religions function in society Essay -- essays research papers

faith has many functions at bottom a society, both sociable and psychological. According to Ferraro (308) three untold(prenominal) favorable functions are social control, conflict resolution, and intensifying group solidarity. Religion seems to suspensor maintain a social order. It appears to do this by encouraging what a given society deems acceptable behavior and discouraging socially contrary behavior. Every religion, regardless of the form it takes, is an ethical system that prescribes proper behavior of behaving. (Ferraro 308) This social order of rewards and punishment is reinforced when backed by phantasmal authority. Thus ones neighbor may be exorcized from his or her community when a behavior is seen as socially unacceptable or inappropriate. Examples of this in the Jewish-Christian community would be the breaking of the Ten Commandments such as stealing, committing adultery, or murdering.Another social function of religion is to enable population to express their common identicalness in an emotionally charged environs ( Ferraro 308). Group solidarity is intensified for those who practice it. When members of a unearthly group place together to practice religious beliefs, they often bond by fighting(a) in other non-religious activities as well. (Ferraro 308) tribe find religion an lightsome way to identify with one another. Religion helps to form community, schools, and even government. People who are more religious tend to afford more mercenary attitudes on sexuality and personal honesty. They are also likely to hold more conservative attitudes about family life, being more likely, for instance, to support the utilisation of corporal Vaeth 2punishment in disciplining children. Strongly religious good deal also tend to be more accepting and satisfied with their lives and marriages. This is by chance because they do not question what is unknown. It is perhaps merely accepted upon faith. (Brinkerhoff, White, Ortega 295-305)Religion also plays the role of reducing stress and frustrations that often lead to social conflict. (Ferra... ...d in a variety of religions.Rituals are usually practiced inwardly a group of people, many times forming a community such as a church. Going to service every Sunday is a ritual. Meeting a group of friends every Friday night after reverse for a drink is a ritual. Rituals are spiritual and nonspiritual, religious and magical.The centre of attention elements of religion, belief, ritual, and myth bring people together just as much as they divide them into groups. Religion helps people find personal identity and fit into a community. Being divided into groups is not necessarily a bad thing. It is human nature. If mankind isnt divisive over religion, its over politics, if not politics, then something else. In my perspective, it is not religion that creates the social class its the people. According to Ferraro, (322) religion has played an important role in global social change thr ough liberation theology (whereby Catholic priests and nuns work for social reform and justice for the poor) and religious nationalism (whereby religious beliefs are merged with government institutions).