RELIGION OR BELIEF SYSTEMS DEFINITION OF RELIGION: The human relationship with the sacred, with forces in and beyond nature REASONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BELIEF SYSTEMS: Protection and support or security in an uncertain world Desire for a deeper sense of the significance of life Hope for existence after death Provides answers to eternal questions about existence Where do we come from? Why are we here? What happens to us when we die? What is our relationship to the environment? FIVE COMMON TRAITS OF BELIEF SYSTEMS: Sacred calendar and rituals Sacred spaces Sacred teachings and writings Sacred symbols Religious organization or hierarchy Seminar on Belief Systems: