Religion is a system of faith, worship and morality, and it encompasses a range of beliefs and practices. From a functionalist perspective, it can promote peace and harmony between people and can help them to deal with life’s problems such as illness and death. It can also foster social cohesion and a sense of belonging. It can also encourage moral values, such as honesty and kindness. It may also inspire ethical behaviour, such as helping the poor and needy. It can also help to reduce hatred, prejudice and greed in society. However, it can sometimes be used to justify inhumane actions, such as the Inquisition or the Salem witch trials.
Defining religion is difficult, and scholars often disagree about how to approach the topic. Some take a broad, pan-human approach to religion, treating it as an inevitable feature of human culture. Others see it as a social taxon, sorting cultural phenomena into groups with similar properties. Others prefer to define it by focusing on its social function or the ways in which it influences behavior, and argue that this approach gives a more accurate picture of what is actually going on.
There are a number of other issues that need to be considered when studying religion. These include how to decide whether a phenomenon is religious, and what criteria should be used to make this determination. For example, should a definition be narrow and clear so that it can ascertain with certainty whether something belongs in the category, or should it be fuzzy-edged to allow for the inclusion of the unfamiliar and surprising?