Meaning of Religion
Religion is a social as well as psychological phenomena. Religion is pervasive and universal because its institutions have spread all over the work. About very society is gripped by the chain of religion when a man faces some problems, sees others dying, falls ill, facing natural event like storm, famine, earth quake, thunder, flood, draught and heavy rains, he is feared from a supernatural power called “Allah”. For the sake of seeding psychological satisfaction and adjustment in social life he adopts religion. Religion today is not as strong as it was yesterday, yet religion play an important role in human society. “Kingsley Davis” is of the view that we cannot understand society thoroughly, until we do not understand religion. Some societies have no religion called secular yet they believe in a supernatural power and adopt a type of religion. Religion is attitude and belief towards a supernatural power is the religion.
Definitions of Religion
It is not easy to give a satisfactory and universal definition of religion because of the heterogeneity is the religious system of the world. Yet following are some of the important and good views of sociologists about religion.
- Durkheim. “Religion is the unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things”.
- Ogburn. “Religion is the attitude of human beings towards a supernatural power”.
- Maciver. “Religion as we understand from the term is a relationship not only b/w man and man but also b/w man and supernatural or higher power.
- Jumes and Frazer. “Religion is a belief in superior power which control the functions performed by human beings in their social life.
From the above definitions of religion, we draw a comprehensive one that, “Religion is a set of beliefs, practices, actions, symbols, Ceremonies and rituals following by man to satisfy some natural and psychological power”.
