Religion Can Be Defined As Inner Beliefs

Religion as defined by Merriam-Webster is, “the belief in a god or in a group of gods; an organized

For the Aborigines their spiritually involves everyday objects such as plants and animals which are connected to their ancestors. Their spirituality and beliefs are kept alive by passing on their knowledge through ceremonies and “Dreamtime” stories. The “Dreamtime” stories are how the Aborigines explain the beginning of the Earth and the foundation of their core beliefs. In most of the stories, ancestral spirits came to the Earth and as they moved along they created the plants, animals and even rocks. One the spirits did their job, they morphed into stars, watering holes and other objects. An example of these “Dreamtime” stories is the “Rainbow serpent” which is about a serpent who “pushed out the land to make mountains, she spilled water over the land to make rivers, lakes and billabongs. She also made the sun and fire, and all colours of the rainbow.”

What is the true definition of the word religion? Well, religion is a set of beliefs and practices that recognize the existence of a god or many gods. We need religion in our lives because it gives us a sense of belonging to our common faith and helps us set morals in our lives. The importance of faith in our lives has created a bigger understanding to us and has showed us how we can have a closer link to it.

Did you know the word cherokee means those who “live in the mountains. The cherokee were very superstitious. ”The beliefs, culture and history of the cherokee tribe can easily be seen in “How the World Was Made.”

To begin, the Cherokee creation story is based on the creation of earth which is seen as floating land suspended from the sky according to the Cherokees (Hurtado 31). Before the

For the first seven days of the earth’s life the plants and animals were to watch over it during the night to keep it safe. Because many of the animals and plants fell asleep, only the ones who stayed awake were rewarded.

Pre-European contact, before the 1600’s, the Cherokee people and their nation were made up of a very large tribe that ranged from the Appalachian mountains, to the Mississippi river, and from the Ohio river to what is now North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma, to name a few states. The native people were divided up into five tribes which are known as the Cherokee, Chicaksaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole. Specifically referring to the Cherokee, they lived a lifestyle that was very diverse, as they accepted many people from different tribes into their own tribe with welcoming arms.

The earth was very flat and was still extremely soft, but the animals were ready to come down, so they sent birds to see if the earth was dry

Siddharth Gautam once said, “Believe only after careful observation and analysis….” Religion is generally a conception of one’s own beliefs. It is within a religion where humanity develops the mindset of worship. However, one believes that in order to be religious one must follow and adhere to certain protocols within that distinct area of faith. Like Buddha says, belief should only be experienced after the analyzation and actual appraisal of the conception of religion and how one connects to it. Throughout the span of life, religion has been handed down through generations, expecting the continuation of a certain belief, without allowing the individualism of a human being to explore what it is that speaks to them. I, sharing this

As it is known, religion “is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe” and there are different perspectives that are being shared worldwide about what individuals think religion is to them (Dictionary.com, 2016). Religion is what keeps humans believing or not, in God or goddesses that they feel are the main creators of the universe and what it consists of. Those creators are well worshipped by their followers and are believed to be almighty, powerful, righteous and the rulers of the world. All the things that occur in the world are known to be right and that individuals must do right things in order to be loved and welcomed in heaven by their gods or God. The gods are believed to send those angels to bless the society with the riches that there is worldwide, such as life and nature. As mentioned before, religion often contains “a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs” and those conducts are normally known as the commandments (Dictionary.com, 2016).

Religion is the belief in a superhuman force, such as a god or gods, in a devoted and respectful manner. Religion is the basis of society in the fact that it gives people the opportunity to choose what they would like to believe in, and give individuals a sense of identity. In some cases, religion isn't chosen because people are born into it. Religion has its connections, some more than others, with politics, economic, social norms, behavior, and almost all parts of life. With some religions, just going to church and praying isn't enough. Some "religions" are a way of everyday life because of the traditions and beliefs that are followed. Not all religions have withstood the test of time, wars and corruption have destroyed many. Many

“Religion is a system that proclaims an unseen order, and that our ultimate good lies in aligning ourselves with the unseen order.”

The Problem of Definition of Religion The study of religion is problematic. There are so many dimensions to religion (belief, practice, experience, knowledge and consequences) that it is impossible to provide a conclusive definition. Most sociologists do not believe in God. Functionalist views on Religion -------------------------------

Generally, religion is defined as a set of organized beliefs connected to the cause, purpose and nature of the universe. Although there isn’t an exact definition of religion, one usually tends to describe it according to his or her culture and background. At the heart of most religions, a God(s) is (are) the source of power and greatness through which all things are manifest. God(s) are typically believed to be omnipresent and ubiquitous, a ephemeral being that is there during struggle and depression, success and happiness, pleasure and pain. The main objective in believing and following a God(s) is to receive a better after life, to allay the fear that life is a terminal flicker within a geological timeframe in which a human being’s existence is a meaningless moment. The adherence to moral actions and feelings are usually what lead one to a greater afterlife or heaven, a term used to describe the imaginary place where spirit and God meet. On the flipside, immoral deeds and actions are judged by God and his from his all loving nature, he has the power to condemn a person to a terrifying after life or to a “hell” consisting of eternal suffering within a blazing inferno if the acts end up to be too immoral.

The concepts of religious faith, theology, belief and spirituality are all interconnected and very easy to get mixed up. This is because they all have something to do with the other. Richard P. Mcbrien explains how religious faith, theology, beliefs, and spirituality are all connected. Theology follows faith and belief follows Theology. Faith is our personal knowledge of God through human experiences and our openness to his love. Theology is our understanding of faith as revealed by God and our articulation of it. Beliefs are accepting these theological conclusions as true even without clear and convincing evidence. Spirituality is the practice of these beliefs, letting the spirit guide ones life. Although it’s easy to mix up the meaning of faith and belief or get confused the difference in understanding faith in Theology and being filled by God in your spirituality it’s pretty easy to grasp once you see how each influences the other.