Theoretical overview
According to Ogburn, a definition of religion should be based on the characteristics of all religions, not just the one we profess. He says, “Religion is attitude towards superhuman powers”
Pfleiderer defined religion as “that reference of man’s life to a world governing power which seeks to grow into a living union with James it.
Durkheim defined religion as a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden.”
Religion is a social institution.
Components of religion
- Belief in supernatural forces: Each religion believes in some supernatural forces-powers outside of man and his observable world. These powers are believed to influence human conditions and events. Some call them forces of God; some call them Gods, yet others leave them nameless.
- Man’s adjustment to supernatural powers: Since man is dependent on these powers, he must adjust himself to them. Consequently, each religion provides for same outward acts like prayer, hymns, kirtans, yagyas and other forms of reverence. Failure to perform these acts is regarded as sinful.
- Acts defined as sinful: Each religion defines certain acts as sinful. Such acts destroy man’s harmonious relationships with God or the gods and he suffers the wrath of God.
FORMS OF RELIGION
- Superstition: Superstition is the conviction that something shall happen owing to the causes utterly disproportionate to the event, for example, the belief that there would be some trouble in the journey or pain at its end because a cat has crossed the path, or that there will come some calamity because a star has fallen from the sky, or that Saturday is not a good day for sending a woman to her husband’s house. The Hindu religion is full of such superstitions.
- Animism: Animism propounds the existence of some supra- physical being within the body of every living being. This supra- physical being is believed to survive the death of the physical body in which it is contained. After the death of a person the supra- physical being is freed from the physical limitations and can wander irrespective of time and space. Thus, animism is a belief in the spirits of the dead. It is a name given to the theory of spirits which are supposed to be dwelling in certain places or things so that they can communicate with men. Very commonly the view is held that spirit visits a man in sleep. Sometimes a man is said to have heard the “spirit speak from a corner of the house. If Hindus do not feed their ancestors, their spirits will not feel happy in the other world. To feed the ancestors, a fifteen day festival called ‘shradh’ is celebrated among Hindus. According to Tyler, animism lies at the basis of the religion.
- Magic: Magic is a system of manipulation by which an effect it sought through the action of unseen powers. The magician attempts to control the powers by magical practices not validated by scientifi knowledge, such as rubbing a stone on the diseased part of the body.
Points to remember
- Religion is attitude towards superhuman powers.
- Durkheim defined religion as a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden.”
- Religion is a social institution.
- Each religion believes in some supernatural forces-powers outside of man and his observable world. These powers are believed to influence human conditions and events. Some call them forces of God; some call them Gods, yet others leave them nameless.
