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Why religion is important
Religion influence on society
Why religion is important
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The necessity of religion is a topic that has been widely debated by many people for many years. The vast majority of the 7 and a half billion people on this earth practice some sort of religion but for what purpose? Whether it’s too give people hope for an afterlife or too fuel their need for contact with others people can list hundreds of different reasons why they rely on religion but is religion actually essential to our wellbeing and and life quality on this planet?
There are thousands upon thousands of theories about why human beings need religion, one of the most popular being that we are sheep and will always need a Shepard, leader or set of rules to follow. This theory was tested by a team of psychological scientists in Ontario, Canada, by assessing whether or not religious beliefs had an effect on ones self control. The results were somewhat
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Coming to the conclusion that religious priming makes people more concerned about their reputation in the community and with their powerful deity (psychologicalscience.org) thus they would have more self control as they have a set of rules and rituals they must follow. This is exemplified in the religion of Islam in which they are effected personally because of the rituals they must follow e.g. practicing salat five times a day alongside fasting and pilgrimaging to Mecca the sacred city of Islam once in their life. They develop ethically by being expected to donate 2.5% of their savings to charity, and belief and faith in Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a messenger of god,
Religion is defined as a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. Throughout time, religion has been debated to the point where many have philosophers have claimed it as a crutch for individuals in times of depression or despair. However, the purpose of religion has been argued numerous times and now the age old question remains whether or not religion is a want or a need. This question has been debated, and it is clear where philosophers such as Kierkegaard, James and Nietzsche stand, in regards to such prominent men as Marx, Skinner and Freud. Both sides pose salient arguments and each present strong points. Based on each argument presented, religion is therefore both a want and a need under certain conditions.
Though there are many religions that are still practiced in the world, it is important to see what role they play in culture and thinking. When religion is taken in healthy amounts with a strong mind, religion can be a blessing and a gift to people everywhere. It can provide hope to people who need it the most, while inspiring others to take action and make positive changes. However, overdosing on religion can cause equal amounts of pain and anger.
Are the bonds created through religion enough to help one overcome poor social health? All superficial controversy aside, it is very important for individuals to recognize the impact that the practice of religion has upon the majority of the human populous. It is clear that religion is a leading contributor towards to the social health of many people. Religion tackles many issues of poor social health by bringing people together and giving them a common mindset. Three major things that have a large impact on society are the ceremonies, purpose seeking, and comfort that is provided in communities throughout many different religious groups. There is much to learn from religion and why it still stands strong
The Society Religion as a Social Glue The view in the title is a functionalist’s view. Durkheim claims that religion is to do with the sacred and certain things, people and places are perceived to be sacred for example Jesus Christ, totem and the Tajmahal. He claims that what people perceive to be sacred are actually symbols of a collective consciousness. By worshipping these sacred things etc. they are actually reinforcing the beliefs, values, norms and tradition which make social life possible.
arguably the best approach for understanding the role of religion in one’s daily life. The
In Introducing Philosophy of Religion, Chad Meister asserts “there are several components (that) seem to be central to the world religion: a system of beliefs, the breaking in of a transcendent reality, and human attitudes of ultimate concern, meaning and purpose” (Meister 6). Throughout my life, I feel that religion is one of the core social belief systems that people use to maintain what they feel is a good way to live. Giving them a sense of purpose or fulfillment during their earthly life, most hoping whatever beliefs that have will help them after death. Even though there are many different religions or religious value systems, everyone has most likely been exposed to one or more. There is only 15% of the world’s population that do not believe in one type of religion or another (Meister, 7).
what the believe to be morally right but by a set of rules the believe
These perspectives offer various theories, which explain how society influences individual and vice versa. In this sense, sociology offers particular sociological theories to examine religion at individual and societal levels. Here, religion (religious behavior or faith) can be conceptualized as a dependent or independent variable on the effect of other social processes (Davie 2013) Two major perspectives are functional and conflict theories, which driven by a common purpose: the better understanding of the place (and role) of religion in the societal level and global scale. Many religions have appeared as particular set of ideas, values, rituals, and institutionalized forms of collectively shared beliefs and values in the modern societies. Thus, the sociology of religion looks at both aspects of religion to understand how they affect human behavior and its interpretive frameworks. Ultimately, it looks at the how do religion influence humans and how do people make sense of the world through
Religions have always played a vital role between humans and its society especially in terms of what is good and proper in the society. In modern world, people have become increasingly dissociated from religion and spirituality.
" Religion is not just a social, cultural, political, or ideological factor; instead it finds its power in the personal chambers of the soul of the individual. Within the soul we discover the source of the private motivation that forms perceptions and behavior ( pg 7, Rediscovering the Kingdom)."
It also provides comfort for those in need and the promise of an afterlife. Religion also gives people something to believe in, provides a much larger meaning to life. It also helps people answer any questions they may have, such as “what is the meaning of life?”. On occasion, people have driven themselves insane trying to answer such questions, proving that religions who answer these questions actually benefit the devotee’s mental health. It also gives them a sense of protection, but can also instill a sense of fear in
In Cappellen et al. ’s article, they focus on religious priming in relation to Asch's conformity studies. The authors attempt to answer the question, does religion suggest in any way submissiveness, compliance, and willingness to conform to the ideas of others? (Cappellen et al, 2011).
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.
Ideologies creates a sense of community, purpose and order. Similarly, I find that my religion provides me with the conceptual frameworks in which to ground my life. My life revolves around my Islamic commitments, even school and work is set around my Islamic timetable. So to me, Islam is not just about praying, fasting and so on. Yet, it’s also about my moral conduct, the education that I seek and my worldly actions. Growing up in a community that practices an Islamic lifestyle and culture has convinced me that Islam is one of the exceptional religions which stress the development of the positive moral and ethical. I was taught to live peacefully, help each other and also tolerate with other religions. Not only that, Islam also governs all facets of my life such as moral, spiritual, physical, intellectual, social and economic via the Quran and the Hadith. I also learnt the true values of my faith which is Islam is not only for the Muslim world, it is to be practiced wherever I am.
Living religion supplies a moral code for adherents to base their everyday life and actions upon, whilst also providing stability. These moral codes differ between each religion, but ultimately dictate the way