People often assume that the term religion refers to a particular religious institution, often that of the person using the term, or in more enlightened cases, to other similar institutions as well.
Religion is more, however, than the various religious institutions.
Many scholars of religion argue that religion is fundamental to human existence. Both scholarly and priestly traditions within and outside of particular religious institutions have produced accounts of character, responsibility and freedom that wrestle with societal opinion, reason, human experience, and scripture. Different religions have different notions of virtue, although there are some things generally agreed upon. Murder is always condemned, as is theft.