Religion
Religion is a social
institution involving beliefs and practices based upon a conception of the
sacred. In other words, religion is a belief in powers superior to man, which
are believed to direct and control the course of nature and of human life. Simply,
it is a set of beliefs, cultural systems and views that relate humanity to the
supernatural and spirituality.
Elements in the Religion
Beliefs:
A belief is a
conviction. Religious beliefs refer to the belief in the existence of
supernatural powers, which take the shape of divine beings,who are not part of
this world, and are not governed by the ordinary rules of nature.
Different
societies and different religions have different sets of religious beliefs.
These vary not only from society to society, but within societies, variations
can be seen from region to region, state to state and between different communities
and groups.
Rituals:
Every religion is
associated with a set of practices, rites and rituals, which are ceremonies or
repetitive practices. Religious rituals are prescribed acts that are not only
sacred in themselves, but also symbolize the scared (Broom, Selznick and
Darroch, p. 392). Ritualization of religious behaviour makes it scared. A
ritual may emerge simply as a means of coordinating activities, but one it is
given religious connotations, it becomes sacred.
Symbols:
Every religion
uses certain symbols, with which it is usually associated. The cross denotes
Christianity, the Muslim symbol is the crescent moon and star, the Jews have
the Star of David and so on.
Organization:
Most modern
societies have organized religious groups, which are used to affirm religious
beliefs and sentiments, to recruit and train specialists in theory, rituals and
doctrine, and to organize meetings and gatherings and the relations between
religious groups and the masses.
Emotions:
All religions
evoke strong emotions in the believers or followers. Generally, religious
emotions are associated with all things that are sacred and close to the hearts
of the believers.
Functions
of Religion:
These functions are discussed
below in brief:
1. Religion as an Integrative
Force:
The primary
function of religion is to preserve and solidify society. Sharing the same
religion or religious interpretation of the meaning of life unites people in a
cohesive and building moral order.
The social
cohesion is developed through rituals such as reciting prayer in the honour of
God, institutions of worship (church, temple, mosque, etc.), performing Namaz,
and multitudes of observances and ceremonies practised by different groups.
The unifying
rituals of different faiths are also observed by individuals on the most
significant occasions such as birth, marriage and death. This integrative
function of religion was particularly apparent in traditional, pre-industrial
societies.
Religious bonds
often transcend these personal and divisive forces. It gives people certain
ultimate values and ends to hold in common.
Although the
integrative impact of religion has been emphasized here, it should be noted
that religion is not the only integrative force—the feelings of nationalism or
patriotism may also serve the same end. In contemporary industrial societies,
people are also bound together by patterns of consumption, ways of life, laws
and other forces.
2. Creating a Moral Community:
Religion provides
a system of beliefs around which people may gather to belong to something
greater than themselves in order to have their personal beliefs reinforced by
the group and its rituals. Those who share a common ideology develop a
collective identity and a sense of fellowship.
Members of moral
community also share a common life. This moral community gives rise to social
community through the symbolism of the sacred that supports the more ordinary
aspects of social life. Religion then legitimizes society. It provides sacred
sanction for the social order and for its basic values and meanings.
3. Religion as Social Control:
Religion is a
mechanism which inspire terror for those who commit bad actions.
It keeps people
‘in line’ through folkways and mores. It provides a foundation for mores of
society. Religious approvals are sought for certain desirable patterns of
behaviour to persist in society in the forms of mores. Thus, many taboos in
various cultures have religious approbals, e.g., the taboo against eating of
pork in Jewish and Muslims and cows meat in Hindus.
4. Provides Rites of Passage:
Religion helps us
in performing ceremonies and rituals related to rites of passage (birth,
marriage, death and other momentous events) which give meaning and a social
significance to our life.
5. Religion as Emotional Support:
Religion is a
sense of comfort and solace to the individuals during times of personal and
social crises such as death of loved ones, serious injury, etc. This is
especially true when something ‘senseless’ happens. It gives them emotional
support and provides consolation, reconciliation and moral strength during
trials and defeats, personal losses and unjust treatments.
It provides a
means whereby man can face the crises and changes of life with strength and
fortitude. The concepts of karma and transmigration among Hindus and Jesus
Christ as son of God and prayer among Christians seek to provide such fortitude
and strength.
It is often said that visiting places of
worship and holy premises serves as outlets for releasing tension and stress.
Religion offers
consolation to oppressed peoples also by giving them hope that they can achieve
salvation and eternal happiness in the afterlife. Religion increases the ‘God
will provide’ the attitude.
6. Religion Serves a Means to
Provide Answers to Ultimate Questions:
Why are we here
on earth? Is there a supreme being? What happens after death? All religions
have certain notions and beliefs that provide answers to the above questions.
These beliefs are based on the faith that life has a purpose, and there is
someone or something that controls the universe. It defines the spiritual world
and gives meaning to the divine. Because of its beliefs concerning people’s
relationships to a beyond, religion provides an explanation for events that
seem difficult to understand.
7. Religion as a Source of
Identity:
Religion gives
individuals a sense of identity—a profound and positive self-identity. It
enables them to cope effectively with the many doubts and indignation of
everyday life. Religion may suggest people that they are not worthless or meaningless
creatures and thus helps them alleviating the frustrating experiences of life
which sometimes force a person to commit suicide.
In industrial
societies, religion helps to integrate newcomers by providing a source of
identity.
8. Legitimating Function of
Religion:
Religion may be
used to explain, justify or rationalize the exercise of power. It reinforces
the interests of those in power. Even in societies not as visibly ruled by
religious dogma, religion legitimates the political sector.
