Scruffy Nerf Herder wrote: ↑May 27th, 2019, 3:00 am
Given that, a religion is a social phenomenon ...
Where from and how is it
given? There exist different definitions of "religion" from standard sources. E.g. Oxford LEXICO defines it as
"The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods." The Free Dictionary defines it as
"The belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers, regarded as creating and governing the universe." Independently on whether these are complete or satisfying, they are quite general and say nothing about a social phenomenon. Although, of course, religion's social aspect is predominant. So, you could say at least,
"Assuming that religion is a social phenomenon ...", i.e. examine it from that aspect.
-There are multiple adherents who gather together for the express purpose of sharing in the religion.
-There are standard, accepted texts, which define the beliefs which adherents subscribe to. Within a religion there may not be unanimity on how to understand the texts, and what all are the accepted and possibly rejected texts, but this is enough of a universal phenomenon to warrant inclusion as a criterion.
...
These are further assumptions that restrict religion. They imply that to believe to a religion or in general to be a religious person, I have to attend religious meetings. Otherwise, even if I believe to a Supreme being, I have a religious faith and act based on religious principles, be a spiritual person, etc., all these are not enough to make me a
religious person because I don't attend to religious meetings or study religious texts of a given religion, and so on.
You are speaking about
religious practices. There is however another part of religion, called
religious philosophy.
So, you have to take all that into account when you talk about religion.