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For a topic outline on this subject, see List of basic topics of religion
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The Religion Portal

Religion is the adherence to codified beliefs and rituals that generally involve a faith in a spiritual nature and a study of inherited ancestral traditions, knowledge and wisdom related to understanding human life. The term "religion" refers to both the personal practices related to faith as well as to the larger shared systems of belief.

In the larger sense, religion is a communal system for the coherence of belief—typically focused on a system of thought, unseen being, person, or object, that is considered to be supernatural, sacred, divine, or of the highest truth. Moral codes, practices, values, institutions, traditions, and rituals are often traditionally associated with the core belief, and these may have some overlap with concepts in secular philosophy. Religion can also be described as a way of life.

The development of religion has taken many forms in various cultures. "Organized religion" generally refers to an organization of people supporting the exercise of some religion with a prescribed set of beliefs, often taking the form of a legal entity (see religion-supporting organization). Other religions believe in personal revelation and responsibility. "Religion" is sometimes used interchangeably with "faith" or "belief system," but is more socially defined than that of personal convictions.

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Selected article

The original Nauvoo Temple of the Latter-day Saint movement built in Nauvoo, Illinois.
The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement founded primarily by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the early 19th century. It is one of a number of separate movements, known collectively as Restorationism, intending to transcend Protestant denominationalism by restoring what they consider to be a form of Christianity more true to the New Testament. The Latter Day Saint movement was first known as the Church of Christ, and eventually spawned many religious denominations including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ. A minority of these denominations refer to their doctrines, practices, and cultures as Mormonism, but others find the term inaccurate or offensive.

The Latter Day Saint movement began in the late 1820s in western New York while Joseph Smith, Jr. was dictating what he said was the translation of a book of Golden Plates buried centuries ago by a nation of pre-Columbian Christians. The movement grew rapidly after this book was published in 1830 as the Book of Mormon and used by missionaries as a proselytizing tool. After a succession crisis, many of the Latter Day Saints emigrated to what was then Mexico (now Utah) to establish a new colony led by Brigham Young. Other smaller groups established organizations in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, many of which united around Smith's son Joseph Smith III in 1860 in Missouri. Most Latter Day Saint denominations existing today have some historical relationship with either of these two groups.

  

Selected picture

A Bharatanatyam dancer
Credit: Anitaa

Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu, a state in Southern India. This popular Tamil dance form is a gentrified version of Cathir, the art of temple dancers.

  

Selected religious figure

Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt
Moses or Mosheh (Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה Standard Mošé Tiberian Mōšeh; Arabic: موسى, Mūsā; Ge'ez: ሙሴ Musse) was an early Biblical Hebrew religious leader, lawgiver, prophet, and historian. Moses is traditionally considered the transcriber of the Torah, or the first five books of the Bible, and is also an important prophet in Islam and the Bahá'í Faith.

According to the Bible, he was born to a Hebrew mother who protected him during a genocide of all boys born, and was adopted into the Egyptian royal family. After killing a slave master he fled and became a shepherd, and was commanded by God to deliver the Hebrews from slavery. After the Ten Plagues were unleashed upon Egypt, he led the Hebrew slaves through the Red Sea and in the desert for 40 years. Despite living to 120, he did not enter the Holy Land.

  

Did you know...

  • ...that the Qur'an is believed by Muslims and traditional Islamic scholars to have remained unchanged since its revelation?
  • ...that the Tree of death, also referred to as the Adverse tree, refers to the reflection or opposite aspects of the Tree of Life within the system of the Kabbalah?
  

Selected quote

Book of Mormon
8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.''

— Book of Mormon, Third Nephi, chapter 11
  

Selected scripture

Standard edition of the Thai Pali Canon
The Pali Canon is the standard scripture collection of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. It was not printed until the nineteenth century, but is now available in electronic form. However, the English translation, by the Pali Text Society, is not yet complete. The Canon was written down from oral tradition in the last century B.C.E. Most scholars give it some sort of pre-eminence among sources for early Buddhism. It is composed in the Pali language, and falls into three general categories, called pitaka (piṭaka, basket) in Pali. Because of this, the canon is traditionally known as the tipitaka (tipiṭaka; three baskets). The three pitakas are as follows.

1. Vinaya Pitaka, dealing with rules for monks and nuns.
2. Sutta Pitaka, discourses, most ascribed to the Buddha, but some to disciples.
3. Abhidhamma Pitaka, variously described as philosophy, psychology, metaphysics, and so on.

According to the scriptures a council was held shortly after the Buddha's death to collect and preserve his teachings. It is traditionally believed by Theravadins that most of the Pali Canon was recited orally from this time, with only a few later additions. There are wide differences of opinion among scholars as to what extent the teachings may be traced to the historical Buddha himself.

  

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