If we look back at the history of mankind from primitive times, we will see something very interesting. Humans have always looked up to something greater than themselves. When they did not understand astronomy, they looked at the sun and thought it was a god bringing light. When thunder roared, they believed there was a god in anger. When loved ones passed away, they did not think of death as the end but that the soul still existed somewhere around them. And thus, beliefs were born.

But then, as humanity grew, society became more complex. Personal and social beliefs gradually became systematized. Some people emerged to lead, there were doctrines to teach, and there were laws to bind. That was when religion appeared. What is religion? What is belief? How are religion and belief similar and different? First, let's talk about belief. Belief is a simple concept. It does not require complex doctrines, does not have a church organization, and certainly does not need a global leader. Belief is simply the faith of a community and the sacred.

For example, in Vietnam, the belief in ancestor worship is deeply ingrained. Every household has an altar, on the anniversary of the grandparents, descendants gather, light incense, and offer sacrifices. Vietnamese people believe that their ancestors are still watching over and blessing their descendants. Because ancient Vietnamese lived in communities, farming heavily reliant on nature. Family and lineage are the core of society. In that environment, people always regarded their ancestors as their roots. Ancients believed that there are ancestors and descendants, just as trees have roots, and rivers have sources. Without ancestors, there would be no us today. Therefore, when loved ones pass away, they do not completely disappear but continue to exist in the consciousness of their descendants in an invisible world.

The belief in ancestor worship arose from the need for gratitude and the maintenance of a connection with the deceased. At the same time, it is also to pray for blessings in harvests and family. In Vietnam, there is also the belief in the Mother Goddess worship associated with the image of the holy mothers who govern heaven, earth, and water. People go to the temple to participate in rituals, sing, and offer sacrifices to pray for luck and peace. In Japan, there is the Shinto belief, called Shinto but is not a religion. This belief holds that deities reside in all things, from mountains, rivers to tree roots or stones.

So what is the common point of belief?

It is community bonding. When the whole village carries the palanquin together, worships the village's guardian spirit, everyone feels a part of it. It is like an invisible glue that helps the community connect tightly. That is belief, while religion has different characteristics.

Religion differs from belief in the following points.

Religion will have a founder or leader. This is the first and most important characteristic of a religion. There is always a founder, leader, or central figure. This person is often regarded as the enlightener, establishing the foundation of faith, ethics, and philosophy for the entire religion.

For example, Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama in India in the sixth century BC. From a prince who left the golden palace to seek the path to liberation, he became a symbol of enlightenment, or Christianity originated from Jesus Christ. Islam originated from the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century, who conveyed the Revelation from God through the angel Gabriel. It can be said that without these founding figures, religions could not form. The leader is often sanctified and becomes a living example for followers to emulate.

The second characteristic of religion is that it has doctrines and scriptures. A religion is not only based on vague beliefs but always has canonical doctrines that serve as the backbone of the belief system. This is a collection of teachings, principles of living, ethical philosophy, and sometimes even social regulations. For example, Buddhism has the Buddhist scriptures that include the teachings of the Buddha, precepts for monks and nuns, and philosophical analyses. Christianity relies on the Bible, the Old Testament, and the New Testament, which contain the history, teachings of Jesus, and doctrines of the apostles. Islam has the Quran, considered the direct Revelation of the holy Allah, along with Hadith, which is a collection of the sayings and actions of the prophet Muhammad. Doctrines are a characteristic that only religions have. They serve as spiritual laws that help followers have a guideline for living, practicing, and worshiping.

The third characteristic that religion has, which belief does not, is a social organization. Religion does not only exist in the beliefs of each individual but requires a tightly organized system to maintain, manage, and develop. This system is called the church with many levels. For example, Catholicism has a very clear structure, headed by the Pope in the Vatican, followed by cardinals, bishops, priests, and then monks. Buddhism has a system of monasteries and meditation centers run by monks and nuns. In some countries like Thailand and Myanmar, Buddhism even has a national agency overseeing the monastic community. Islam does not have a pope or a globally centralized organization but has clerics, who guide followers and manage mosques.

The social organization here is like the administrative backbone of the religion, ensuring that doctrines are taught, followers are guided, and the religion is spread. A religion can only truly thrive when there is a large community of followers forming a collective belief. This characteristic makes religion a global social phenomenon rather than just limited to a small group. For example, Catholicism currently has about 1.3 billion followers worldwide, spread across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. Islam has nearly 2 billion followers mainly in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Buddhism has about 500 million followers concentrated mainly in Asia, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Thanks to the widespread community of followers, religion not only has a spiritual aspect but also strongly impacts politics, culture, society, and the economy. For example, although the Vatican is a very small country, the voice of the pope can influence hundreds of millions of people. Religion does not stop at praying or offering sacrifices; it also brings a philosophy of life. How to live well? What is good and evil? Where do we go after death? This is a point that surpasses ordinary beliefs.

Thus, we can see where religion and belief are similar. They are similar in that they are both beliefs. People believe in something that transcends themselves. They both have rituals. Belief may involve lighting incense for offerings, for example. Religion involves prayers and festivals. Both religion and belief also connect communities from a small family to an entire nation. Religion and belief also influence human behavior. Those with beliefs or religions often live according to certain moral standards. But the biggest difference lies in the scale and system.

Belief is often limited to a region, an ethnic group, or a country. While religion spreads across many countries. Belief is simply passed down orally. Religion has a tightly organized system of doctrines. Belief often prays for peace and good harvests for descendants. Religion often aims for liberation, salvation, and enlightenment. Belief does not have a global church, while religion has a well-organized structure with clear hierarchies. For example, in Vietnam, you can see both belief and religion coexisting. When you go to a temple, for instance, you can light incense for the Buddha, which is religion, and then go outside to light another stick of incense for the land spirit or the banyan tree, which is belief.

Vietnamese people can follow Buddhism while also maintaining ancestor worship. This is an interesting blend of religion and belief. Another example is in India, where people practice Hinduism, a major religion, while also maintaining hundreds of folk beliefs such as worshiping deities, mountains, and rivers. In Japan, people also follow Buddhism as a religion while maintaining the belief in Shinto. Japanese weddings are performed with Shinto rituals, while funerals follow Buddhist practices.

Today, many people think that with the development of science, there is no need for religion or belief anymore. But the reality is different. In Western countries, despite advanced science, churches still serve as a place to connect communities. In Asia, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism still shape culture from eating habits, clothing, wedding customs to laws. In Vietnam, religion and belief coexist in a fascinating way. People, no matter how modern they are, still need a spiritual anchor, an answer to things that cannot be explained by mathematics, physics, chemistry, or any other science.