THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND ACROSS THE WORLD, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THE WORLD CAME FROM, WHO THEY ARE, AND WHAT THEIR PURPOSE IS IN LIFE. THESE QUESTIONS HAVE DIFFERENT ANSWERS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE. SOME SAY THAT THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST THE PHYSICAL WORLD, AND SOME SAY THAT BY LIVING LIFE IN A CERTAIN WAY THE ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND. MANY PEOPLE CALL THESE ANSWERS "THE TRUTH", OR ABSOLUTE OR ULTIMATE REALITY.
Many people believe that prayer will bring them closer to an ultimate power that exists beyond the everyday world.
A SPIRITUAL DIMENSION
THE ULTIMATE REALITY IS KNOWN AS A SPIRITUAL, NOT A PHYSICAL, ONE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE, UNLIKE MOST SCIENTIFIC FACTS, IT LIES BEYOND WHAT CAN BE KNOWN IN THE USUAL WAY.
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT ALTHOUGH THE SPIRIT CAN NOT REALLY BE DESCRIBED, ITS PRESENCE CAN BE FELT. IT IS WHAT GIVES SOMETHING ITS INNERMOST ESSENCE AND DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER. IN ANCIENT TIMES, THE SPIRIT WAS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE SPARK OR BREATH WHICH GAVE LIFE. ANYTHING WHICH HELPS PEOPLE GET CLOSER TO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD IS SAID TO BE SACRED OR HOLY AND IS TREATED WITH RESPECT.
EXPLAINING RELIGION
THE WORD FOR RELIGION COMES FROM THE LATIN "RELIGIO", WHICH MEANS "A DUTY". MANY RELIGIONS EXPECT THEIR BELIEVERS TO BEHAVE ACCORDING TO A SET OF GUIDELINES OR RULES. IN SOME LANGUAGES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE INDIAN LANGUAGES, THERE WAS NO SUCH WORD AS RELIGION FOR A LONG TIME. RELIGION WAS SO MUCH A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE THAT A SPECIAL WORD WAS NOT NEEDED FOR IT.
TODAY, IT IS HARD TO EXPLAIN THE WORD RELIGION IN A WAY THAT EVERYONE FINDS ACCEPTABLE. NEVERTHELESS, THERE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT MANY RELIGIONS HAVE IN COMMON.
A SUPREME POWER
RELIGION USUALLY, THOUGH NOT ALWAYS, INVOLVES SHOWING RESPECT OR OFFERING WORSHIP TO A HIGHER UNSEEN POWER THAT IS THOUGHT TO HAVE CREATED THE WORLD AND NOW OVERSEES IT. THIS HIGHER POWER IS SOMETIMES KNOWN AS THE ABSOLUTE. IN SOME RELIGIONS THE ABSOLUTE IS SEEN AS GOD OR IS REPRESENTED BY MANY GODS OR GODDESSES, WHO ARE ALSO KNOWN AS DEITIES. GOD, OR THE DEITIES, IS ASKED FOR HELP AND GUIDANCE. SOME RELIGIONS, SUCH AS BUDDHISM, DO NOT BELIEVE IN A CREATOR GOD, AND INSTEAD, TEACH ABOUT OVERCOMING SUFFERING.
MOST RELIGIONS TEACH THAT THE SUPREME POWER IS BEYOND DESCRIPTION AND SO THEY DO NOT HAVE PICTURES OF IT. JEWS DO NOT EVEN SAY THE NAME OF THEIR GOD ALOUD BECAUSE IT IS SO HOLY, AND THEY WRITE IT IN THE SHORTENED FORM, YHWH.
THE SOUL
IN MANY RELIGIONS THERE IS A BELIEF THAT PEOPLE, AND IN SOME CASES ANIMALS, HAVE A KIND OF INNER SPARK, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM THEIR BODY AND MIND, AND WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE SPIRIT. IT IS OFTEN CALLED THE SPIRIT OR SOUL. IT IS CONSIDERED THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A PERSON'S BEING BECAUSE IT IS WHAT CAN LEAD TOWARD THE ABSOLUTE. IN MANY RELIGIONS, THE SOUL IS BELIEVED TO BE IMMORTAL. THIS MEANS THAT IT NEVER DIES.
THE BIG QUESTIONS
RELIGIONS ASK AND TRY TO ANSWER CERTAIN IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. WHY WAS THE WORLD CREATED? HOW SHOULD PEOPLE LIVE? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH SUFFERING? WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A PERSON DIES? ANY ANSWERS TO SUCH QUESTIONS CAN'T BE TESTED BY REASON AND PROVED; A PERSON HAS TO TRUST OR HAVE FAITH IN THEM. ANOTHER WORD FOR RELIGION IS FAITH.
RELIGIONS RECOGNIZE THAT THE WORLD AND THE PEOPLE IN IT AREN'T PERFECT AND THAT THEY CAUSE SUFFERING. ACCORDING TO MANY RELIGIONS, IF PEOPLE HAVE FAITH AND FOLLOW THE RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS CORRECTLY, THEN THEIR LIVES WILL BE TRANSFORMED. THESE PEOPLE WILL ULTIMATELY BE UNITED WITH THE ABSOLUTE AND BE FREED FROM SUFFERING. THIS IS OFTEN CALLED SALVATION OR LIBERATION.
High places are often significant in religion. It is as though these places reach beyond the physical world toward the spiritual. The statue of Jesus Christ is on top of Corcovado Mountain in Brazil.
Carvings on poles are sacred to Native Americans. They represent guardian animals, known as totems.
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Internet Links - For links to websites where you can find out more about what religion is and find different ideas about the creation of the universe, go to
From the book "The USBORNE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD RELIGIONS"
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