Religious rites are performed on many occasions in relation to vital events and dominant essay on religion birth, initiation, marriage, sickness, death, hunting, animal husbandry and so on; and they are intimately concerned with family and kinship interests and with political institutions. Kindly subscribe below! For thousands of years, religion has exerted a great influence over economic and political life. It has evolved from Persian, Zoroastrianism and Arab Islamism. It makes certain forms of social behaviour as offences not only against society but also against God, essay on religion. Change is the very essence of a living thing. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website.
Post navigation
Such factors include race, ethnicity, social class, or neighborhoods. One of the proofs of the association of the religious views to these factors includes the marginalization of some groups based on religious lines e. These ethnic minorities may cling to their religious beliefs if they encounter any form of threat to their religious identity. Some ethnic conflicts are fueled by diversity in religious views, especially if one ethnic community feels threatened by another group or when the religious practices are believed to call for conflictive actions. Religion can also be involved in ethnic conflicts through the utilization of the religious institutions, a factor that can transform secular conflict into a religious issue.
Additionally, the predominance of a certain religion in a neighborhood may change the religious beliefs of the minority members that may be living within. The difference in social classes also influences religious beliefs and practices. For instance, in the fast-changing technological world, the very notion of religious beliefs is not always appealing. People may feel that that religious beliefs do not matte anyway because there are things that can satisfy them. For instance, essay on religion, some of the individualistic behaviors are more common among white Catholics and white Protestants followed by black Protestants and later Jews. In terms of structuralist beliefs, essay on religion, Feagin found out that Black Protestants and Jews support these beliefs more than white Protestants and Catholics.
Religious identity can also act as a factor of political and social interpretation. Some people would only associate with a political affiliation that supports their religious opinions even if the leadership skills and capabilities among those in leadership positions are not effective. Science and technology have significant impact on religious practices and beliefs. For instance, most people in essay on religion current generation would rather believe in what is measurable, proven, observable, scientific, and has validity over believing in the existence of supernatural beings that they deem as a delusional or wishful essay on religion. Being part of a religious organizational group provides formal and informal opportunities that enable people to connect socially.
However, the variability in social classes affects the religious beliefs i. the rich express their beliefs differently from the poor. According to Davidsonpoor people are more likely to conduct their prayers in private, be committed and submit to their doctrines of faith, and possess intense religious experiences. On the other hand, the rich and the upper classes often attend worship services and contribute generously to religious activities. The explanation for this variation is that the poor show greater religiousness as a form of reprieve for suffering while the rich participate in religious activities with the intent of confirming the legitimacy of their claim of being members of high social class. Improvement in the religious systems can only be achieved if the society unites and takes collective improvement strategies.
One of the ways by which the population can effect changes includes speaking across secular and religious views and essay on religion on the action that should be taken. Religious institutions should shun teachings that compromise peace and stability of a society, essay on religion. Parents should always give a good example of their religious beliefs to their children. This ensures that, even if the youths transit through the stage of temporary indifference, they can still rely on the example set by their parents for restoration of their faith. Chaplains, teachers, priests and other religious leaders can also act role models for young people. A good education experience in religious beliefs can help them in strengthening their religious beliefs.
Religious practices are crucial in teaching and reminding people about social values and ethics that enhances societal cohesiveness and neighborliness. This implies that every society member has a significant role in ensuring that the factors that affect religiosity negatively are eliminated. Feagin, Joe. Are you looking for homework writing help? Click on Order Now button below to Submit your assignment details. Are you looking for homework writing help on Sample Essay on Religion? Well, you can either use the sample paper provided to write your paper or you could contact essay on religion today for an original paper.
If you are looking for an assignment to submit, then click on ORDER NOW button or contact us today. Our Professional Writers will be glad to write your paper from scratch. We ensure that assignment instructions are followed, the paper is written from scratch. If you are not satisfied by essay on religion service, you can either request for refund or unlimited revisions for your order at absolutely no extra pay. We do not share your personal information with any company or person. We have also ensured that the ordering process is secure; you can check the security feature in the browser. For confidentiality purposes, all papers are sent to your personal email. If you have any questions, contact us any time via email, live chat or our phone number. I expected perfection in terms of grammar and I am happy.
