An Outline of the History of Religion

As we all know, religion is an institution over which there is a supernatural power (God) who controls the universe. The universality of God is the foundation on which the structure of religion is built, around which various decorations and designs are permanently set, as extensions of such a structure, in order to uplift the institution to the level of an edifice within which human beings hold their communions and communications with God.  While “Nature” inherently serves our material purposes in life, it does not replace God in whom rests the inception and finality of our destiny at all times.

Human beings have had religions from the earliest times, long before history was written. The institution of religion arose from the necessities of life, such as good behavior.  Prior to the  establishment of the institution of religion, people believed in a plurality of deities, dividing them in two categories, namely good gods, and evil gods.

When the Jews began wandering in the wilderness for forty years, a cataclysmic event had taken place, leading to the philosophy of monotheism, under the leadership of Moses, whose presentation of the Ten Commandments had, once and for all, replaced the divergent views of worshiping several gods to which they were exposed in Egypt.  The Ten Commandments opened up an absolutely novel ideology of worshiping a single deity, on the basis of which, a meaningful religion had emerged out of the confusion of past experiences, in a land where the propitiation of several gods were necessary in order to attain salvation.

In later years, Christianity evolved out of Judaism, both of which are known as the Judeo-Christian religion. In the wake of the Judeo-Christian religion, another religion had developed: Islam (Mohammedanism).  These three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, continue to defend and promote monotheism.

Other great religions include Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Lamaism and Shinto, these being the religions of the people of southern and eastern Asia, most of whom practice polytheism, or belief in a plurality of gods.

Prayer and sacrifice have been a part of nearly all religions.  In prayer, a person asks for protection and approval, whereas in sacrifice, a person makes an offering of something valuable.

Religions have many rites and rituals. These are acts, intended to show devotion to the deity and include dances, music, as well as special clothing worn by priests.

Today, religion, while being sustained as a medium through which moral standards of behavior are upheld, the tendency to misinterpret its basic requirements has led to widespread fanatcism.  Interestingly, Judaism, as well as the religions of southern and eastern Asia, have remained aloof from the injustice of singularizing religion as being superior to those of other religions. Oddly enough, in spite of the ill-effects of religious fanatacism, religion, as an institution, continues to contribute favorably to the philosophical and moral health of societies around the world.