Often defined as a social-cultural system, religion is a way of life that involves beliefs, ethics, morals, texts, worldviews, and designated behaviors. In addition to these, religions can include sanctified places, prophecies, and designated practices.

Evidence of religion dating back to 13,000 bce

Regardless of your particular cultural leanings, there is plenty of evidence of religion dating back to the dawn of civilization. From a practical standpoint, this is no different than adolescence. For instance, we know that early ancestors were aplenty, but they aren’t exactly scurrying about in a horde. It is not surprising, then, that religion and the gods of the past played a large role in shaping the course of human history. The fact that ancient Mesopotamia was the birthplace of religion is a matter of historical record. This isn’t to say that religious practice was uniformly widespread across the globe; in fact, it was a patchwork affair. For the purposes of this article, we’ll restrict our attention to the Middle Paleolithic Period, which spanned from about 34,000 to 3,000 BCE.

Influence on moral and ethical codes of societies

Throughout history religion has played a major role in the establishment and enforcement of moral and ethical codes of societies. Many religions share the same concepts such as love, honesty, and good deeds. Religion also creates a sense of community and fosters habits such as church attendance.

The influence of religion on moral and ethical codes of societies has varied across time and space. Some religions have more influence than others, and it is not uncommon for religion to promote violence.

Religion has played a significant role in the initiation of wars and in the establishment of criminal laws throughout history. Some of the most significant wars related to religion include The Crusades, Jihadists, and the Witch Hunt.

Most religions have a value framework describing the basic rules of conduct. This framework can be found in religious scriptures and holy books. These frameworks help followers determine right from wrong.

Cults

Usually defined as a pejorative term for a social group, a cult is defined by its unusual religious or philosophical beliefs and its common interest in a particular object or person.

A cult is usually considered to be harmful to its members. In a cult, the leaders control the members and manipulate them in order to achieve the goal of the group. They use the religious doctrine of “covering doctrine” and “covering the leader’s sins”. They teach that the leader should hide his sins, but if he breaks the rules, the leader will be destroyed.

This is a destructive ideology cult. In a cult, the members become codependent and intertwined with each other. Usually, the members go to church three times a week. They have a scripted life that the leaders tell them to follow.