I specialize in religious studies; therefore, learning about religion is a genuine interest of mine. Additionally, since my first anthropology course, Introduction to Anthropology 103, learning about different cultures and people who may or may not be different from me has become an interest. The anthropology of religion offers me the best of both worlds. Not only do I have the opportunity to learn about different religious practices such as Tiwah among the Ngaju, but also to anthropologically examine snake handlers in Appalachia. There remains a question regarding the definition of religion. The semester began with using theorists and their theories to construct a definition of religion. However, because of how twisted religion is, we have changed our minds. In an attempt to summarize the work we have done this semester, I want to form a kind of definition of religion based on the ethnographies we have studied. To create that definition, I want to look at the three main books we read and draw a conclusion about the authors' understanding of religion. In other words, in my own words, a conclusion on each author's views on religion. Next, I want to use all three to form an overall definition of religion based on the work we have done throughout the semester. The three books I am referring to are Small Sacrifices by Ann Schiller, Soul Hunters by Rane Willerslev, and Salvation on Sand Mountain by Dennis Covington. Small Sacrifices by Ann Schiller explores religious change among the Ngaju in Borneo, Indonesia. It elaborates on the Indonesian government's request for the Ngaju to conform to one of the religions they deem acceptable. By conforming to Hinduism, however, the Ngaju lose their culture, ultimately their identity, ... halfway through the paper ... the semester was like defining religion because it was so complex, but now I have come to understand that the religion is understood better when we look at it from some good books that show the truths of religion. Therefore, by the end of this course, I understand that religion is something that is difficult to define when expanded to include controversial belief systems, but easy to understand when examined closely. Works Cited Covington, Dennis. Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake Management and Redemption in the Southern Appalachians. 15th ed. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 2009. Print. Schiller, Anna. Small sacrifices: Religious change and cultural identity among the Ngaju of Indonesia. New York: Oxford UP, 1997. Print. Willerslev, Rane. Soul Hunters: Hunting, Animism, and Personality Among the Siberian Yukaghir. Berkeley [ua: University of California, 2007. Print.