Lecturer is always on our head but was pleased with my paper. Once again, thanks a lot. Would you like this sample paper to be sent to your email or would you like to receive weekly articles on how to write your assignments? You can simply send us your request on how to write your paper and we will email you a free guide within hours. Kindly subscribe below! Email Address: support globalcompose. Open Always, essay on religion. Email: support globalcompose. com Call Now! Home Pricing Our Writers Contact Samples Blog. Sample Essay on Religion. A Database of over Million Scholarly Resources. Start your Search Now. Works Cited Feagin, Joe. Davidson, James. Sharing is: CARING. Homework Writing Help.
Order Now Contact Essay on religion. We Can Help you with this Assignment right now! Writing Features. Experienced Writers. Affordable Prices. Unlimited and Free Revision. Privacy Confidentiality. Our Clients Testimonials. I appreciate help on the assignment. It was hard for me but am good to go now. Impact essay on religion pollution on Environment. Am happy now having completed the very difficult assignment. Creative Message Strategies. Your writer did a fine job on the revisions. The paper is now ok. Ethics: Theory and Practice. The essay on religion was so involving but am happy it is done.
Will reach you with more assignments. Title: Privatization in or of America. Title: Bundaberg Inquiry. The paper looks perfect now, essay on religion, thank to the writer. Health Care Systems, essay on religion. You helped me complete several other tasks as you handled paper. wonna thank you. Critique Paper on Political Change. A Short List of our Services, essay on religion. Thesis Dissertation Writing. Research Paper Writing, essay on religion. Essay Writing Help. Assignment Writing Services. Case Study Analysis. Nursing Concept Analysis. Reaction Paper Writing.
Critical Thinking Writing, essay on religion. Related Articles. June 30, CO3: Plan prevention and population-focused interventions for vulnerable populations using professional clinical judgment and evidence-based practice. Homework Help.
gardening essay writing
Writing Features. Experienced Writers. Affordable Prices. Unlimited and Free Revision. Privacy Confidentiality. Our Clients Testimonials. I appreciate help on the assignment. It was hard for me but am good to go now. Impact of pollution on Environment. Am happy now having completed the very difficult assignment. Creative Message Strategies. Your writer did a fine job on the revisions. The paper is now ok. Ethics: Theory and Practice. The paper was so involving but am happy it is done. Will reach you with more assignments.
Title: Privatization in or of America. Title: Bundaberg Inquiry. The paper looks perfect now, thank to the writer. Health Care Systems. You helped me complete several other tasks as you handled paper. wonna thank you. Critique Paper on Political Change. A Short List of our Services. Thesis Dissertation Writing. Research Paper Writing. Essay Writing Help. Assignment Writing Services. Case Study Analysis. Nursing Concept Analysis. Reaction Paper Writing. Critical Thinking Writing. Related Articles. June 30, CO3: Plan prevention and population-focused interventions for vulnerable populations using professional clinical judgment and evidence-based practice. Homework Help. The Hindu seeks release from the bondage of Karma, which is the joy or suffering he undergoes as a result of his actions in his life.
The ultimate end of life is to attain Moksha. The Buddhist hopes to attain Salvation by being absorbed in the Godhead and entering Nirvana. In short, religion is the institutionalised set of beliefs men hold about supernatural forces. It is more or less coherent system of beliefs and practices concerning a supernatural order of beings, forces, places or other entities. Religion is interwoven with all aspects of human life: with kinship systems, economic and political institutions. It has shaped domestic, economic and political institutions.
Hence, it is obvious that religion performs a number of functions both for the religious group and for the wider society. These functions of religion are discussed bellow. Religion may be said to help in the struggle for societal survival. Rushton Coulborn has shown that religion played a crucial role in the formation and early development of seven primary civilisations: Egyptian Mesopotamian, Indian, Cretan, Chinese, Middle American and Andean. Religion in each of these societies gave its members the courage needed for survival in an unfavourable environment, by giving explanations to certain aspects of the human conditions which could not be explained in a rational manner. In present societies religion also performs this role. By relating the empirical world to the super-empirical world religion gives the individual a sense of security in this rapidly changing world.
