Religion began as a way to explain unfathomable gaps in understanding how the world and the things within it worked. It became a fundamental part of many lives because it gave the population faith and understanding as to why things functioned the way they did. Unexplainable events were concluded as the will of a higher being, as it was the simplest rational. Nonetheless, time has shifted, and with different ages comes change. However important they were when our kind had no other explanation for the universe or way to be governed; religious beliefs have become undermined by our development and advancement in the understanding of our morals and needs to provide order and reason: law.
What is law and what is religion? Law does not have clear boundaries, but can be embodied and described as a set of rules created under reason, morality and ethics to provide justice. It was created because over time and experience, there were ideas seen in consensus as wrong, and restrictions needed to be placed in order to protect human rights and the wellbeing of the nation. If a law is controversial to the majority, it should not be considered a law. Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power for the explanation of the scheme of the universe. It was created because a higher being was the easiest explanation of the world, and gave the practitioner a sense of purpose. Although the two were both created from a figment of thought from man, what makes one different from another is the reasoning and basis behind them. When asked proof to why religion is real and exists, there is only one possible answer: I just feel and believe it. For this reason, the basis to religion is purely by belief and faith, and thus is unprovable, ...
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...on, the result is only the wrath of a hypothetical god. On the other hand, if one disobeys law, dire consequences almost always result, specifically in the harm of an object, person, or idea. Laws only stand and exist to protect people and provide justice; if laws are broken, the protection of the people and justice is broken as well. Due to the aftermath of neglecting law being much greater than religion, the laws of a country should be upheld and followed to a higher degree than of religion.
Law is rationalized with evidence, cannot be used to manipulate a nation, protects and ensures the safety of the people, and is parallel with universal human morals. Although religion serves many purposes, it can neither serve nor be the things law encompasses; religious beliefs cannot come above the laws of a country because of their ambiguity and tendency to be manipulated.
There are conceivable differences in many religions, especially what people consider as religion and how it should affect government. Rick Galusha (The Changing role of government part 1, n.d.) “There is an inherent difference in my faith and my government.” Through this video he is conveying there are two moral authorities the first is government so people are able rely on the legal system to make solid moral decisions and the second is faith which is another source for us to make quality moral decisions.
It is largely understood that laws are put in place for the good of the communities which they govern. Laws are meant to reflect the wishes of the people and the general consensus is that as a result, these laws should be followed without question. In reality this is not always the case. There are often laws worth questioning whether it be for convenience, personal gain, or deep personal or moral reasons. A historical connection to the latter would be the protection of Jews from the Nazis during WWII and the Holocaust. Hitler created a document outlining a death penalty for any and all persons who were caught aiding Jews in any way, small or large. Despite this law being enforced with dire consequences for infraction, there were still
Religion is a symbolic representation of society. The sociological approach to religious belief looks at how society behaves on a whole, to answer the question, “Why are people religious?” We express our participation in religious events through plays, acts of confession, religious dances, etc. To begin to understand why we have such term, let’s understand the common elements of religion. There are different types in which people believe in or follow and that is: animatism, animism, ancestral spirits, god and goddesses, and minor supernatural beings. Beyond these different elements, such one is to have religious leaders to follow.
The terms religion and law are two sophisticated terms that are the realms of life as well as a shared history th
Laws are structured and implemented to benefit the masses. Unfortunately this objective is not always achieved. The constitution of the states is considered the best work of law yet it is unable to save the life of a child. Clearly the problem of violence is turning more into a socio-cultural and psychological problem than a legal one. However laws still need to be implemented justly in order to preserve the freedom and rights of me...
Religion has existed since the dawn of civilization and over time has evolved into the religions we have today. Today the most prominent religions are monotheistic, having one omnipotent god, and despite having many differences they share basic tenets of respect and kindness. Religions, such as Judaism, give explanations for the unknown, provide hope, and bring about a sense of community.
Perhaps the most powerful statement made about religion was made by Dr. John Simmons of Western Illinois University. He makes the valid point that religion is not a noun, but a verb. Religion is based on beliefs and how people act based on those beliefs. Tradition, prayer, and meditation are all acts of religion and are considered intangible behaviors. Although many rituals of religion are “things”, the ethical and social portions are lifestyles. In addition to this point, Dr. Simmons mentions the possibility of religion being founded as a way to understand and answer important questions about life and death. People must find out who they are, why they are here on Earth, and what purpose their life holds. Questions known as boundary questions are posed when humans are faced with new situations in their lives (Beliefs and Believers, Class 1). They must believe that there is reasoning to support their actions. Rites of passage are the most frequent experiences involving boundary questions. For example, as a child of Christian parents, I was told that people die because it is their turn to be with Jesus. Heaven made sense to me and comforted me, knowing that my loved ones would be in such a wonderful place. Also in the Christian religion, questions may arise about the beginning of life and how we got to Earth. The myth of Adam and Eve and the story of the Creation answers that for Christian believers. As for my purpose on Earth, my question was answered by the Christian doctrine. I am here to spread the word of God in actions and words so that all humans may know His love. However, these answers do not make sense to a...
