of worship with doctrine, not Christian only) there became a place of organization in which absorbed the local ideas of how to have this experience and created a doctrine around it. For example the practice of going to what is considered sacred ground and praying. Prayer or meditation in itself is an act attempting to gain enlightenment. Over time each of the "modern" religions (anything that has developed in the past oh 8,000 years) has reduced the number of ideas of how to create this religious experience into what is now their doctrine. For example Catholic Dogma is made up of centuries of removing what doesn't work for the majority. Now the key to understanding why many people don't follow major religions is because they have become stagnant and are no longer developing with the changing needs of the people. At the same time there is still the want for the religious experience. So in simplest terms the purpose of organized religion is to assist in the creation or realization of a religious experience. Organized religion is in no way necessary for having a religious experience and being part of a tradition in no way assures you of having a religious experience.

As far as what is the purpose of all religion, I would never claim to know. It has so many meanings to so many people that there is no way to ensure that one mans understanding is the same as any others.

If you really are interested in the subject of religion and psychology/sociology here are some books I have read about the subject:

"The Elementary Forms of Religious Life" by Emile Durkheim

"Religion and the Individual" by Batson, Ventis, and Schoenrade

"Psychology and Religion" by Carl Jung

"The Sacred Canopy" by Berger

"The Sacred and The Profane"

"The Sociology of Religion" by Max Weber

"The Idea of the Holy" by Rudolf Otto

"The Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James

Hope this helps...

Answer 2

To allay the fear of living in a world without purpose and inherent order. It gives some comfort by implying there is a purpose to living. Most individuals say the want freedom but actually fear the lack of structure of freedom. Religion gives a purpose and inherent structure while still indicating there is freedom. Therefore you can have your cake and eat it too. But what it really does it make you passive since you don't have to think for yourself about morals or how to live your life. It is just the easy way out

Answer 3

During 1800s, Anthropologists had a problem as to
how to classify human beings. One researcher
proposed the expression "intelligent animal".
After advanced studies on monkeys, it was dropped.
Another researcher proposed "tool using animal".
After observing some animals making wooden tools
and sharpening them with knife like stones, it was
dropped. Another researcher proposed "weapon using
animal". A decade ago, a rare film was shot by an
amateur in an African forest. One short monkey was
hit very badly by a big monkey. The short monkey
prepared a wooden knife using stones and hid it on
the top of a tree. After some days, when the big
monkey came to attack the short monkey, it ran up
to the tree for the weapon it has hid and killed
the big monkey. The one thing that the
anthropologists found with any group of human
beings, even if they did not have contacts with
the out side world for thousands of years, has
spirituality with some form of religion. So, man
is a "spiritual animal" if you want to call him
that way.

The Upanishads say that "Manush" (human) was so
named because he has "Manas" a mind higher than
that of the animals which realizes the divinity in
creation. It was present since the creation of
human beings. Religion is the characteristic
feature of most of the human beings. It was not
attained through reasoning using mind. Illiterate
tribes located in inaccessible forests also have
religion. It is as eternal and and as unchanging
as the Almighty. Disbelief by a few will not
affect it.

"The percentage of atheists in the world is less
than 5%"

http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/s1990c48a.htm

"Atheists are all scientists" ?

http://www.non-religious.com/statistics.html

Religion is not a blind following. It is a sub-consciously driven
group ritual. It calms the 'collective unconscious' mind. The
religious culture brings unity and belongedness among the followers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_unconscious

" Are Atheists More Depressed than Religious People?

In recent years, the view that religious belief and
participation in religious acts of worship has a positive
effect upon the well-being of man..."

http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php

"Is a Belief in God Beneficial? Or, What's an Atheist to Do?

1) Religious attendance is correlated with longevity.
2) Religious belief has been associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms.
3) Religious beliefs may help with addiction.
4) Religious attendance is correlated with lower blood pressure.

http://jewishatheist.blogspot.com/2006/01/is-belief-in-god-beneficial-or-whats.html

Answer 4

We are always as humans wondering why we are here and religion helps us feel like there is a purpose for us.

Answer 5

To avoid taking personal responsibility and to support the religious structure.

Answer 6

Balance

Answer 7

For me, it means a sense of purpose and security. Without it, I'd no doubt kill myself.

Answer 8

Good question. Its basically something you commit to. Something to strengthen your morals. Its supposed to help give you faith and to give you something to look forward to when you die. But this is just my opinion and what ive heard. So I could be wrong.

Answer 9

people looking for a purpose greater than life and a being that is responsible for our lack of responsiblity.- god please drop down 1 million dollar plz- ill pray harder in return.

Answer 10

Provide HOPE