RELIGION AS A SOCIAL GROUP

INTRODUCTIONReligion is human’s relation to that which

they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual or divine. Religion consists of a person’s relation to God or to gods or spirit. Religion involves various laws and prohibitions that guide people in their day to day life. These laws or commandments are to serve as guidance to avoid deviations from what is known as normal

TYPES OF RELIGIONSBased on the existence of the number of God

or gods religions can be classified into MONOTHEISM This is belief in the existence of

one God.3 main religions are known in this case, Christianity, Islam and Judhaism.Amongst these,Judhaism was the first form of monotheistic religion in 12BC.Christainity started in 1AD(Catholicism)and n 16AD protestants sprung up.Islam started 1000years before in 6AD

2 Polytheism: this is the belief in the existence of many gods. These include hinduism,Budhaism and African traditional religion.

3 Atheism: this is the belief in the existence of no God. In this case, the person doesn’t have belief in the existence of something supernatural or supreme.

4 Pantheism: this is the doctrine that there is oneness of creation and creator. Meaning there is no difference between God and what he created. The universe is conceived as a whole in God. There is no God,the substance forces and laws put the universe in order

God and nature are 2 names for the same thing(identical reality)otherwise,the totality of God and universe would be greater than God alone.

EARLY FORMS OF RELIOGIONANIMISM: this is the belief in spiritual beings

concerned with human affairs and are capable of intervening in them.Tylor made great contributions in this aspect.

Totenism:this concerned with the belief in kingship or a mystikal relationship between man and natural object e.g plants and animals

Four largest religions

Adherents[

citation needed]

 % of world population Article

World population 6.8 billion[26] Figures taken from

individual articles:

Christianity 1.9 billion – 2.1 billion[27] 29% – 32% Christianity b

y country

Islam 1.3 billion – 1.57 billion[28] 19% – 21% Islam by coun

try

Buddhism 500 million – 1.5 billion[29][30] 7% – 21% Buddhism by

country

Hinduism 950 million – 1 billion[31] 14% – 20% Hinduism by

country

Total 4.65 billion – 6.17 billion

68.38% – 90.73%

HINDU

ISLAMIC RELIGION

MEDITATION

BUDHAISM

CHRISTAINITY(CATHOLIC)