Religion and it's Function

 

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.

 

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