Role of Religion in Society Sociology Essay

Role of spiritual belief in Society Sociology Essay practicableism is the most widely- utilize speculation in modern sociology. In general, in operation(p)ism uses a systematical approach to any disposed(p) object, asserting that distributively(prenominal) element of this object fulfills a necessary role, which is spanking either to keep the balance of the system or for its survival. Any channelize in the state of any of the elements deviates the whole system. Functionalism focuses on edict as a unity of case-by-cases and the commission they, as part of this whole, argon bear upon by various mixer institutions. It explores devotion at the macro-level, analyzing the effect its practices and symbols break on diametrical aspects of society as a whole as advantageously as the harmony mingled with its elements and/or its endurance. consort to the functional approach, religion can fulfill different tasks, for example, establish unity, explain and stick in various no rms to society, teach the great unwashed to deal with probable unpredictable outcomes of veritable reddents it aims at simplifying the judgements or events that ar difficult to understand. Extreme modern functionalists even argue that religion is vital for the survival of the humane race and that it is the plainly means to enable the transition from selfishness to altruism.Another outstanding theorist of functionalism, Bronislaw Malinowski, in like manner examined niggling groups to define the complaisant role of religion (Sociology of righteousness, 2003). His studies led him to a conclusion that religion had a calming effect on the people, particularly in stressful environment. This result was based on the fact that religion had penetrated into fundamental but extremely tense for humans events, such as marriage or burial, for example. For Malinowski, wipeout had a special significance as it meant that society lost angiotensin converting enzyme of its members. Neverthe less, he found religion real useful in this instance, as it proposed consolation in the form of sustenance after death. By conducting a funeral, religion eased pain and stress, preventing contingent social outbursts. Among others, Malinowski studied some tribes from the Trobriand Islands, who had a special ceremony performed in the world-class place going fishing, which was their only occupation. This ritual helped them overcome fear about what business leader happen (as the sea was an unpredictable environment), and besides built solidarity. The researcher came to a conclusion that religion helped people face the unknown next.In general, functionalism sees religion as a positive element of society, as it unites people, helps maintain social balance and prevents disorder. Functionalists accept that it is classical as religious institutions fulfill functions that society needs for survival, creating individual models of behavior that are beneficial for the social balance. R eligion is as well viewed as a reconciling measure betwixt an individual as an element of society and society as a whole. Functional approach allows individuals to have different levels of religious involvement. Contemporary functionalists, like J. Milton Yinger, also note that in modern society religion has expanded its influence from the church surroundings to everyday smell, which means that activities previously unrelated to religion suddenly become associated with it in the peoples minds (Blasi, n.d.). Religion helps individuals to define their role in society, giving them the feeling of safety and familiarity with other individuals in a authoritative group.Machiavelli and Hobbes were the first scientists who introduced the concept of contrast into sociological theories. They applied the term of misanthropic realism to the description of society motifs of individual behavior were based all on self-interest. Each society has a indisputable ideology, represented in a syst em of beliefs (religion), which is often utilize according to the interests of the parties involved. But the nitty-gritty of contest system lies in the ideas of Karl Marx (McClelland, 2000). According to Marx, the driving furiousness of social existence is labor, which provides people with means to satisfy their basic needs (e.g. food, shelter). The panache this labor is organized from a social point of view determines the immanent social characteristics, making those who carry out the production the constructors of society. Marx believed that economy was the hindquarters for creating different social institutions that determined the form of social consciousness of each individual.In order to define the role of religion as it is seen in conflict theory, we need to understand Marxs view on society. He see capitalism as the dominant structure of contemporary economical interactions, in which capital belonged to a small group of individuals, who employed workers. The latter use d capital to produce different goods, but in order for that small group of individuals to receive profit, the workers were paid less than they actually had produced. So in that respect was a conflict those two classes needed each other, as they provided each other with what the other one did not have, but their interests had different vectors. In order to keep the workers (who outnumbered the bourgeois class) under control, different measures were taken politics, practice of law institution, religion. Conflict theory sees religion as a shit used to prevent the majority from acting on their own, to make them accept the launch management of spiritedness in society. Marx believed that eventually the workers would take over ( through growing consciousness), and a new model of economic relations socialism would be complete.Max weber is considered to be a uniting link between conflict theory and the interactionism. The scientist continued developing Marxs views, and added new le vels of conflict to his theory. Weber believed that there were more than conflicts than just one-kind-of-property conflict, thus acknowledging that there were more resources to guard for and that society was a multiple-class structure, with each class playing a particular(prenominal) role in material economic interactions. Unlike Marx, Weber move the focus of conflict to the control of means of violence that served to suppress the opposition. What is more important for us, Weber had clearly showed what role religion played in society. He saw religion as a way to emotionally unite people, and that function of religion was exploited by the state. Religion