0 ▁distinct ▁relig ions ▁world wide . ▁About ▁ 8 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁population ▁is ▁affili ated ▁with ▁either ▁Christian ity , ▁Islam , ▁H indu ism , ▁Buddh ism , ▁or ▁some ▁form ▁of ▁folk ▁religion . ▁The ▁religious ly ▁una ff ili ated ▁dem ographic ▁includes ▁those ▁who ▁do ▁not ▁identify ▁with ▁any ▁particular ▁religion , ▁at he ists , ▁and ▁ag nost ics . ▁While ▁the ▁religious ly ▁una ff ili ated ▁have ▁grown ▁glob ally , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁religious ly ▁una ff ili ated ▁still ▁have ▁various ▁religious ▁belief s . ▁ ▁The ▁study ▁of ▁religion ▁en comp ass es ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁academic ▁discipl ines , ▁including ▁the ology , ▁compar ative ▁religion ▁and ▁social ▁scientific ▁studies . ▁The ories ▁of ▁religion ▁offer ▁various ▁explan ations ▁for ▁the ▁orig ins ▁and ▁work ings ▁of ▁religion , ▁including ▁the ▁ont ological ▁found ations ▁of ▁religious ▁being ▁and ▁belief . ▁ ▁Con cept ▁and ▁et ym ology ▁ ▁Religion ▁( from ▁O . Fr . ▁religion ▁religious ▁community , ▁from ▁L . ▁religion em ▁( nom . ▁relig io ) ▁" res pect ▁for ▁what ▁is ▁sacred , ▁rever ence ▁for ▁the ▁gods , ▁sense ▁of ▁right , ▁moral ▁oblig ation , ▁san ct ity ", ▁" ob lig ation , ▁the ▁bond ▁between ▁man ▁and ▁the ▁gods ") ▁is ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁Latin ▁relig i ō , ▁the ▁ult imate ▁orig ins ▁of ▁which ▁are ▁obsc ure . ▁One ▁possible ▁interpretation ▁trac ed