Evaluate feminist views on the role and functions of religion in society today. Feminists see religion as an instrument of patriarchy which means that society is based around male domination; they believe that this is a set of beliefs and practices responsible for women’s subordination. However functionalists believe otherwise and argue
Assess the view that religion is a major source of instability and conflict in society today Religion has held an important role in society since the beginning of civilisation and it has such power over people’s minds and shape the way our world developed. Whilst some sociological theories such as
Marxism is the study of the struggle between the upper, lower and middle class. One ideology of Marxism: religion or "organized religion", is depicted in the novel "The Scarlet Letter". The novel takes place in a town governed by an unbelievably strict religious group called the Puritans. Religion plays a huge role in the people's role and class (upper, lower and middle) of that society; it is also meant as a means to keep the common people in check. During the Middle Ages religion was very important, many of the people were simple commoners and peasants who spent their life working, sleeping, or in church. Religion promised a better life, and a lot of peasants thought that if they worked hard and followed the rules of the religion that they would, in the end, go to a better place. This also meant that is was easy to somewhat "control" the masses. In the "Scarlet Letter" two main characters that are afflicted by this
Using Material from ItemA and elsewhere, assess the view that women are no longer oppressed by religion. Compared to men, women are more likely to express a greater interest in religion, to have stronger personal faith and belief in live after death, and have a stronger personal religious commitment. Also to
The social construction of religion should not be considered, in all, a bad idea. It does offer core values and represents in its simplest form – moral good, yet any man made thing can be corrupt. What led me to my position was where I
Althusser recognised that religion also plays a crucial role in communicating ruling class ideology to the masses. Relating back to Marx’s (1844) description of religion as ‘the opium of the people’. Acknowledging that the teachings of the church are imposed by the ruling class to allow for false consciousness as the church teaches the working-classes to comply with capitalism and provides measures to cope with hardship. Nonetheless, (Giddens, 1971. P: 7) claimed ‘the abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness’. However, ideology is necessary for social life. Regardless if a society has a class system the function of ideology allows for social cohesion (Rancière, 2011).
To understand the religion as a social control tool, it is necessary to understand the term socialization. Many sociologists have placed more focus on defining the term socialization. Ward (2011) defined the term socialization as the process through which an individual acquires the ways of a social group or a society so as he or she can fit in it. In his invitation to sociology, Koenig (2013) defined the term ‘socialization’ as the process through which acquires knowledge of how to become a member of the society. It is only through socializing that an individual is able to learn normative values, skills, beliefs, languages as well as other essential arrangements of action as well as thoughts significant for any given social life.
Marxist believe that religion acts inevitably as a conservative force because religion is an ideological state apparatus which spreads capitalist ideas, thus maintains the social hierarchy, and in doing so maintains harmony and consensus in society. This is reinforced by Marx who claims religion is the opium of the people hence religion dulls the pain of oppression for them. Marx claims that religion is still a conservative force as through the use of ideology it justifies the oppression of the proletariat e.g. in the hymn ‘rich man at his castle the poor man at his gate, god made them high and ordered their estate’. This suggests god created inequality; as a result
Generally, Marx’s position on religion is drawn up in an entirely negative manner. In his writings, he expresses his belief that religion is a set of doctrines intended to stabilize, while at the same time bring into servitude the working class people. In addition to that, he argues that the society’s inclination towards religious excitement serves to represent a reaction to disaffection. Also, Marx contends that, since religion causes human beings to feel delusive happiness it makes an erroneous mental representation in as well as of itself. Indeed to him, it is an instrument utilized to sustain cultural systems together with ideologies that in most cases encourages oppression in the society (Parsons 38-46).
Religion is a major foundation for many cultures. It is present all over the world in many different shapes and forms. But all religions have one thing in common, communality. Naturally, with rituals such as congregation people of religion are brought together. This community worships together, but this relationship extends further than the confines of a church. Members of the same church, or religion, have the same core values, and these commonalities result in a community that would not have otherwise existed. When there is a disregard for religion, there is a loss of community and thus a step
Christianity vs. Judaism At the point when Karl Marx composed, "Religion is the opium of the general population," doubtlessly he put forth this expression subsequent to understanding that individuals look to a higher Being from whom they can get request, comfort, and a purpose behind living, and in addition clarifications. The idea of the great beyond bears a despondent individual motivation to continue onward, Marx more likely than not suspected; this objective turned into an opium for them is his conclusion. Many people who take after a religion have confidence in a Supreme Being, there is a positive comfort for the hopeless in the possibility of some unceasing prize, however, it is generally not so extraordinary, to the point that it warrants being contrasted with opium.
Dr Nyhagen contends that positioning secularism and its values as the only position of legitimacy within the policy and political arena it has caused a democratic deficit with the silencing of progressive and conservative religious women within the public sphere. She deliberates that feminism has become conflated with secularism and
He recognized the threat that liberation theology posed against the Catholic Church and called on Catholics to reject it (Duncan 2018). Since the Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of papal infallibility, the Church expects its followers to believe and agree with his word. The masses are expected to submit to what the Pope says and resist the selfish urge to rebel for their own interests. Marx may argue that the Catholic church continues to sway the masses into believing the Pope’s ‘infallible’ words; hence, the people are becoming ‘opiated’ and do not feel the need to start a revolution in order to free themselves from oppression. Before the Catholic Church started becoming more liberal under the leadership of Pope Francis, it would stress that theologians who support liberation theology, such as Leonardo Boff, are being heretical by disagreeing with the Pope and are, therefore, straying from the ‘pure’ Catholic faith (Duncan 2018). When liberation theologians are seeking to bring about social justice to the poor, they are doing so through non-spiritual, Marxist means and not through the Catholic faith. Marx may conclude that the Catholic Church’s earlier rejection of liberation theology proves that religion continues to remain completely separate from Marxism and must be abolished because it inhibits the proletariat from carrying out a
Religion at the time of the Communist Manifesto Following the Industrial Revolution in 19th century Europe, change was in full swing and religion began to have different meanings for different people. The upper-class citizens used Religion, namely Christianity,
Aymeric Claude 11/17/10 Religion in a Global Context Genocide in Sudan Throughout history, religion has worked as a great unifier of diverse people. Its overarching messages have worked to bring together people of different backgrounds be it racial, political, or economic, giving masses a common goal. Much of the world’s charity work is on behalf of religions which instill values that provoke these selfless actions.