Jennie Pahl- religion is

"William James defined religion as one's 'total reaction upon life.'" Landscapes of the Sacred pg 10


I would personally have to agree that religion is a person's reaction upon life. I've noticed over the years how different everyone is when it comes to religion. Growing up I began to see that everyone was raised differently and has had different values and morals embedded into their ways of thinking. I feel that these ways that they think have a direct reaction with how they carry themselves and define their religion. Some people are very religious while others could careless and the thousands of other variations between. My suitemate and I both thought about this for a while and I can see where in every different situation this idea stnads true. My brother, Justin, for example is very into our church and would not settle for less when looking for his wife. He recently married a girl named Jennifer who shares in all of his beliefs. They were both virgins when they got married and are very good people. Both of them came from christian families where it was instilled upon them at a young age that life on earth is only temporary, and that their main focus should be to serve God. Both of them reflect that in their lifes' and that is how they react upon life. Even looking at myself I can see where my own reaction upon life has a HUGE impact on my beliefs. I think that William James hit the nail dead on the head so to speak when he defined religion this way.