For example, Nepal
traditional caste system defined the social structure of society. According to
one theory, caste system is a creation of the priesthood (Brahmins)—the
uppermost stratum of this system, but it also served the interests of political
rulers by granting legitimacy to social inequality.
The values of
religion reinforce other social institutions and the social order as a whole
and as a consequence it perpetuates social inequality in society.
9. Psychologizing Religion:
The notion of
‘positive thinking’ serves as an example of psychologizing religion. It
provides peace of mind, promises prosperity and success in life, as well as
effective and happy human relations. It is thus a source of security and
confidence, and also of happiness and success in this world.
But at times
religion can be debilitating and personally destructive. Persons convinced of
their own essential wickedness can suffer extreme personal difficulties.
Many times, it
serves as a liberating and integrating force for individuals. For instance, it
helps in bringing change (sobriety) to seemingly hopeless alcoholics.
10. Religion Acts as
Psychotherapy:
In modern world,
religion has also become a supporting psychology—a form of psychotherapy. Now,
God is conceived of as a humane and considerate God. Such a hopeful perception
helps the sufferer in alleviating his/her personal and social crisis.
A new vocation of
religious practitioner has recently come up in the mental health field as a
helping professional. It already existed in village India and other places in
the form of shamans, priests and magicians (shamans are treated as super-humans
endowed with supernatural powers in some tribal societies).
11. Religion as an Agent of
Social Change:
While religion
supports the status quo in its priestly function, it inspires great change in
its prophetic function. It can enable individuals to transcend social forces;
to act in ways other than those prescribed by the social order.
Mahatma Gandhi,
Jesus, Thomas More all died upholding spiritual beliefs that were not those of
the social order in which they lived. Religion, in its prophetic function,
provides individuals with an unshakable foundation of social criticism which
later on becomes the basis for social change. Many religious groups of the
world protested against Vietnam and Iraq wars and an age-old Buddha statue in
Afghanistan.
Generally,
religion is regarded as an impediment in the path of social change but many
religious groups, by criticizing existing rules of social morality and social
injustice, and community or government actions, help in bringing about social
change. In this regard, Max Weber’s pioneering work on the relationship between
economy and the religion.
It should be
noted that many religious leaders have acted in the forefront of many social
and political movements. For example, Martin Luther King fought for civil
rights of Blacks in America. Swami Dayanand worked aggressively for women
education and widow remarriage in India.
12. Religion as an Agent of De-politicization:
According to
Bryan Wilson (1976), religion functions as an agent of de-politicization.
Marxists suggest that by inducing a ‘false consciousness’ among the
disadvantaged, religion lessens the possibility of collective political action.
In simpler terms, religion keeps people away from seeing their lives and
societal conditions in political terms.
13. Religion Controls Sexuality:
According to B.
Turner (1992), ‘religion has the function of controlling the sexuality of the
body, in order to secure the regular transmission of property via the family’.
In feudalism, and now in capitalism, religious control of sexuality is an
important vehicle for the production of legitimate offspring.
In the end, it
may be said that in spite of being regarded as superstition, religion is
persisting for such a long time as a social institution because of its varied
functions cited above that it performs for the welfare of the individual and
the society both.
At many times,
even the so-called educated people regard religious laws as superior to the
man-made laws. In primitive and traditional societies and even some sections
of modern societies, despite all-round attack over it, religion is a pervasive
matter, and religious beliefs and rites play an important part in the
activities of various kinds of groups—from family to occupational groups.
Though inhabitants and citizens of a ‘modern’ society, many remain traditional
in their religious and moral outlook. For some, this means that religious
authority and principles override that of secular law.
Functions
of Religion can be summarized below:
1.
It helps man to deal with his fear of the supernatural powers. It helps
individuals to overcome pain, fear and anxiety.
2.
It is a means used by man to adjust to his belief in the existence of
supernatural powers.
3.
It gives people explanations regarding the road to salvation or release from
the cycle of births and rebirths.
4.
It is a potent and powerful means of controlling social behaviour. The fear of
punishment from supernatural powers for violating religious rule is an
effective means of controlling the behaviour of individuals within society.
Each religion has its own code regarding acceptable and unacceptable modes of
behaviour, which is binding on all the individuals who belong to, or follow a
particular religion.
5.
It provides emotional and psychological comfort by assuring people that there
is a meaning in life, and there is a purpose even in suffering. It is a great
source of comfort and solace in times of crises.
6.
It unites people and brings social solidarity.
7.
It provides answers to certain basic questions in life—what is the purpose of
life, why do people suffer, why do people die, what happens after death, and so
on.
8.
It provides guidelines regarding everyday life, societal behaviour, behaviour
towards others, and so on.
9.
It helps people to adapt to changing situations, environment and customs. It
helps individuals to adapt to all kinds of social change, including change in
marital status, death in the family, and change in family structure due to
death, divorce or separation.
10.
It provides individuals with a sense of identity.
11.
It is an effective means of preserving or conserving the values and morals of
life.
12.
All religions promote welfare of people, and inculcate a desire to help the
needy.
13.
It helps individuals to understand the reason for their existence, and makes
the world more understandable.
Adopted
from: www.yourarticlelibrary.com
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lyomkZYE_BgezHQGs3ceVwj6Zu6xbMP69b6-o9bLoZOubeY66zxBgOqPylIXNRHjeMELKxTsh8sk8ARoxGnSrvp7yFGF8gcb7LNyprpX5iFf4HRJkktIJM_0m4FFh6OaV0VF8kw7b1DF/s1600/icons8-twitter-30.png" )
