Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, dogmas and practices that define the relations between human being and sacred or divinity. A given religion is defined by specific elements of a community of believers: dogmas, sacred books, rites, worship, sacrament, moral prescription, interdicts, organization. The majority of religions have developed starting from a revelation based on the exemplary history of a nation, of a prophet or a wise man who taught an ideal of life.
A religion may be defined with its three great characteristics:
Believes and religious practices
The religious feeling i.e. faith
Unity in a community of those who share the same faith: the Church. It is what differentiates religion from magic.
The study of disappeared or existing religions shows the universal character of this phenomenon and a very large variety in the ritual doctrines and practices.
One generally distinguishes the religions called primitive or animists, the Oriental religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism, Taoism...) and the religions monotheists derived from the Bible (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Christianity has itself given birth to several religions or Christian Churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelic...)
