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Religion and identity
Impact of secularization in religion
Sociological perspective of religion
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With a multiplicity of variances among the myriad forms of it which exist and have existed in the past, religion is a difficult topic on which people can come to any mutual agreements, especially regarding its purpose in the lives of human beings. Taking a sociological viewpoint of this phenomenon, Berger defines religion as the human endeavor, stimulated by man's unique biological constitution, by which a sacred cosmos is created for the purpose of establishing a sense of order and meaning within man's life and to protect him against the horrors of nothingness and chaos.
Non-human animals enter worlds which are mapped out for them, with limited choices available and secure guidelines by which they must live. Man, however, has an “underspecialized and undirected” instinctual nature (5), so he must create his own world. This world-building, creating society, occurs in three steps. First, man pours out meaning into the environment which surrounds him and creates culture, a process known as externalization (5-6). The society and all of its parts that he creates, material and non-material, becomes “objectivated human activity” (11), in that its status as existing apart from the humans who created it changes it into objective reality that men collectively regard as fact. In the final step of world-building, through the process of socialization, man is not only taught the objectivated meanings of his society but “internalizes” them so that they shape his very consciousness (15). This socially constructed world is “above all, an ordering of experience...a nomos” (19). By externalizing meaning upon an otherwise meaningless environment, transforming those meanings into objective realities, and internalizing them within consciousness, ...
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...within the private sphere.
The above argument aims to emphasize that religion is a powerful human construction which, in its use of the sacred as validating the world man creates, has the power to detach itself from its human origins and take on a reality all its own. Since man comes into the world with limited instincts and an overwhelming variety of choices to make, religion helps him to construct and maintain a world that gives him a sense of grounding, allowing everything he does to feel more ordered and meaningful than it otherwise would. So thoroughly comprehensive is religion that, even when secularizing forces remove religious legitimations from the overall social world, religion still maintains ordering, meaningful positions inside the private lives of people all over the world, remaining a sacred canopy under which human beings can feel safe and secure.
Throughout this essay I will demonstrate how religion has played a role in the lives of humans as well as explicate the reasoning behind the true nature of the creation of religion by a psychopath.
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.
Erich Fromm in his psychoanalytical approach to religion is distinct from the earlier works of Sigmund Freud. Fromm defines religion as “any system of thought and action shared by a group which gives the individual a frame of orientation and an object of devotion.” Fromm argues that irreligious systems including all the different kinds of idealism and “private” religions deserve being defined as a “religion.” Based on Fromm’s theory, it is explained that there is no human being who does not have a “religious need,” almost every part of human life reflects religious need and its fulfillment, in fact he states it to be “inherent” in man.
Throughout time, the definition of what is considered to be “religion” has been proven to be quite a challenge. This is primarily due to the fact that religions continuously evolve over time as well as an individual’s perception and understanding about what religion seems to be. Despite this ongoing process of modifications when attempting to characterize and define religion, what is certainly constant is the fact that religion plays a great role in influencing societies and individuals historically (McGuire 5). In order for an individual to well integrate oneself into society and build a daily life, religious practices is essential to this process. By analyzing the effects of religion and religious practices on communities and individuals, it will become apparent that religious practices are quite more important than religion itself and its institutions when it comes to helping one adjust into society and life.
Berger, Peter L. The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion. New York: Anchor, 1967. Print.
Religion is considered as a pervasive force in this world. It shapes people as to how they behave and interact with almost everything present in the society. Influencing behavior, character formations, ideals, policies, standards are just among the dimensions and societal perspectives affected and impacted by religion. Because of these applications and implications in human lives and existence, religion should be understood deeply, particularly, on how it affects the world. Looking at the American perspective of the term "religion," it could be simply
Religion can be described as a social institution built up around the idea of a supernatural being or beings, and the relation of human beings to them. In addition, religion provides individuals a belief to which they understand their existence as well network of emotional support during times of distress. Moreover, religious institutions provide individuals a proper perspective of life and establish values. Religion involves three major aspects: A conception of the nature and character of divinity (2) A set of principles concerning the duties and obligations between divinity and humanity. (3) A set of behavior patterns designed to conform to God’s will (Thorman, 154). The theme of panopticisim is to assert and maintain power by being unseen. In Christianity, God, unable to be to seen, is a supernatural being with infinite power. In addition, the Holy Bible reaffirms this power and establishes accordance among civilians. The social institution of religion is a form of a panoptic system where individuals are compelled to act accordingly.
There are religions everywhere regardless of where a person goes in this world. A person could experience many different religions if they were to travel the world; however, many religions can be practiced within one country, especially within the United States. The diversity of religion is very common in many countries and usually all religions are pretty accepting of others. Christianity is one of the most widespread religions that are practiced throughout the world, especially in the United States; although, Christianity was started in another country. This particular religion may be widely practiced but some may still not quite understand what Christianity actually is. By going through the central themes, this religion can be understood a little bit better by many.
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.
...be taken to the extent of life or death due to the importance religion has in one’s life. The use of secrets to protect harmful truths or opposing powers that create harm the prestige of a religion is also a common action that is believed to be necessary to keep balance within a community. The constant influential attributes that religion possess can dictate the actions that somebody with perform. It is viewed solely as a positive system that creates peace between beings, however religion obtains negative factors that also negatively influence believers. People tend to turn to religion as the answer for the unknown as well as allowing it to dictate the majority of aspects in a human’s life. This prevents people from deciding their own unique path in life and disabling them from further educating themselves about available answers to questions they are unaware of.
Religion is an ever-growing idea that has no set date of origin. Throughout history religion has served as an answer to the questions that man could not resolve. The word religion is derived from the Latin word “religio” meaning restraint in collaboration with the Greek word “relegere” which means to repeat or to read again. Religion is currently defined as an organized system of beliefs and practices revolving around, or leading to, a transcendent spiritual experience. Throughout time, there has yet to be a culture that lacks a religion of some form, whether it is a branch of paganism, a mythological based religion or mono/polytheistic religion. Many religions have been forgotten due to the fact that they were ethnic religions and globalizing religions were fighting to be recognized, annihilating these ancient and ethnic religions. Some of these faiths include: Finnish Paganism, Atenism, Minoan Religion, Mithraism, Manichaeism, Vedism, Zoroastrianism, Asatru, and the Olmec Religion. Religion is an imperative part of our contemporary world but mod...
Religion is an organized collection of beliefs and cultural systems that entail the worship of a supernatural and metaphysical being. “Religion just like other belief systems, when held onto so much, can stop one from making significant progress in life”. Together with religion come traditions that provide the people with ways to tackle life’s complexities. A subscription to the school of thought of great scholars
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.
Religion has the power to bind one to others as well as the aptitude to alienate people with conflicting beliefs. Throughout history, cultures have created several different belief systems, each with its own ideals, to satisfy the typical human curiosity and explain the unclarified events that occur in nature. Inspecting the role of religion from the earliest civilizations to the present, its tendency to divide rather than unify groups becomes apparent.
" 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)."