Religion is a system of beliefs, behaviors, and practices that are usually related to supernatural or spiritual forces. It often involves worshipping or praying to a supernatural being, and people in different religious traditions share common ideas about the nature of gods, spirits, and other divine things.
Many religions include rituals (special actions or ceremonies) that are done on specific days of the year or when certain things happen in a person’s life. They may also have a moral code that people should follow.
The concept of religion has been debated since the beginning of human history. Various definitions have been proposed over time, and some exclude beliefs and practices that many people passionately defend as religious.
In 1871, Edward Burnett Tylor defined religion as “belief in a supernatural being or forces.” This is still an adequate definition, but it only covers some developments and does not encompass non-theistic religions.
Other people have suggested that religion refers to a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations that relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements.
A variety of studies have shown that religion is associated with a range of positive social behaviors, such as generosity and compassion. These behaviors are often accompanied by the development of valuable social institutions.