Religion is a broad term that includes unified systems of thought, feeling and action that give members something sacred to worship or believe in, like a god or spiritual concept. It also encompasses a code of behavior or personal moral conduct that may guide the consequences of actions and interactions with others. It has been broadly defined for purposes of applying Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to protect religious observance and practice and belief from discrimination. Many people think of their own religion as their cherished system of beliefs and practices. However, the term has also been used to describe a collection of cultural practices or behaviors that are not organized into a particular faith. Some examples of these include belief in extraterrestrial life, participation in a secret cult or society, or spirituality without the tenets of any religion.
For the most part, attempts to analyze religion have been “monothetic” – in that they operate with the classical assumption that every instance that accurately describes a specific type will also have a defining property that puts it in that category. Over the last several decades, however, there has been an increase in the use of “polythetic” approaches to sorting out cultural types. These approach concepts like religion as family resemblances rather than single-dimensional concepts that share a particular defining feature.
This broader view of religion makes it possible to look at religion and its effects in a more holistic way. For example, one of the primary functions that religion plays is to provide social control and strengthen societal order. Religious belief and adherence to the principles of moral behavior set a standard for conduct that serves the common good and discourages criminal activity, like murder and theft, among other things.
Moreover, the practice of religion tends to bring believers together into likeminded communities that act as a source of support and social bonding. These interactions, in turn, help to foster the sense that life is meaningful and worth living.
Some scientists have been studying the effects of religion on people’s lives and have found that those who engage in religious activities are healthier and less stressed than those who don’t. This suggests that the benefits of religion go beyond a spiritual connection with the universe and that the coping strategies it offers are important in reducing stress and improving health.
Although religion is not universal in human societies, it continues to play an important role for most individuals and groups. As a result, religion continues to be the subject of research and debate aimed at analyzing its effects on humans, as well as on society in general. In addition, a number of scholars have taken up the task of analyzing what it is about religion that makes it such an effective coping strategy for some humans, even in the face of criticism and doubt about its validity as a social phenomenon.