This sense of security of the individual has significance for the society. Religion acts as a unifying force and hence, promotes social integration in several ways. Religion plays an important part in crystallising, symbolising and reinforcing common values and norms. It thus provides support for social standards, socially accepted behaviour. Common faith, values and norms etc. are significant in unifying people. As the individuals perform rituals collectively their devotion to group ends is enhanced. Through a ritual individual expresses common beliefs and sentiments. It thus helps him to identify himself more with his fellows, and to distinguish himself more from members of other groups, communities or nations. By distinguishing between holy and unholy things, religion creates sacred symbol for the values and this symbol becomes the rallying point for all persons who share the same values.
The cow as a sacred symbol of the Hindus, for example, is a rallying point which gives cohesion to Hindu society. Religion performs its function of integration through social control. It regulates the conduct of individuals by enforcing moral principles on them and by prescribing powerful sanctions against them for violation. It is the ultimate source of social cohesion. The primary requirement of society is the common possession of social values by which individuals control the actions of self and others and through which society is perpetuated. These social values emanate from religious faith. Religion is the foundation upon which these values rest.
Children should obey their parents, should not tell a lie or cheat, women should be faithful to men; people should be honest and virtuous are some of the social values which maintain social cohesion. It is religion that asks man to renounce unsocial activities and requires him to accept limitations upon his wants and desires. All the religions have preached love and non-violence. They have emphasized sacrifice and forbearance. It is one of the means of informal means of social control. Religion not only defines moral expectations for members of the religious group but usually enforces them. It supports certain types of social conduct by placing the powerful sanctions of the supernatural behind them.
It makes certain forms of social behaviour as offences not only against society but also against God. Hence, any violation of the acceptable norm is punishable not only by God but by society. Hinduism gives sanction to the caste system which regulates social relations of various classes in India. Religion encourages people to render services to the needy and poor and promote their welfare. It develops philanthropic attitude of people. Help and assistance are rendered to poor and destitute persons due to religion inspiration. It is believed that one can obtain the cherished goal of religion by way of giving alms and assistance to the helpless and needy persons. In this way religion promotes the welfare of individuals, groups and community. The priesthood often was dedicated to art and culture.
The priests laid the foundations of medicine. Magic supplied the roots of observation and experimentation from which science developed. It also inculcated the habit of charity among the people who opened many charitable institutions like hospitals, rest houses, temples to help the needy and the poor. Religion serves to soothe the man in times of his suffering and disappointment. In this world man often suffers disappointment even in the midst of all hopes and achievements. The things for which he strives are in some measure always denied to him. When human hopes are blighted, when all that was planned and striven for has been swept away, man naturally wants something to console and compensate him. When a son dies man seeks to assuage his grief in ritualistic exchanges of condolence.
On God he puts faith and entertains the belief that some unseen power moves in mysterious ways to make even his loss meaningful. Faith in God compensates him and sustains his interest in life and makes it bearable. In this way religion helps man to bear his frustrations and encourages him to accept his lot on earth. Man unites himself with the infinite and feels ennobled. Through unity with the infinite the self is made majestic and triumphant. Man considers himself the noblest work of God with whom he shall be united and his self thus becomes grand and luminous. Besides this, religion shapes domestic, economic and political institutions. Religion supports institutional pattern more explicitly.
All the great religions of the world have attempted to regulate kinship relations, especially marriage and family. Political institutions are often sanctioned by religion: the emperor of China or Japan was sacred; the ruling caste of India was sanctioned by Brahmanism; the kings of France were supposed to rule by divine right. Religious rites are performed on many occasions in relation to vital events and dominant interests: birth, initiation, marriage, sickness, death, hunting, animal husbandry and so on; and they are intimately concerned with family and kinship interests and with political institutions.
