Religion is the practical expression of spirituality through rituals and the practice of one’s spiritual beliefs. It plays a crucial role in the lives of most people in the world by coloring their views and understanding of what goes on around them. Religion also helps to guide the actions of the believer. There are many religions in the world and these religions are characterized by differing beliefs and traditions. Even so, there are many similarities among the wide range of religions of the world.
A common attribute in all religions is the existence of a being superior to humans. For the monotheistic religions, there is a singular superior being referred to as “God” while the polytheistic religions have many deities. This superior being is considered to have a perfect nature and he possesses great knowledge. The followers of the religion are encouraged to pray to this being for guidance and wisdom. People also seek forgiveness from this righteous and perfect entity.
All religions have a moral code that serves to inform the behavior of the believers. The followers of the religion are instructed on how to act and they are encouraged to be good. Actions such as being kind to others and maintaining integrity are exhorted while actions such as hurting others and being deceitful are condemned. The major religions state that the Supreme Being has given free will to human beings so that they can choose whatever actions they want. All religions encourage human beings to use their free will to do good deeds.
All religions have a concept of reward and punishment for one’s actions on Earth. Major religions such as Christianity and Islam believe in a heaven and a hell. If one is a good believer in this life, he/she will be rewarded with heaven while if a person is bad, he/she will be punished by being sent to hell. Other religions believe that the rewards or punishments will be implemented through reincarnation. In this case, the good people are reincarnated as higher beings while the bad are reborn as lower beings.
Religions seek to assist humanity in answering the great questions of existence. There are many important questions about life that man is unable to answer. These questions include the origins of man, his destiny, and his purpose on earth. Religions purport to offer answers to these questions by explaining where man came from and what will happen to him after death. Religions also inform people on their roles while here on earth.
A common idea expressed by religions is that the earth will come to an end at some point in future. Most religions predict that there will be an Armageddon where the forces of good will battle the forces of evil. When this occurs, life on earth will cease to exist and people will exist as souls in the afterlife. The religions exhort their followers to be prepared for this end time.
This paper set out to highlight the common attributes between religions. The paper has highlighted that religions believe in the existence of supreme beings that are perfect. Religions encourage good behavior among followers and offer moral codes of conduct that can be followed. From the discussions presented in this paper, it is clear that in spite of the ideological differences that exist between religions, there are many major similarities.