THE CHEMISTRY OF RELIGION IN HUMAN SOCIETY

Religion is a means by which people relate or commune with the Supreme Being. It is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and views that establish symbols that relate man to some supernatural or inanimate objects that are revered and worshipped through ritual practices. All over the world, religion is practised in various forms. For the reverence accorded to the Supreme Being, adherents of a religion strive to live a life of chastity and be found worthy to serve the Supreme Being. Religion plays a major role in character formation as it refines and directs character towards perfection. A truly religious society is a transparent and ideal society that attracts visible development. Religious scholars are of the view that religion plays a key role in producing moral and honest individuals that direct production and development. They also possess the notion that religion is essential for building a just, ideal, egalitarian, crime- and corruption-free society that is necessary for peaceful coexistence and rapid development. Furthermore, religion makes serious contributions to agriculture, health care delivery, businesses, education and the transfer of skills for self-reliance. For religion to continue to make a positive impact on society, the adherents must be mostly concerned with the original objective of religion, which is salvation for mankind, rather than advocating for materialism.

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