Theories of Religion

• Religion's role includes answering existential questions about life and existence.
• Religion has been a vital component of the human condition since the beginning of human civilization.
• Religion gave us a system of orientation on what to live or die for.
• The constant pursuit of religion is a search for answers to existential and spiritual needs.
• Religion functions as an anchor at the core of humanity's existence by providing meaning and sense to daily existence.
• Humans always seek something greater than themselves.
• Logical thinking leads to the concept of a maker, identified as God.
• Human civilization has established countless religions over thousands of years.
• Erich Fromm argued religion is an expression of basic human needs, inevitable in all cultures.
• Religions have affected present lives, for good or bad.
• There was a point in the western narrative where religious teachings became the only considered truth.
• "Religious experience" is the day-to-day experience of God in ordinary life.
• The goal is to experience God daily.
• Spirituality is treated as a simple way of life for the ordinary believer.
• Religions, religious experience, and spirituality must be understood carefully, such that a single misstep can lead society in the wrong direction.
• When properly understood, religion must transform the believer and move society forward.
• Every religion contains an element of transcendence, a vision of the deepest values of humanity.
• These values can only be found through authentic connection with God.

Religion Etymology

• There is a lack of clarity and much controversyas to the etymology of the word "religion," a long-debated topic.
• Cicero proposed the Latin "relegere" as the etymology, roughly meaning "to read or go through again in speech or thought."
• The most commonly accepted etymology is the Latin "religare," meaning "to bind."
• Early etymologists view religion as a system binding humans to social, moral, and legal duties.
• Definitions of religion provide a nominal meaning without giving a full understanding of the concept.
• Numerous scholars, philosophers, sociologists, theologians, etc., have attempted to explain what religion is.
• Immanuel Kant stated that “religion is the recognition of all our duties as divine commands."
• To Kant, religion is never separated from ethics as a way of life.
• Emile Durkheim defined religion as a set of ceremonial actions assembling the group and focusing its members on common symbols.
• Karl Marx said that religion is the “opium of the masses”.

Fundamental Features of Religion

• Religion provides an avenue to answer big questions about existence.
• It provides explanations about faith, the universe, creation, nature, meaning, and humanity's place.
• Religion gives meaning to the world through myths, theories, and visions.
• Most religions have a soteriological (salvific) dimension, providing a scheme for salvation.
• It answers the question "What happens after death?" and how to ensure a good destination, such as:
• Heaven or earth for Christians
• Samsara and moksha for Hindus
• Nirvana for Buddhists
• Religion teaches us to live together properly as well as teaching that encourages us to seek beyond the finite and to aspire for what is greater which our mind could not comprehend.
• Religions utilize symbols and rituals to give meaning to human behavior.
• Religious rituals and practices are prescribed and repeated behaviors that enrich the religion and the person.
• Symbols and rituals help create a sound tradition and transform through it, such as:
  • The cross for Christians
  • The Om for Hindus
  • Male circumcision for Jews
• Every religion provides a moral compass establishing morality and morality.
• Living a moral life means living out the religion's precepts.
• Good and evil is an effective doctrine, which provides moral guidance.
• Definitions of what constitutes a good life vary across major religions, therefore, the line between moral philosophy and religion is unclear.
• All religions recognize an authority for settling religious matters.
• Most religions today are headed by priests or pastors.
• In other religions, emphasis is placed on internal authority.
• Religions introduce the existence and nature of a supreme being.
• A god is the primary object of religious practice and devotion
• Understanding a religion involves knowledge and appreciation of the supreme being(s).
• Religious devotional systems are considered expressions of the divine.

Religious Experience

• The term "religious" refers to divinity and something holy or sacred.
• "Religious" does not refer to the profane, but may refer to a set of beliefs.
• The word "experience" is defined as an event in life, often personal or subjective in nature.
• Religious experience is a personal experience of the Sacred within a religious framework.
• William James provided a distinction between normal and religious experience saying religious experience is transcendental.
• Transcendental meaning religious experience takes us away from our normal physical experience.
• Through a transcendental experince it makes usfeel connected to the divine.
• Religious experience blocks everything away so that you would only want to focus your attention and engage only on that particular experience.
• In modern society, it is more challenging to have religious experiences than in the past.
• Religious experiences are difficult to understand and grasp by our limited minds.
• According to Rudolf Otto, religious experience is not readily given to everyone because it is not obvious.
• The consequences of religious experience are more important than receiving recognition for it.

Spirituality

• Spirituality is not similar to spiritism, the belief in spirits apart matter.
• Spirituality is not the same as Spiritualism, belief in the survival of the personality and communication with the dead.
• An example of Spiritualism is using a Ouija board.
• Spirituality is not mesmerism or hypnotism.
• Spirituality is not similar to religiosity.
• Religiosity concerns itself with religion, traditions, and beliefs that is man-made, external and visible.
• Religiosity is the outward show of religion.
• Spirituality is concerned with the problems connected with the spirit or soul.
• The definition of spirituality presupposes we are embodied spirits, composed of body and a spirit.
• Sawan Ashram described Spirituality as the science of developing higher consciousness in Man on the level of the soul. Making one transcend from bodily consciousness into cosmic to enable one to understand the working of the divine plan.
• Spirituality can exist without religion.
• Both religiosity and spirituality grow more if practiced together.
• Religiosity can guide spirituality and vice versa.
• The terms “religious but not spiritual” and “spiritual but not religious" are becoming a trend today.
• Practicing spirituality and religiosity together would produce a better outcome.

Summary

• Religion, religious experience, and spirituality have different concepts with many ways to define each concept.
• It is necessary to keep an open mind to understand the concepts properly.
• Studying religion is technical, but should make more sense with further discussions and study.