Milenko Novakovich

Instructor: Dr. Wijitha Bandara

RELS-2300-004
September 10, 2016
Religion: What is religion? Why do we study religion?
Well, religion. I have never cared much about it, never had any understanding of it
or patience to read or find out more about it. Getting older, and wiser, also moving into
the new society from one where I was born in I started to be more interested to learn what
is religion and why so many people are so passionately connected to it.
The religion started as belief into something beyond explainable, the force that
pretty much directs or makes significant impacts on our lives but we dont have control
over it. The word Religion itself has meaning from Latin word religare which means
to tie back, to tie again. Frederic Streng (1933-1993) in his book Understanding
Religious Life defined religion as means to ultimate transformation. During the
centuries the religions has spread world wide and changed over time. The some religious
beliefs are considered materialistic beliefs (belief in something thats visible, touchable or
existing) while most beliefs are in some super power, something that creates and
regulates the life on Earth.
The best explanation of materialistic religion has come from Karl Marx in his
book The Communist Manifesto where he says: Man makes religion: religion does not
make manReligion is the opium of the people. His opinion was that privileged groups
of people invented religions so that they can use as a tools for oppression. This was the
teaching and learning in mostly communist countries where the church was separated

from the state. French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) claimed that humans
cannot live without organized social structure and the religion is a glue that holds a
society together.
Even some medical professionals think that religion is good for health. Belief in
super power, or God, keeps people preoccupied with something and makes them less
depressed, live longer, and have less medical problems. The religious beliefs can be
polytheist (belief in more than one God) or monotheist (belief in only one God). There is
also the large group of atheist (people who dont believe in some form of super power or
God). The views of these people, by my opinion, are really close to the views of Karl
Marx.
Overall, in my personal opinion I havent seen any proof or form of Gods
existence and thats the reason that I have never believed in it or practiced any type of
religious life. In meanwhile, I have respect for those people who do have beliefs or
practice religion as long as they dont interfere into my life or trying to be radical in their
beliefs.
Work cited:
Lisa Bradley, Passing Shadow, 2002
Frederic Streng, Understanding Religious Life
Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto