religion and ritual; differences and definitions

If there is one thing that inherently binds humanity together, religion, or the idea that a phenomenon greater than our own base power is at work. Given the comparable natures of religious practices throughout the world, it is evident that we as a society (albeit culturally from first to third world,) all seem to present the similar questions: who are we, and why are we here? Perhaps the most indicative and contentious question of all; “is there a God, and indeed, is my God better than your God?” This leads us into a seemingly never ending and often bittersweet exchange, where more often than not the sword is mightier than the pen.


Subsequent to the great amalgamation that is religion, we see the methods of worship: the ritual.


The idea of a religious ritual is synonymous to the idea of the separation of the physical and the divine. Whatever religion the ritual belongs to is initially irrelevant in respect to attempting to firstly define and understand the concept. The concrete idea that remains the same and present in all religious convictions is that of worship; whether it be to a God, several Gods and Goddesses, or something completely different, the point of worship could be anything. The actual ritual is an enactment of a sacred concept, which then in turn evolves into a tradition consequently binding a group of peoples together who share the same beliefs, conclusively resulting in religion. Therein lies the connection. Although the two differ in basic definition, neither could exist without the other as both nourish and encourage their connecting values.


It is interesting to see the contrast and when the lines become blurred when it comes to the actual practice of a particular religion and how it can differ and stray from the original intent. For example, the following quote from the Koran: “And the servants of the Beneficent God are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace 25:63.” This embodies the intrinsic nature of The Koran, an exemplary bulk of teachings and concepts to help the individual better themselves spiritually, much akin to the Christian Bible. However, concepts can be manipulated, and as we have seen in recent years, extremist sects such as the Taliban have taken some ideals whilst discarding others for their own benefit, and coloured the original model of their religion, subsequently turning “ritual” into a warped version of their own self-interests.


Fundamentalists often pose a universal concern, due to the strict adherence they have to their religious principles. During the early twentieth century The Irish Republican Army manipulated the Catholic faith in such an extreme way religion was used as a an excuse for violence, rather than a justification for peace. That is where the ritualistic nature of religion can become distorted.


In an ideal world, the concept of religion and ritual would be a simple one; a community kept together by shared, fundamental practices, generating a collective temper of love and spirituality. However, human nature is more complex than this, and problems are bound to arise. It is the core concepts of these religions, and the necessity to keep these rituals active, which is important to the spiritual health of the community.