A RE-EXAMINATION OF THE NATURE OF RELIGION
Keywords:
Nature of Religion, 'Religion' versus 'Magic', Historical and Sociological Perspectives, Religion versus Materialism, Philosophical Perspective, Historical and the Sociological Perspective, Religion versus MonismAbstract
The need for religion is an intrinsic element of human nature. Gran- ted this, the question that I intend to raise in this article is not religion or no religion, but what kind of religion? Since we live in an age of science, we cannot be called upon to accept dogmas or exclusive revelations. Reason should justify our religiosity. Religion, if it has any message today, must be in harmony with science on the one hand, and with 'humanism on the other hand. The main endeavour in this article is to show that the spirit of science is not opposed to the spirit of religion. The negative definition of religion will be followed by a positive analysis of religion. The philosophical observation about the nature of religion is supported by the actual historical observation and this would enable me to suggest that philosophy is not remote and other worldly. Hence, the philosophi- cal perspective is supported by a historical perspective in the following manner.
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