Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
Have you ever wondered how different religions influence society? In this impact of religion on society essay sample, youll find an answer to this and other questions about impact of religion on society. Keep reading to gain some inspiration for your paper!
Impact of Religion on Society: Essay Introduction
Let us start by saying that in the course of the development of human society, there were a lot of factors that influenced it and caused dramatic changes.
Among these factors, there is one that deserves special attention: religion. Points of view concerning religion are the most controversial that can be imagined, and religion is always at the center of heated arguments. Religion is a paradox because it is opposite to science, but still, it does not disappear with the development of science.
Impact of Religion on Society: Essay Main Body
First of all, the influence of religion on society should be studied on a large scale a historical scale. Since times immemorial, religion has occupied a considerable place in the human soul. It is characteristic for a human being to be scared by everything he does not understand, and that was the case with ancient people.
Religion was the source of information for them; they got the answers they needed from shamans and, as a result, from different religious ceremonies and interpretations of signs sent by gods. In this case, such a strong impact of religion may be explained by a lack of scientific knowledge.
If we move further by a historical scale, we should mention the impact of religion in medieval society, where it was predominantly negative. At that time, religion caused a number of serious problems that may even be called catastrophes: Crusades, which took the lives of hundreds of people, and the Inquisition, which murdered and deceived even more people, may be given as examples of the destructive influence of religion on society.
Moreover, it is commonly known that in medieval society, God stood in the center of the Universe, and the significance of man was enormously underestimated. Medieval people thought that a person was a mere toy in the hands of an omnipotent God.
Luckily, the situation changed with the development of knowledge, education, and science, and a man got his level of significance. However, even later, when the Dark Ages ended, religion was still very powerful in many countries. It may be proved by such a historical personality as Cardinal Richelieu, who managed to become the unofficial ruler of France (Levi).
Nowadays, in the contemporary world, there exist societies in which state and religion are separated from each other and those where they are united (Islamic countries). In the latter, the ties between state and religion may be illustrated by strict observance of the rules of the Koran, though it must be mentioned that some attempts to lessen its influence are being made.
In the USA, the First Amendment declares freedom of religion to be a fundamental civil right of all Americans (Neusner 316). So, it is up to people to decide what place should be occupied by religion in their life.
Religious people insist that religion helps to improve the relationship in the family, can help overcome poverty, and can help struggle against social problems like divorce, crimes, and drug addiction. Religion can strengthen a persons self-esteem and help to avoid depression. They say that if each person is an element of society, religion helps to organize the functioning of society successfully.
One more thing to be mentioned here is the contemporary decline of religion observed by sociologists nowadays. It is seen as part of secularization (Herbert 4). Secularization, in turn, is understood to be the result of modernization& as a worldwide process consisting of industrialization & urbanization, mass education, bureaucratization, and communications development (Herbert 4).
Still, the question of secularization is a very debatable one; many sociologists question its validity, proving that religion is not in decline everywhere (Herbert 4).
Impact of Religion on Society: Essay Conclusion
In conclusion, let us say that religion has always occupied an important place in society. The attitude towards religion is a very personal matter, and everyone may treat religion in the way that he/she finds the most appropriate; unless he/she takes actions that can harm other members of society.
Works Cited
Herbert, David. Religion and Civil Society: Rethinking Public Religion in the Contemporary World. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003.
Levi, Anthony. Cardinal Richelieu: And the Making of France. NY: Carroll & Graf, 2002.
Neusner, Jacob. World Religions in America: An Introduction. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.