A religion is defined as a system of attitudes, beliefs, and practices related to the supernatural, but what actually constitutes a religion is subject to much dispute in the field of theology and among ordinary people. …

What do religions have in common? ….

Two identifying features of most religions are that to some extent they all (a) require faith and (b) seek to organize and guide the thoughts and actions of their adherents. Because of this, some people contend that all religions are to some degree both unempirical (see empiricism) and dogmatic, and are therefore to be distrusted. A system of thought that is purely rational would be a science rather than a religion, and a system that is not in the least dogmatic would be unable to guide its adherents in any way. …

Comparing religion to spirituality Many Westernerners prefer to use the term spirituality rather than religion to describe their form of belief. This may reflect a large-scale disillusionment with organized religion that is occurring in much of the Western world (see Religion in Modernity). However, proponents of many forms of spirituality seem to represent a movement towards a more “modern” – more tolerant, less counter-factual, and more intuitive – form of religion. This is evidenced by apparently greater religious pluralism and movements such as the ecumenical movement within and transcending Christian denominations….

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Spirituality, in its Western comprehension, is religion cut loose from some of its bureaucratic trappings. The concept is neutral with regard to tolerance, etc. The same disillusionment often leads the opposite direction, toward intolerance and violence. For example, Adolf Hitler advocated a purer form of Christianity, possibly known only to himself. Many extreme sects lay claim to a higher spiritual basis. Some of those professing to have attained a higher spiritual plane are actually manipulative and intolerant.

It is possible, and perhaps advised, to keep in mind that there can be a rigid distinction between the mundane, earthly aspects of religion and the spiritual dimension. People can gain security from such things as regular attendance at Church, deepening knowledge of Scripture, and the social comfort of fervently agreeing with other believers. This sometimes is done without a corresponding spiritual dimension. Some people see this as being distant from God, but very ‘religious.’ Conversely those who consider themselves deeply involved with the Divine may have come to reject much of the recognised paraphernalia of established religion.

Indeed, some would feel that this is central to the beliefs of the founders of some religions: for example, Jesus was very critical of some aspects of established religion, indeed declaring himself as coming for all peoples, ‘Jews and Greeks’, so transcending even the notion of religion. The Christian church was not founded by Jesus, nor did Jesus instruct his followers to form a religion. The organization, structures and denominations of Christianity came into being after his death.

People disagree about whether religions have a spiritual or supernatural basis; an example of this is the belief that the modern ceremonies and canons of the Church have almost completely grown away from, or even are contrary to, the presumed original Divine revelation or source. This belief has arisen throughout history. One example is found in pre-Reformation Christianity, when ‘Indulgences’ (excusal of sin) were for sale, and corruption was endemic in Church appointments. Today, some would hold that extreme religious practices such as some punishments under Sharia law, or the burning of heretics in history, was not at all what God intended us to do. Others find those practices repugnant to the secular ethics of a modern liberal democracy.

Religion in certain faith-systems can therefore draw itself into disrepute through the weaknesses of its practitioners, while spirituality can be independently, but invisibly, strong and flourishing.

… Modern causes for hostility to religion As noted above, in the developed world mainstream religions have been on the decline. This decline is apparently in parallel with increased prosperity and social well-being. The reasons for the decline are complex and ill-understood, but probably include some of the following features.

a.. Distorted Message Many religions have (or have had in the past) an extreme approach which produces, or produced, practices which are not acceptable to some people: e.g. extreme restrictions on female dress, and severe restriction on diets and activities on certain days of the week. Some people feel these measures are a distortion of the faith in a God who advocates universal love. Others see the measures as a clear indication that religion is fundamentally misguided.

a.. Self promotion: Some individuals place themselves in positions of power and privilege through promoting their own religious views, e.g. the Bhagwan interlude last century, the Moonie movement, and other cults. This self-promotion has reduced public confidence in anything with a ‘religion’ label. Similarly, cases of abuse by the clergy of several religions reduces public confidence in the essential message.

a.. ‘Promoting ignorance’ view: People who are agnostic see early childhood education in religion and spirituality as a form of brainwashing, and some concur with the Marxian view that religion is the opium of the people, with addiction to it fostered when people are too young to choose.

a.. Common sense objections Religions postulate a reality which verges on the metaphysical,and even some believers have difficulty accepting religious assertions about the supernatural realm and about the afterlife. As a result, people reject the concept of religion in its entirety, and turn their backs on the more ordinary and acceptable belief in a God or divine intelligence.

a.. Objection to superficial features People can form a negative view, based upon the visible manifestations of religion, e.g. ceremonies which appear pointless and repetitive, arcane clothing, and exclusiveness in membership requirements.