Throughout the course of history, man has looked to religion for answers. Curiosity as to how we got here and why we are have driven people to seek out answers to these somewhat unanswerable questions. Over the past few thousand years, several varying religions have been established, some more prominent than others. Many of them share a similar story of a divine creator who has always been and will always be. In the case of Christianity, whether true or not, it has proven to be beneficial to society as a whole. The Bible set the standard for the moral compass that humans live their lives by to this day. The key fundamental problem with religion, although not the fault of religion, is that man has often used it as a gateway to power and prominence. In the case of the 18th century Gallican church, the French were abusing their religious powers, thus creating vast inequality throughout France, which eventually led to a rebellion against the church, and the eventual destruction of the church within France.
Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs and worships which includes a code of ethics and a philosophy of life. Well over 90% of the world 's population adheres to some form of religion. The problem is that there are so many different religions. What is the right religion? What is true religion? The two most common ingredients in religions are rules and rituals. Some religions are essentially nothing more than a list of rules, dos and don 'ts, which a person must observe in order to be considered a faithful adherent of that religion, and thereby, right with the God of that religion. Two examples of rules-based religions are Islam and Judaism. Islam has its five pillars that must be observed.
The matter of religion in relation to law is an age old question that many generations of people have had to face. In fact, in some ancient civilizations, religion was as much a part of the law, as water is a basic human necessity. Leaders were often worshiped as messengers or children of gods, and sometimes even as gods themselves. Religion has shaped the backbone of many a community, and still today, in some parts of the world, it is a force to be reckoned with. However, it is in my belief, that the religious and moral values of an area should not influence the laws that people are meant to abide by. Not only because many people do not share the same religious beliefs (or even have a religion for that matter), but because in doing so, it allows for the possibility that people will try to take advantage of the system and commit acts that are morally unjust, in the name of their religion.
There are two types of laws. There are conventional laws and natural laws. Conventional laws are those laws arrived at through consensus between those governed and the government. Natural laws are those laws that are universal and are derived from the natural order of the world. In my opinion, natural law cannot work in our society, as they are not suitable for our environment and how we live together as a society. Natural laws can’t work without causing trouble and chaos between everyone, so why should we place them in our society? On the other hand, conventional laws are governed and are made to be just for the society. That is why we need conventional laws in our society, not natural laws. Also, since conventional laws are governed, they are made sure to be enforced, and breaking them will only ruin that one person for what they have done, not the society as a whole.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows: “the belief in a god or in a group of gods, an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods, or an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group” (Merriam-Webster.) My personal definition of religion is that it is a set of beliefs and practices that generally pertain the worship of one or more than one spiritual beings or representations of a spiritual power. Religion can be personal belief or an organization or group of people who have similar beliefs and values. There are many different types of religions in the world and have been since the history of mankind.
Both law and morality serve to regulate behaviour in society. Morality is defined as a set of key values, attitudes and beliefs giving a standard in which we ‘should’ behave. Law, however, is defined as regulating behaviour which is enforced among society for everyone to abide by. It is said that both, however, are normative which means they both indicate how we should behave and therefore can both be classed as a guideline in which society acts, meaning neither is more effective or important than the other. Law and morals have clear differences in how and why they are made. Law, for example, comes from Parliament and Judges and will be made in a formal, legal institution which result in formal consequences when broken. Whereas morals are formed under the influence of family, friends, media or religion and they become personal matters of individual consciences. They result in no formal consequence but may result in a social disapproval which is shown also to occur when breaking the law.
Religion is perhaps one of the universe’s biggest mysteries. Is there some divine being or spiritual being guiding our lives? Religion is an understanding that there is something greater that guides and protects us. In today’s society, there are many different religions and they all practice and worship in different ways. Each religion presents diverse religious traditions, rituals and even beliefs. In other words, religion means something different to different people.
Religion has screwed us up for a long time and we'd be better off without it. By "us" I mean Americans living in the 21st century. Without religions we would have fewer labels separating us from each other and we wouldn't hate Jews or Catholics or Muslims. If we didn't have religions, we wouldn't have to convert anyone or "save" anyone. If we didn't have religions, people could no longer get caught up in the fine lines of religious rightousness or be trapped in a double-standard morality. And most importantly, we would be truly free of religious engendered guilt that never quite goes away.