Religion

Key people

• The BuddhaIndian philosopher and the founder of Buddhism (623 or 563 BCE – 543 or 483 BCE)
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich HegelGerman philosopher and theologian (1770–1831)
• Bertrand RussellBritish philosopher and logician (1872–1970)
• B. R. AmbedkarIndian polymath, philosopher, and social reformer (1891–1956)

Timeline

• 1200When religiō came into English around the 1200s as religion, it took the meaning of "life bound by monastic vows" or monastic orders.
• 1500The compartmentalized concept of religion, where religious and worldly things were separated, was not used before the 1500s.
• 1800No one self-identified as a Hindu or Buddhist or other similar terms before the 1800s.
• 2015It is the world's largest religion, with about 2.3 billion followers as of 2015.

Read

• The Golden BoughJames George Frazer · 1890Book
• Dialogues Concerning Natural ReligionDavid Hume · 1779Book
• Religion and the Rise of CapitalismRichard H. Tawney · 1926Book
• Egyptian ideas of the future lifeE. A. Wallis Budge · 1899Book

Listen

• The C.S. Lewis podcastPremierPodcast
• Let God PodcastLet God PodcastPodcast
• Hearing Jesus: Daily Bible Study, Christian Affirmations, Hearing God, Prayer, Holy Spirit, Daily DevotionalHearing JesusPodcast
• Women's Bible StudyLisa LaizurePodcast

Voices to follow

• Reza Aslan@rezaaslan · XIranian-American author, commentator
• Marie Cachet@CachetMarie · XFrench writer and author
• Paul D. Miller@pauldmiller2 · XAmerican academic and writer
• Juan Arnau@arnauportatil · XSpanish philosopher and essayist

Debates

• Is religion primarily a force for social cohesion or conflict?One view: Religion often provides shared values, community, and moral frameworks, fostering social unity and cooperation. · Another: Religious differences have historically led to division, persecution, and conflict, contributing to social strife and warfare.Open question
• Can religious belief coexist with scientific understanding?One view: Many religious traditions find harmony with scientific discoveries, viewing them as revealing the intricacies of creation or natural law. · Another: Some religious interpretations fundamentally conflict with scientific findings, particularly regarding origins and the natural world.Open question

Glossary

• TheologyThe systematic study of religious faith, practice, and experience, especially the study of God and religious doctrines.
• SecularismThe principle of separating government institutions and public life from religious institutions and religious observance.
• RitualA set of actions performed in a prescribed order, often with symbolic meaning, especially as part of a religious ceremony.
• MythA traditional story, often sacred, that explains a natural phenomenon, cultural practice, or the origin of a people, typically involving supernatural beings or events.
• DoctrineA belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group.
• SpiritualityThe quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or worldly things, often involving a sense of connection to something larger than oneself.

Careers

Roles this can lead toward

Threads 3

Where this connects to other fields — and why it's worth knowing.

• Emotion & Emotional Regulation Psychology

  The 'ew' you feel at rotten meat and the 'ew' you feel at something morally vile use the same brain circuitry. Your gut borrowed its food-poison alarm to guard sacred rules too. That's why breaking a taboo can make people physically nauseous, as if disgust itself were policing what's holy.

• Behavioral Economics Economics

  Offer someone money to sell something sacred, a homeland, a child, and they don't bargain; they recoil in fury. The higher the cash, the deeper the insult. That flips every supply-and-demand curve upside down, where a better price is supposed to make people more willing, not less.

• Advertising, Branding & the Attention Economy Media

  Brands work hard to make their products feel almost holy, like special objects you don't casually bargain over. That's why a superfan will defend a logo the way a believer guards a relic, and feels weirdly offended when it goes on sale. A discount doesn't just lower a price; it breaks the spell of 'sacred.'