The word religion is a tough word for some people to grasp, because they are immediately bridged to religions. Not the actual word itself. But I think we should know what the word really means and it may change perceptions to know it.
Religion does not mean :
Oxford English Dictionary / Oxford Reference: “The belief in and/or worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods” (alongside secondary senses for institutional systems and intense devotion).
Merriam-Webster: “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices” or “the service and worship of God or the supernatural”.
Cambridge Dictionary: “the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or any such system of belief and worship”.
Etymology (Latin): Traced from religio / religare (“obligation, bond, or reverence,” traditionally interpreted as “to bind back/together”).
Religion is the word the defines the head science of life, of everything. It ltierally means :
Total Reality = The Known} + The Unknown} + The Unknowable
This is also NOT negotiable because it covers everything. There is nothing more. That’s not me being stubborn and egotistical, I am humbled to state this and anyone is free to test the logic.
So as a result I have written a paper to the OED :
Document Summary:
- Header & Metadata: Addressed formally to the OED Editorial Board with abstract, author attribution, and topic mapping.
- Core Argument: Breaks down the limitation of current dictionary definitions (defining the topic by its institutional containers/tools rather than its absolute ontology).
- Etymological Grounding: Connects religare (“to bind together”) to total reality.
- Exhaustive Formula: Lays out the tripartite model: $\text{Total Reality} = \text{The Known} + \text{The Unknown} + \text{The Unknowable}$.
- Lexicographical Revision: Provides a formal headword entry draft ready for lexicographical review.