helped different groups acquire certain statuses or develop into certain communities (based on ethnicity, for example). phantasmal ceremonies built strong feelings of solidarity within the group, created emotional unity and bonds through natural covering of symbols, techniques and various material aids. According to Weber, rel igion was not above the conflict or means of resolving it, it was another weapon. If some power integrate itself into religious beliefs of people, it occupied the dominant position in society. Religion office also be used as a means of decision allies against a common enemy. It could be implemented to create a certain social hierocracy. Through this concept, Weber showed that religion was a usance tool, creating background for stratification of society (e.g. stratification in relations and established positions of religious leaders, member of the group and non-followers). In conflict theory, any conflict lies in the desire of one group to dominate the other or others, which can be most effectively achieved through violent constraint. whizz conflict arises when those who have the authority to coerce provide some groups with certain privileges and strip other groups of them. According to conflict theory, every individual acts in his own interests, having the ability to influence s elf-perception of others, which creates another conflict different people having different resources available to them create the reality of others, which they use to their advantage. At a somebodyal level, each individuals self-consciousness is substantial based on the way this individual comprehends the reality that is through interpersonal communication which brings us to the theory of interactionism.Interactionism (short for exemplary interactionism) is another major theory in sociology, the most latterly developed among the ones presented in this work. Some of its ideas were taken from Marx, Weber and further developed by George H. Mead and Herbert Blumer with the contribution of Charles Horton Cooley (McClelland, 2000). This theory concentrates on the subjective side of human behavior and social development. It focuses on individuals rather than society. According to interactionism, each person plays a certain role, being able to change his behavior if the behavior of oth ers changes, too. This is because individuals are able to understand and read into the actions of others, which are perceived as symbols. Moreover, each individual perceives himself and his own actions as symbols as well. Interacting with one another, individuals are constantly in the process of go throughing the symbols that they exchange as well as the world around them. Interactionism recognizes individuals as active participants of social life and constructors of society. Its focus is on the individual interactions, diminishing the importance of established norms (like in functionalism and conflict theory). According to interactionism, the changeable nature of negotiation process between the societys members forms the constantly changing social reality, which nevertheless stays in the piece of the stable set of rules regulating these interactions. It pays special attention to the roles that individuals play in social relations, believing that they can be either pre-defined or not. It is important to understand that individuals not just react, but evaluate the gist of counteraction, and thus decide on their reation.According to interactionism, religion is a certain ideology (a system of symbols) that helps people understand and relate to things that are above understanding, and in a certain way to track their lives in the wake of this ideology. Religion creates an outline of appropriate behavior and incorporates it into peoples minds. Participation in religious ceremonies is a way to confirm the correctness of ones course and to reinforce ones beliefs, but also a means of imposing certain symbols. Interactionism recognizes religion as a very powerful social institution, because if it succeeds in establishing itself as a symbolic system of some individual, it becomes the only right way for this individual to interpret the world around him. Religious ceremonies are seen by this theory as very important for confirming peoples system of beliefs and reinforc ing certain interpretation of the world. In general, interactionism is a very subjective sociological approach.ConclusionsThe three theories represented in this research paper see religion not as an all-important(a) truth but rather an illusion of the truth, as it is immensely influenced by different variables. Functionalists see religion as a uniting force bringing societys members together through the feeling of solidarity. They assert that religious symbols are the representation of the values of people and give special meaning to the religious ceremonies and rituals, as they encourage stronger unity in social groups. Functionalism identifies religion as a positive element of the social system since it introduces another unearthly reality to people helping them forget the stress of everyday life. According to functionalism, religion is beneficial for health and is also an important condition for future survival of society. Conflict theory in a figurative meaning sees religion as a drug for certain social groups. It is one of the ways for the oppressed to feel united, though it is a cruel tool in the hands of the ruling class. They use it to enforce the difficult way of life, make the working class believe that it is their fate and there cannot be another. Religion refers only to the future, promising reward or better life in the distant future or even after death (in afterlife). For conflict theory, religion is at a stage of change, blocking the idea that the current way of life benefits only a few spot the majority of society suffers from injustice. It is interesting to mention that both Durkheim and Marx predicted that religion allow vanish from the social life being useless. Symbolic interactionism concentrates on the individuals and their interactions through which the way the society functions and the roles of its institutions are defined. This theory sees society as a constantly changeable symbolic organism. Importance of religion is in the first p lace defined by the meaning of religion for each kick downstairs individual. Being part of religion is a continuous and regular compare and confirmation of ones system of beliefs. The research shows that the role of religion can be explained from different points of view, and there is no right or wrong explanation.