Religion is a chief universal element of human culture. All people are curious about where they came from, what life is about, why certain things happen. All people want to be able to cope better with hardship and unexpected events. A belief system can be seen in all cultures and may extend back as far as the Neanderthals 100,000 years ago, when burials included tools and other possessions. More recently, from ten to thirty thousand years ago, homonids are also seen buried with religious-type figurines, and rock art in caves from the period depicts what is thought to be religious-type scenes and symbols.

These pages will explore what is different and what is similar in various belief systems. Through this study you should come to better understand the foundations of your own spiritual culture while becoming more respectful of others and sensitive to what is sacred to them. Please honor others' beliefs, costumes, dances, rituals, and ways discussed in these pages. Welcome to the world of religion.

Texts to use with this site

These pages are to be used in conjunction with the following text: Scupin, Raymond, editor. Religion and Culture: An Anthropological Focus. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2000. Available from Amazon.com.

It is also recommended that you use the following resource: Wendy Doniger, editor. Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions (1181 pp.). Also available from Amazon.com.

Contact: info@nielsonpi.com