Religion is a way for people to find meaning in life and cope with challenges. It can be a source of comfort and guidance, a basis for moral beliefs and behaviors, a sense of community and connection to tradition and even (some research suggests) influence health.
Humans have a strong need for community and some of the strongest, most resilient communities are those that are religiously affiliated. The strength of a religious group helps to provide a safety net for individuals when they face difficult times in their lives, whether it is loss, illness or death. Religious communities are often supportive and a source of help for those who are struggling with mental illness.
Anthropologists believe that the earliest forms of religion developed out of an attempt to control uncontrollable parts of the environment, such as weather, pregnancy and birth or success in hunting. They recognized two ways to do this: through manipulation, through magic; and through supplication, through religion.
The idea behind religion is that there is something larger than oneself that is in charge and that the universe is an incredibly complex system of forces and relationships. Many religions offer guidance for how to act in relation to the world around us, which can help with decision-making, especially when faced with ethical dilemmas.
Despite the widespread use of the word, there is no agreed-on definition of what a religion is. Some scholars have rejected stipulative definitions, such as those that focus on belief in the same god, arguing that this approach reflects a Protestant bias.