a.. A view of religion as negative and forbidding Some assume that religion is the antithesis of prosperity, fun, enjoyment and pleasure. This causes them to reject it entirely, or to see it as only to be turned to in times of trouble. However, many people from many faiths would confirm that their faith has brought them self-fulfillment, peace and joy. Believers therefore feel that faith has the potential to enrich and to expand everyone’s life. On the other hand, many non-religious people reject the idea that love, compassion, forgiveness, grace and other qualities belong only to religion, and argue that religion is not necessary to embrace and experience these qualities.

a.. Religion Lite Many ‘modern’ religions require so little of their followers, so little sacrifice, that the followers gain minimally from their membership therein. A religion that does not require significant sacrifice from it’s practitioners does not have the ability to really make a difference in their lives. Therefore, people come away from experiences with these religions with the feeling that the need hasn’t been filled because it actually hasn’t. This corresponds with the natural law that you get out of something what you put into it. Many of these causes for hostility are a reaction to inevitably worldly events and people; religious believers are sad to see that people are turned away from the churches’ perspective on spiritual and eternal dimension by concerns which are based on very limited and transitory features.

However, more and more people are engaging in far-ranging explorations and finding profound spiritual satisfaction outside of organized churches. This is a demographic group whose numbers are growing and whose future impact cannot be predicted.

… How do religions differ? While some of the “people of the Book,” Christianity, Judaism, and Islam claim to worship the same god, each religion has different beliefs. Many followers of each of these three religions openly oppose the idea that the three views point to the same God, pointing out the many areas of disagreement as to God’s nature, character, deeds and overall plan with humanity.

Jews believe that their deity is the one and only God. He created the earth in 7 days and will one day send the Messiah to earth to deliver them from their oppression.

Christians accept this same God, but believe that the Christ has already appeared in the form of Jesus, in accordance to the Jewish Scriptures (such as in the books of Daniel and Isaiah). Unlike the Jewish belief of Christ, the Christians proclaim that He came to earth to set God’s children free from sin, rather than from oppression. The central schism between the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches is that in the latter good deeds cannot create or maintain a relationship with God. Virtuous deeds are supposed to simply flow from pure faith and a relationship with God through entering that relationship with Jesus.

Muslims believe in a very different God (in terms of nature and character) than the Jews and the Christians, although that is hotly debated. Like the Jews, they differ with the Christians as to the deity of Jesus, but accept the Virgin Birth as a miracle of God. The role of Jesus in Islam is as the Messiah and amongst the distinguished prophets, one of whom is Muhammad, believed to be the final and last messenger. The Five Pillars of Islam are the five required deeds or rituals needed to relate to the holy God.

… Questions that religions address Religions are systems of belief which typically answer questions about the following concerns:

a.. the divine, the sacred and the supernatural, b.. our purpose as beings, on earth, goals in this life and possible other states of being like heaven or nirvana, c.. what happens to us when we die and how to prepare for that, d.. the nature of Deity (or Deities) (cf God) and what She, He, They, It wants from us, e.. our relationships with Deity(-ies), the sacred, ancestors, other people, and the world around us, that is, how to behave well in relationship.

Generally, the different religions and the non-religious all have different answers for the above concerns. Hence, scholars can classify a religion according to the characteristic answer the religion gives for the above concerns.

… Comparison of sources of authority …..

Monotheistic religions are defined by the veneration or worship of one and only one Deity. They often involve doctrines and also often have a professional priesthood. Examples of monotheisms include: Judaism, Sikhism, Christianity, Islam and the Bah? Faith.

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Monotheism vs. Polytheism The dominance of monotheism among influential Western scholars of religion, and theologians, proposed a division into monotheistic and polytheistic faiths. The classification fails with a religion that places minute emphasis on gods but more importance on mankind’s growing ability to understand the ineffable (like Theravada Buddhism). Christianity claims to be monotheistic, although some writers find this idea problematic since Christian doctrine has developed a notion of God as one essence in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), explained in the doctrine of the Trinity. The monotheism of Islam and Judaism is much more clear cut, although very early sources for both Allah and Yahweh show signs of henotheistic or polytheistic origins or forerunners, which do not at all deny their sole Deity status once the religion became established.

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But it is important to distinguish a spiritual psychology that explores a map of the self, which goes so deep and far that it recognises divine shapes, from a religion or spirituality that explores a relationship between human self and an Other, the divine.

The distinction asks whether there is dialogue between two or more with genuine voice and influence coming from the other (Martin Buber’s I and Thou), or whether there is a journey in which the self encounters profound symbolic experiences. As the opening definition tells us, religion is about linking.

An important view is that one experiences the divine Other only through the specific Other, one’s neighbor or enemy (which most religions hold are the same).

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from http://www.campusprogram.com/reference/en/wikipedia/r/re/religion.html