Religion is a unified system of thoughts, feelings, and actions that people share with others. It usually involves a belief in something sacred, such as a god or spiritual concept. It also includes a code of behavior and moral conduct. People worldwide practice many different religions. These religious beliefs and practices have changed over time in response to social and environmental changes. They are also affected by cultural and genetic factors. Religion helps individuals understand their life and the world around them.
In the past, prehistoric people used religion to explain events such as birth and death and natural disasters like hurricanes. They also relied on it to meet their needs for survival, including a plentiful supply of food and animals to hunt. Religions vary from culture to culture, but they all provide people with faith and meaning in their lives. Religion is so important that some people are willing to live according to its values and, at times, die for them.
Anthropologists and sociologists who study society and human origins have developed theories about the nature of religion. One view, supported by psychologists and neuroscientists, is that religion arose as a result of biological and cultural needs. The first need was a reaction to the knowledge that all humans will eventually die, which led people to seek a way to avoid this fate or a chance to move on after death to a better place.
The second need was a desire to belong to a group, which led to the development of religion as a means of creating communities and maintaining social order. The 19th-century German philosopher Emile Durkheim and his colleagues studied this relationship between religion and society. They concluded that religion provides a sense of identity and belonging, promotes moral behavior, and strengthens social structure.