Religion is the central element in the life of civilisation. Religion has also performed some other services to humanity among which Sumner and Keller included the provision of work, the spread of education, the accumulation of capital and the creation of a leisure class. For thousands of years, religion has exerted a great influence over economic and political life. Even today religion is called upon to support rulers, contacts and other legal procedures. In addition to positive functions of religion, there are some negative aspects of its social functions. Although religion is an integrative force, it may be disruptive for the society as a whole. Sumner and Keller, Benjamin Kidd, Karl Marx, Thomas F. The dysfunctions of religion are as follows. According to Thomas F.
All protests and conflicts are not always negative. Protests and conflicts often become necessary for bringing out changes. Some changes would certainly lead to positive reforms. By inhibiting protests and preventing changes religion may postpone reforms. Social values and norms emanate from religious faith. Some of the norms which lose their appropriateness under changed conditions may also be imposed by religion. Even today, traditional Muslims face religio-ethical problems concerning interest-taking.
Similar social conflict is evident in the case of birth control measures including abortion, in the Catholic world. Religion often makes its followers dependent on religious institutions and leaders. But it does not develop an ability in them to assume individual responsibility. For example, a good number of people in India prefer to take the advises of priests and religious leaders before starting some ventures. But they do not take the suggestion of those who are competent in the field. In its course of development religion has supported and promoted evil practices such as cannibalism, slavery, untouchability, human and animal sacrifice etc. As religion interprets misfortune and suffering in this world as manifestations of the supernatural order itself, it sanctifies the existing social structure.
Religion preaches submission to the existing socio-economic condition and to fate. It is the opiate of the people. Religion is the source of many superstitions. These superstitions have caused harm to human being. Superstitions like evil spirits and ghosts cause diseases; poverty is the desire of the God etc. hinder the welfare of human beings. Religion results in inter-group conflicts by dividing people along religious lines. It is deeply related with conflicts. Wars and battles have been fought in the name of religion. Sumner and Keller are of the opinion that religion often causes economic wastes. For example, investing huge sums of money on building temples, churches, mosques, etc.
It leads to waste of human labour, energy and time. Religion creates diversities among people. It creates a gap among them. In the name of God and religion, loot, plundering, mass killing, rape and other cruel and inhuman treatments have been meted out to people. Religion has made people blind, dumb and deaf to the reality. They have faith without reasoning which is blind. On the contrary, it has often made people to become bigots and fanatics. Bigotry and fanaticism have led to persecution, inhuman treatment and misery in the past. Religion preserves traditions. It preaches submission to the existing conditions and maintenance of status quo.
Religion is not readily amenable to social change and progress. Religion has tried to prevent the scientists from discovering new facts. For example, it tried to suppress the doctrines of Darwin, Huxley and others. By placing high premium on divine power religion has made people fatalistic. They think that all events in life is due to some divine power and hence due to fate. As a result, his power and potentiality is undermined. Thus, religion affects the creativity of man. And most significantly it gives a purpose for our existence. Imagine a world without religion that people in various parts of the world follow.
Take a closer look at religion that people follow. You will find that every religion has its own unique symbols, sacred histories and narratives. The goal of all these is to find the answer to human existence. Although the religion followed by people differs, majority of people are religious. Some even follow more than one religion. Religion helps people gain a social identity and live together in harmony. Religion is part of our day to day life. Thus it remains the reason behind the good and bad things that happen in our life. Many of the wars and destruction in history were done in the name of religion. The Middle East war, Crusades and others are fitting examples. Religion can limit you to certain specific beliefs.
It can restrict your freedom. And last but not least, religion believes in supernatural force and not on science. The belief in afterlife prevents people from enjoying a happy life when they are alive. But religion has its good side too. Religion is responsible for several humanitarian works. People donate to charitable causes when they attend places of worship. Donating to religious causes gives people satisfaction. Religion helps in forming social groups of people who share similar morals, values and goals. The rituals we follow provide comfort.
It helps us face the hardships of life easily. Gathering at places of worship helps people in many ways. It is a chance for people in a community to see each other and socialize.
No comments:
Post a Comment