Essay on Why Is Religion Important - 1417 Words

In this essay we will discuss the importance of religion in society. We will attempt to explain why societies have religions and what functions their belief system has for them. We will also ask if these functions are now out-dated and if religions have any meaningful function in todays world or are they just stained glass windows into a bygone era? Religion can be defined by two main groupings. The inclusive definition covers all topics and subjects of a persons life including, not only, their belief in a deity but also their belief and belongingness to music, sport and any other interests the person may hold. The exclusive definition refers to just their belief system regarding a supra-human (Browne 2005, p. 311). It is mainly†¦show more content†¦The church was able to explain why such devastation had happened and gave the social masses an explanation to something they could not fathom. The church used this opportunity to gain the respect and belief of the Irish public (L arkin 1984). Religious identity can come in two forms, one from a nation of people all believing in the same values and another from the personal view of each individual or family within that nation. In a family or local community sense, it ties the smaller community together against its neighbouring ethnicities. It provides a feeling of togetherness and strength for the society. It is the basis for ethnic honour: the excellence of ones own customs and the inferiority of alien ones (Weber, cited in Bruce 1996, p. 96). Religious identity brings great pride and hope to the citizens of any particular society and lends itself towards social cohesion (Browne 2005). In a national sense, religious belief and identity can separate whole nations from one another, like in the case of Ireland and England, one of the defining differences is our belief in a different branch of Christianity. This can have disastrous effects on the world as a whole. Religion can be held accountable for the majorit y of warfare and bloodshed in the world today as nations attack each over their differing beliefs and ideals. Many nations will use religion and beliefs to try to justify the awful atrocities they commit on one another. In this sense, religionShow MoreRelated Why Is Religion Important?995 Words   |  4 PagesThis is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. -- Dalai Lama In a world where religions plays such a major role in people’s lives, it is not surprising why it is such a major focus in the way choices and decisions are made. There are many religions throughout the world. Some are faiths with a very concentrated following in specific geographic areas, while others span the entireRead MoreEssay on Why Is Religion Important?579 Words   |  3 Pagesopened for you. --Jesus Christ Whether you consider yourself a religious person or not, or whether you think religion has played a positive or negative role in history, it is an incontrovertible fact that from the beginning of time, humans have engaged in activities that we now call religion, such as worship, prayer, and rituals marking important life passages. Moreover, religions have always asked fundamental questions, such as: What is the true meaning of life? What happens to us after deathRead MoreEssay on Why Religion Is Important1017 Words   |  5 Pagesespecially in small-scale societies. An exploration of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or any other major religion is beyond the scope of this essay. The approach taken is that of cultural relativity--religious practices or beliefs are not evaluated in terms of their correctness or sophistication but, rather, in terms of their function within the societies that have them. What is Religion? A religion is a system of beliefs usually involving the worship of supernatural forces or beings. ReligiousRead MoreWhy Is Personal Meaning So Important For Individuals? How Can Religion Help One Find A Sense Of Meaning850 Words   |  4 Pages1. Why is personal meaning so important to individuals? How can Religion help one find a sense of meaning? Personal meaning is very important because it gives the individual the choice to explore what gives meaning to them. What gives meaning and fulfillment to one individual not necessarily does the same for a different individual. For instance, many find the meaning of life through their religion while atheist find fulfillment in other things different than religion. For many, religion continuesRead MoreWhy Is Personal Meaning So Important For Individuals? How Can Religion Help One Find A Sense Of Meaning853 Words   |  4 Pages1 Why is personal meaning so important to individuals? How can Religion help one find a sense of meaning? Personal meaning is so important to individuals because it is what makes them unique as a person. Everyone has their own meaning when it comes to religion, personal life and personal success and achievements. People find their own meaning is different aspects throughout their lifetime. For many people, religion continues to well serve as a provider of meaning. There are four criteria in whichRead MoreDifferentiating Between Faith and Religion Essay1201 Words   |  5 Pagesand why is it important? People believe faith is worth more to people then religion. The person may have the benefits of loving god and excepting him into that persons life without all the so called â€Å"work†. Many people believe that in order to accept God into the life of that person will need to have religion. But is that all wrong? People would rather use faith because they do not want to be apart of a religion. The mentality that people have is that all religions are the same this is why faithRead MoreReligion, Religion And Religion1418 Words   |  6 Pages When discussing religion, many people have different perspectives about religion beliefs and how to approach it. Religion is grouped in different sections such as, religion and spirituality, religion and philosophy, and religion and politics. Religion has many different views from different cultures because everyone approaches it differently with different beliefs also. To make something religion, is to have some type of belief in God, but everyone’s belief is different depending on the cultureRead MoreReligious Accommodation For Public Schools Essay955 Words   |  4 PagesReligion Debate Papers â€Å"Freedom of religion includes both the right to manifest beliefs and practices and the right to be free from state coercion or constraint in matters of religion ().† One of the most controversial places in which freedom of religion manifests itself is the public school. In order to protect freedom of religion, it is important to make sense of how a school must treat religion so the school does not compromise its role within society. This paper will establish current rulingsRead MoreReligion Toolkit Response By John Morreall And Tamara Sonn1616 Words   |  7 PagesReligion Toolkit Response p. 1-14 The introduction to The Religion Toolkit: A Complete Guide to Religious Studies by John Morreall and Tamara Sonn establishes the basic purposes behind studying religion. It tries to show its readers that religion may be a much broader and undefined topic than they might be expecting. The Religion Toolkit discusses how the academic study of religion differs from the normative study of religion, how religion is not clearly described, and how Religious Studies comparesRead MoreA Study Of Ethics And Morality Essay1474 Words   |  6 Pagesthis paper is to examine and clarify why, as humans, we should be concerned with the sexual morality of ourselves and others. While other major themes covered prior may not relate to all humans directly (such as abortion or the debate of taking a life), moral issues in sexuality are experienced by every member of humanity. In certain societies, the sexual behavior of a person is intensely dependent on the policies and rules of their religion. Even tho ugh religion serves as the mighty tradition holder