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Influences of religion on culture and society
Influences of religion on culture and society
Religion in society
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The Power of One's Religious Drive Religion is not just a collaboration of spiritual ideas and writings from ancient books. Religion has become more than just that within our modern society. Some have went as far as to say that religion is the ultimate drive; that guides our human emotions, our actions, and even to some our very own existence. Though religion can be considered a broad topic, there are rooted ideas and concepts that almost all spiritual beliefs entail. Any person with some religious drive will ultimately face their own inner resistance at one point or another, and will be forced to overcome the profane world in which they live to understand the more spiritual and sacred life they choose to lead. These revelations within ones spiritual journey allow personal transformations to occur; resulting in greater religious understandings within their own lives. What must first be understood is that the impact that religion has on each individuals life is astonishingly different. Michael Novak called this religious drive a sort of "voyage"; a part of every person's life. Despite the fact that each person is impacted in one way or another through religion; Novak believed that religion was not an "addition" to human qualities, but rather a unifying idea of all of human nature. The idea that religion is everywhere and affecting everyone allows an individual to understand what they (personally) expect from their own religious drives. Of course there are a few questions that arise in the thoughts of almost everyone; Who am I? What am I doing with my life? Are my actions right or wrong? These questions have no concrete answers or definitions; in fact most people live an entire life without being able to answer a single one. But the fact that people do find answers to these questions can bring true hope to the rest of the world. For those people that do find comfort through all the struggles of a religious drive; these people act as symbols of spirituality. As Novak stated, religion is a unifying idea; and if one person can find true faith and real protection from religious drives then it is possible for anyone to fulfill and understand the requirements of a spiritual path. Interestingly enough, almost all literary reference to a religious drive embraces the idea of finding the sacred within a profane world.
Religion used to be the separation of the sacred from the profane. The sacred refers to that which is set apart from society, and mundane life. The profane, on the other hand, is everything else, all those mundane things like jobs, bills, and chores. Through religion, the practice of maintaining the distance between the two realms of the sacred and profane world is in tact. By attending church,
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
Several of Kurt Vonnegut’s novels include philosophies and/or “religions” of Vonnegut’s own invention. Take, for instance, the “latter-day Jonah” character of Malachi Constant, who serves as a Messiah for an invented religion in The Sirens of Titan (Freese 148). Also worth mentioning is the fabricated religion that exists on the poverty-stricken island of San Lorenzo, outlined in Vonnegut’s fourth novel, Cat’s Cradle (150). Although Vonnegut demonstrates similar tendencies in many other novels, one novel’s philosophy stands out in particular: Slaughterhouse-Five. Unanimously considered to be Vonnegut’s grand opus, Slaughterhouse-Five contains a philosophy that combines and fictionalizes aspects of Vonnegut’s own life—including his war experiences and spiritual beliefs—and loosely connects the two in a manner that resembles a cause-and-effect pattern.
...derneath. Relgious beliefs plays a very important in the creation and moulding of one's character and personality. One's destiny and fate can be determined with one's current living habits and ways, however with determination and hard workd, a hard life can be changed. Caring for the young physically can also represent the love transfer emotionally for the innocent. Sometimes desire and dedication can't change one to something they aren't meant to be, to something they aren't for there are many natural obstacles that exsist for a reason. These concepts play a valuable role not only in one's adventure in self-discovery, but also a trip around to discover and to live life. No matter what conditions and obstacles one face, one should always believe in themself for with hard work and determination, one should be and would be rewarded with valuables beyond this universe.
In everyday society, we are faced with diverse issues that force us to make a decision. Whether or not our decisions are right or wrong. In the movie “Dead Man Walking”, directed by Tim Robbins, he exemplifies the following actions throughout the film. Faith and doubt is a recurring theme in the course of the film. Where we see Christians, in essence, questioning their faith. We also notice a contradiction between the Christian bible and the Hebrew bible or as most people have come to know it as the Old and the New Testament. Conflicting themes have been argued about the Old and New Testament throughout the centuries. Also, humility is a key aspect to the film. The director discreetly implies it at the end of the film so we can make a connection with the main characters. In Tim Robbins “Dead Man Walking” he entails religious ideals to allow the viewer to recognize both sides of evil.
