There are more than 6,000 religions in the world, most of which are very different from the literate Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) that many people think of when they hear the word religion. In order to make statements or generalizations about religion—the concept of religion, rather than a specific religion or group of religions—we need to engage in a comparative study of religion. The study of religion as a general human phenomenon involves a comparison of all religions in an attempt to discern commonalities, general patterns, and associations with cultural and ecological features.
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