Religion is a set of beliefs and values that people think are sacred or spiritually significant. It usually includes rituals, a belief in a higher power, sacred books, and a group of believers that is called a church or a community. People who believe in a religion may also think that their lives will be better if they follow the teachings of their faith and perform certain religious acts. They might feel that they are saving their souls in a literal sense, going to heaven after death, or in a more symbolic way, such as reaching nirvana in Buddhism.
Anthropologists believe that religion developed as a result of people trying to control aspects of their environment that they cannot directly manipulate, such as the weather, pregnancy and birth, and success in hunting. There are two ways that human beings try to control these uncontrollable elements: manipulation, which is done through magic; and supplication, which is done through religion. People who practice magic use spells and charms to control the environment, while those who follow a religion pray for help from a higher power or gods and goddesses.
Sociologists have often analyzed religion using social-science methods such as statistics, ethnography, and surveys. They have also studied it as a cultural phenomenon by comparing different religions to each other. These studies have led to the view that religion is a social kind and that it serves several functions: it gives meaning and purpose to life, provides a framework for understanding the universe, reinforces social stability, promotes psychological and physical well-being, and may motivate people to work for positive social change.