The human condition: seeking answers without truly understanding them. At a certain point in a person’s life, one faces an existential crisis that leads one to question much of what was blindly believed to be true including religion. The purpose of religion is a question that always emerges from this period of self-reflection. During her own crisis, Karen Armstrong questioned the notion of religion and voiced her findings in the book, The Case for God. In the chapter, “Homo Religiosus”, she addresses the purpose of religion. She states that humans “created religions and works of art to help them find value in their lives, despite all the dispiriting evidence to the contrary.”(38) Armstrong then continues to give the reader her perspective on religion.
Religion cannot be lived in textbooks, it is about the personal consciousness of those that believe and “their own account of their religion and its relevance in contemporary life” (Fisher, 1996). It is performed, experienced by the individuals living within society and communities. For some it is a sense of hope, to connect with a supreme power, to end the cycle of birth and death, find inner peace and/or a way of life. Traditional understanding of religion through textbooks, television, and internet does provide one with understanding about the religion doctrine and what they believe in. The majority of people will know what religion is when seeing it, for example, a Buddhist Monk sitting cross-legged in meditation. However, it is important to study religion off campus in order to grasp an explanation and a clear understanding of how beliefs change personal lives, how individuals tackle certain situations due to belief for example, Buddhist Monk sitting cross-legged in meditation, but w...
Over several centuries, the concept of religion has been incorporated into various forms of human creation, including architecture, art, music, and literature. Literature is one of the most impactful of all art forms because literature establishes a connection between people of different time periods through a recording of beliefs, values, thoughts, and experiences. These recordings allow future readers to have a broader understanding of the circumstances and principle codes of behavior surrounding the religion of the people of the past. Many works of Old English Literature demonstrate the concept of religion in British culture and society of the time; however, two of the more prominent examples are in the Anglo-Saxon poems “The Dream of the Rood” and “The Wanderer”.
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.
For many people, religion is a very touchy subject. For most, it is a personal decision; people choose a faith that aligns with their beliefs, ideas, and faiths. Although people would like to think that religion is a personal decision, and they can adapt it to how they feel and what they believe, in practice, that is not the case. Religion represents a commitment to a set of principles that are not moldable, adaptable, or flexible. Religion, although it may be a personal belief, is extremely defined, with little to no room for flexibility.
Studies show that religion can have many positive impacts on some one’s life. Religion gives people things such as a meaning, a purpose, and hope (Raman). New religious movements help to brighten people’s lives that still want the positive benefit of religion, but cannot find themselves believing older religions. It also helps to bring communities together, and creates support groups that help the needy. New religions provide an escape for people who feel the need to belong to something in their life. By practicing the religion, and following its rituals, one can help them find calmness and stability
" 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)."
Religion supposedly gives a person an identity and relationship. Religion deals with answers to identity-forming questions such as
Religion is the one element of life that has connected the races and societies of the world for hundreds of years. It has given meaning to lives that may seem otherwise hopeless. Religion has provided for a universal language and culture among those who believe in a higher power. The spirit or being receiving the worship and praise may not be the same, but the practices are usually similar and serve the same purpose--to give direction, insight, courage, and a divine connection.
Religion is commonly defined as a group of beliefs concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions and rituals associated with such beliefs (Wikipedia, 2006). Most of the major religions have evolved over the centuries into what they are today. In many cultures and times, religion has been the basic foundation of life, permeating all aspects of human existence (Fisher, 2002). Religion is passed on from generation to generation. My religious beliefs were passed on from my relatives on my mother's side. My family has believed in the Catholic faith for many generations. Since I grew up in the Catholic faith I went to Catholic schools my entire childhood. My personal experiences and the Catholic faith made me into the person I am today. Without a religious upbringing I feel that there would have been something missing in my life.