Religion and Civilization Essay - 1245 Words

How do we define religion? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows: â€Å"the belief in a god or in a group of gods, an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods, or an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group† (Merriam-Webster.) My personal definition of religion is that it is a set of beliefs and practices that generally pertain the worship of one or more than one spiritual beings or representations of a spiritual power. Religion can be personal belief or an organization or group of people who have similar beliefs and values. There are many different types of religions in the world and have been since the†¦show more content†¦They became the cornerstone of many earlier and later civilizations. Even today many countries, especially those in the Middle East, have religious leaders who work with the government to enact laws and â€Å"guide† the spiritual as pect of the lives of their citizens. Unfortunately, with such strong beliefs and convictions can come conflict. This conflict can be on a small scale, such as discrimination against those who don’t share the same beliefs to full-scale war which was the case in the first Crusades. In more recent times we have seen mass genocides of people based in part on religious beliefs such as the annihilation of the Jews during the Second World War. Today we see it played out in acts of terrorism, jihads. Religion is a powerful tool that can be used both to help and enrich the lives of people or used as justification for intolerance against others. What common elements do you detect in the religions of various civilizations? Most religions have god, gods, or other mystical forms which represent a supernatural power or being who is many times seen as a creator of life or some aspect of our world. Many, though not all believe in a form of an afterlife. Many religions such as Buddhism, (the religion practiced in ancient Egypt), Zoroastrianism, and others are concerned with balance i.e. cosmic balance, the balance between good and evil, the balance of life itself. Most religions have rituals, books (Rig Veda, Quran, Bible, Torah, etc.), andShow MoreRelatedReligion Is A Cornerstone Of Civilization898 Words   |  4 PagesAs made evident throughout history, religion has been a cornerstone of civilization since the beginning of time. Religion, or belief systems, has paved the way for mankind by guiding us in thought and action. Even our present day laws reflect the influence of the social contracts, morals, and beliefs formed by religion. With this in mind I present the question, which came first man or reli gion? Despite its impact on man, religion was created by humankind in response to the unknown. As the resultRead MoreReligion Of The Ancient Civilizations1801 Words   |  8 PagesFrom the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations to the Muslim world, antiquity has always been filled with religions of all sorts. These religions helped guide how ancient peoples lived life and came about doing even the most common tasks that people like us do today. Religion impacted the civilizations of the ancient world by greatly influencing how peoples of ancient civilizations acted, how they thought about the world around them, how civilizations were organized and maintained, and how they interactedRead MoreThe Role of Religion in Shaping Civilization795 Words   |  4 PagesThe role of religion in shaping civilization From the beginning of human race or Homo sapiens, they were run by curiosity. 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Religion ultimately shaped the unique civilizationRead More Religions, Morals and Civilization Essay1113 Words   |  5 PagesReligions, Morals and Civilization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the dawn of man, people have had their own forms of religion. Be it simple ceremonial burial or complex blessing rituals, each person had their own way to explain the wonders of nature like, how did we come here and what our purpose here was. Another thing that each individual person had was their own morals. Morals are what define a civilization. Labels like peaceful or barbaric are put on different civilizations because of their morals. TheRead MoreRole Of Religion In The Inca Civilization1791 Words   |  8 PagesThe Inca Civilization existed from the mid-fifteenth to the mid-sixteenth centuries (1438-1532 C.E.) in South America, which is parts of Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador today. It was one of the largest and most successful empires on the world at its height. 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