Religion
Religion has been part
of human life for millennia. Most religions have symbols narratives and sacred
histories aiming to explain life and its meaning. From people’s beliefs regarding human nature
and cosmos, it is possible to derive a preferred lifestyle, religious laws,
ethics, and morality. Consequently, the relevance of religion to the world
cannot be understated.
Today, religion is a significant and
pervasive cultural phenomenon. That is why scholars studying human nature and
culture seek to explain the nature of religion and religious beliefs and
reasons for religion’s existence in the first place (Lynn et al. 691). There
are multiple theories offering vital insights on religion’s nature and probable
reasons why it has endured through human history.
Religion is Magic and Systemized animism
Religion is a belief in spirituality, hence a
systemized animism. It exists to assist people to make sense of occurrences
otherwise incomprehensible if humans rely on hidden and unseen forces. However,
this point of view is inadequate to address religious social aspect. It is a
purely intellectual move to depict both religion and animism.
Religion as Mass Neurosis
Religion is a mass neurosis because its
existence is as a response to human weaknesses and deep emotional conflicts. It
is a by-product of a psychological distress that should eliminate religious
illusions through alleviation of the distress itself. Most scholars view this
approach as laudable as it helps people realize that actually, there is a
possibility of hidden psychological motives behind religious beliefs and
religion, even though the analogy is based on a weak argument (Bender et al.
268).
Religion exists as an Awry Anthromorphization
Systematic anthropomorphism refers to human
characteristics to non-human events and incomprehensible objects. Human beings
interpret ambiguous information to as anything that matters most to their
survival. For instance, if a person is in the woods and views a dark object
that can be a bear or a black rock, he/she will most likely believe it to be a
bear. In this case, a mistaken guess leads to a little loss. On the other hand,
if the guess is right, the individual will survive. Therefore, the conceptual
strategy explains the phenomenon that religious believers ‘see’ gods and
spirits at work in their surroundings.
Religion as a Culture
Culture is a system of actions and symbols
conveying meaning. Religion qualifies as an important component of cultural
meanings as it carries symbols that establish powerful feelings and moods.
Religion offers an explanation to human existence because it gives it an
ultimate meaning. It also purports to connect believers to an additional
reality than they see on a daily basis (Cojocaru et al. 83). Thus, it is
arguable that religious sphere has a special status beyond an above regular
life.
Relevance of Religion in the Modern Times
Humans are religious by
nature. They will always seek a higher purpose outside them as individuals.
Religion gives people a sense of participation in a vast and consequential
undertaking. In fact, the feeling usually flows into civic interactions.
Observance of religion is linkable to higher civic involvement because it is
connected to trust and is correlated to volunteerism, charitable giving and
altruism. Therefore, it helps build the community (Casanova 82).
The search for transcendence and
religion are integral to human experiences. It helps people to make sense of
mysteries in life and answers deeply-settled philosophical challenged. Most
sociologists agree that human faith in religion renders the basic existential
facts regarding human life tolerable and intelligible, for instance, death and
suffering. In addition, modern secularism and religion have mutual benefits.
The encounter between these two is a productive tension providing learning
opportunities and not contradictions to avert. Much of human experience is
explainable, but an absence of faith prompts lack of life meaning.
History has proved that
religion is irreplaceable. Most religious skeptics often misread and
underestimate the religious impulse existing in the human spirit. If forms a
larger part of who people are, hence won't easily go away. Though culture bids
for power in ousting religion, it hardly gains any significant advance.
Religion is a powerful
source of orientation towards morality and ethical reflection. Its roots are
anchored firmly in the societal values that unsettling them would result in
chaos and instability. Modern aspirations towards humanitarian aid and human
rights, for instance, harbor lengthy religious pedigrees.
Approaches to Religion
Marx’s Dialectics
Weber’s Rationalization Theory
Sacred Canopy Religious Approach
In the theory of sacred
canopy, Burger believes that religion is a social
product providing humans with encompassing structures of practice and meaning.
He advanced his famously discredited secularization thesis which he predicts
religious demise in the modern world as theodicies are increasingly debunked.
‘Religion as Society’ Approach
Research Methods
The 19th Century’s growth of
psychology as a discipline stimulated an analytic approach to religious
research. Religion is complex and has
different aspects and dimensions. To verify the truth of the research
approaches as observed, religious institutions like churches and human behavior
should serve as study bases.
Literary and Historical Studies
Knowledge of religious culture can be
gathered from past civilizations. There are numerous well-preserved sacred
texts or coded information that document religious views of past civilizations
including Romans, Egyptians, and Buddhists.
A literary review of sacred texts can also shed light on the
observations.
Archaeological Studies
Excavations on old religious sites enlighten
modern knowledge the ancient Middle Eastern and Greco-Roman cultures and
religious beliefs. The fossils are usable in verification of observations and
claims tabled by notable religious scholars. Famous Les Trois
Freres
Works Cited
Bender, Courtney , et al., eds. Religion on the Edge: De-centering
and Re-centering the Sociology of Religion. Oxford :
Oxford University
Casanova, José. Public Religions in the Modern
World. Chicago University of Chicago
Cojocaru, Daniela , Antonio
Sandu , and Stefan Cojocaru Romania
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