The word "meme" as originally defined by Richard Dawkins (in The Selfish Gene) fits the role well - a self replicating belief or set of belief. He gave religion

The word "meme" as originally defined by Richard Dawkins (in The Selfish Gene) fits the role well - a self replicating belief or set of belief. He gave religion as the prime examople of an infectious meme - 'you must believe these set of things - you must also transmit the beliefs to others, or they risk eternal damnation'.