A system whereby people look to supernatural forces or entities for guidance, protection, power, knowledge, etc.
Ideally, religion should be about soul-searching, personal betterment, open inquiry, honesty, community, compassion, and striving towards a higher plane of existence. Regrettably, throughout history religions have been created/perverted by the societal elite to maintain their power and oppress others. Unfortunately, it is because of such sins of the past (and present; see televangelist, religious right, gaybashing) that have contributed to a global increase of people unwilling to accept any kind of religion.
Ideally, religion should be about soul-searching, personal betterment, open inquiry, honesty, community, compassion, and striving towards a higher plane of existence. Regrettably, throughout history religions have been created/perverted by the societal elite to maintain their power and oppress others. Unfortunately, it is because of such sins of the past (and present; see televangelist, religious right, gaybashing) that have contributed to a global increase of people unwilling to accept any kind of religion.
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, tribal shamanism, Zoroastrianism, Vodun (Voodoo), Mormonism, etc.
by Yax Balam January 6, 2005
Get the religionmug. The biggest lie in human history. It has been responsible for more deaths throughout human history than all other unnatural causes combined. For a thousand years the Church was a tyrannical dictatorship that used religion to control the uneducated masses. Free your minds and come into the 21st century
by ShadeeFan April 18, 2003
Get the religionmug. by FlashlightMemelord March 22, 2018
Get the religionismmug. NOTE: Why the hell is here only insults to religion? This is a DICTIONARY, people are supposed to give a description of what religion is! A goddamn instituition that focuses around the belief of a higher being! THAT'S IT.
by Ighj123 April 2, 2016
Get the religionmug. At its core, religion is adherence to a code of beliefs. Often bashed by evangelical atheists who don't understand that their belief in no god is itself a religion.
Also note that general religion or faith is not the same thing as organized religion. Organized religion is, theologically, man's interpretation of what God wants. For example, Christianity is a belief in God and Jesus (see the Bible for more specifics), and the organized religion of Catholocism (later, the Protestant faiths) was created to 'bring God to the people.'
Most faiths say basically the same thing (that there was one loving God, a flood, some prophets and some other stuff) but a lot of organized religions have been twisted into an excuse for people to kill each other (if theres one thing humans love more than killing each other, its doing it for a greater cause).
Also note that general religion or faith is not the same thing as organized religion. Organized religion is, theologically, man's interpretation of what God wants. For example, Christianity is a belief in God and Jesus (see the Bible for more specifics), and the organized religion of Catholocism (later, the Protestant faiths) was created to 'bring God to the people.'
Most faiths say basically the same thing (that there was one loving God, a flood, some prophets and some other stuff) but a lot of organized religions have been twisted into an excuse for people to kill each other (if theres one thing humans love more than killing each other, its doing it for a greater cause).
Everyone is a member of some religion, even if it's the religion of no religion. Now Deal With It kthx.
by C++ September 13, 2005
Get the religionmug. "He was hot, and I really wanted to hit the sheets with him. But I couldn't, because I'm, you know, religious."
by Alexandra July 27, 2004
Get the religionmug. A series of fanciful concepts that people believe as to:
- Help themselves get up in the morning, achive inner peace, etc.
- Keep their family happy, because all their family are in the religion.
- Feel superior to other people.
- Provide moral guidance because common sense would render them otherwise lame.
- Justify war or general hatred of other groups.
- Help themselves get up in the morning, achive inner peace, etc.
- Keep their family happy, because all their family are in the religion.
- Feel superior to other people.
- Provide moral guidance because common sense would render them otherwise lame.
- Justify war or general hatred of other groups.
Wow, so we can, like, kill abortionists if we join the right sect of the right religion? Well fuck me, religion it is!
by Stuart October 13, 2003
Get the religionmug.