Final answer:
Religion is a system of beliefs and practices connected to supernatural powers and life's meaning, characterized by shared sacred beliefs, rituals, and moral codes that unite adherents. It provides explanations for the world's origins, guidelines for behavior, and helps people cope with life's experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is Religion?
A set of beliefs and practices pertaining to supernatural powers and the origins and meaning of life is commonly referred to as religion. Most scholars agree that religion serves as a connecting system of beliefs linking humans to the supernatural. Religion is characterized by sacred practices and beliefs that are believed to be of divine origin, as conceived by a supernatural power or a divine figure with extraordinary insight. Adherents of a religion are bound together, forming both group and individual identities based on their shared beliefs and practices.
Elements that are universal in most religions include a cosmology that details the origins of the world and life, beliefs in supernatural forces or entities, a set of rules governing behavior that aligns individual actions with spiritual beliefs, and rituals that fulfill religious purposes and address the needs of individuals or the community.
Religious beliefs support billions of people, providing them with coping mechanisms for life's varied experiences. Practices such as rituals, prayers, or the veneration of the deceased with grave goods reflect the inherent human tendency to believe in the supernatural. These practices, rituals, and beliefs have evolved in response to natural and social environments, and continue to influence various aspects of life such as politics, economics, and environmental interaction.