Religion is one of the pillars of society. It can be used to rule the common with fair and just practice or it can be used for a rulers own self-improvement and greed. Many times over the course of world history religion is misconstrued and leads individuals to believe self-interrupted version of its holy text. Two of the most prominent religions in world history Islam and Christianity were used to empower those in high authority. This point is made clear with the documents discussed, and show readers that religion is nothing more than tool for the intellect to take advantage of the common masses of society.…
This abstract reading written by Robert N. Bellah, introduces the idea of a “Civil Religion” and argues that, apart from the normal religious traditions our nation follows, there is an unrecognized “Civil Religion” that becomes evident during national crisis or during high public ceremony. According to Bellah, “there actually exists alongside of and rather clearly differentiated from the churches an elaborate and well-institutionalized civil religion in America.” Bellah points out many different examples to prove his point of how “Civil Religion” has been expressed throughout history. First Bellah points out that every president since Washington has mentioned God in his inaugural speech. Next he points out that the presidents did not refer to any religion in particular. They did not refer to Jesus Christ, or to Moses, or to the Christian church. Last a significant point that Bellah makes refers to the Civil war and “Civil Religion”.…
Religion in much of the world is not in a state of general decline or public evisceration. In contrast, religion is being reshaped, challenged, and in some senses threatened by the processes of emerging late modernity (Brent Plate, 2002). Nation-states, for example, find their sovereignty is being challenged both from below and above, by pervasive alienation from the political process, new courtship rituals, scientific advances…
An individual who belongs to No Religion focuses on the idea of separated the religion from the country system, rules and laws because each person has the freedom of choosing what religion wants belong to rather than follow and obligate to what their ancestors’ tradition and religious group, in order Christianity has been declined (96%- 61%). Moreover, the current religious landscape had passed through several changes over the years and these current…
2. Jacob Neusner, author of “World Religions in America,” strives to break down and emphasize the importance of religion in the United State. Neusner explains the importance in variety of religions. Furthermore, the author attempts to clarify that we all are the sum for a greater cause, which is built by the life encounters and interactions we have with people, situations, and the environment.…
According to the linguistic roots of the term religion re-, means “again” and lig-, means “join” or “connect”. The word religion proposes the joining of the human world to the sacred world (Molloy, 2010). In my personal point of view religion is very important because it allows us to believe that there is a God who loves us and wants us to be happy. There are different types of religions and none of them are wrong if they lead people to a life of love, joy, compassion, and service. The question of why religions exist is evidently because it serves as human needs (Molloy, 2010). One of the first needs of humans is having a meaning when it comes to dealing with our mortality. It is very common that as individuals we try to look for a purpose of why different situations happen in life especially when we have no control over them. The religion we belong to can give us comfort to some level in our life. There are some elements known to involve a religion regardless of which one it is which will be discussed in this paper. Also this paper will mention the relationships with the divine, sacred time, sacred space or the natural world, and the relationship with each other.…
Religion is one of the complex issues in the world. The aspects of religion diversity elaborate on how the society is diverse, which should be embraced. One of the debatable issues in the world today is whether religion causes war in the world. Other belief that religion is important in society and does not cause war. On the other hand, there are people who believe that religion causes war. Religion entails a collection of world views on humanity, beliefs, and cultural systems that focus on the order of existence. In the general perspective, religion has some aspects that cause war in society.…
Religion has and always will be one of the major forces that drives and has constantly shaped our world. Throughout the centuries wars have been fought, laws have been created, countries and towns have been built and demolished all to protect or to make known a religion. In this paper I will examine the characteristics of the three major Western religions of the world including Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The origin of all three religions will be covered as well as there view of God and several conflicts they have. Several beliefs such as judgment and the trinity will also be examined..…
Religion takes on many different forms and there are several definitions in as many languages used to describe the practices. For the purposes of this paper, the following basic definition will be used. Religion is the belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. Also, a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship (Company, 2000). This paper will examine three major religions of today: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. An attempt will be made to identify the top two current issues each religion faces as well as look at two sacred traditions and study the significance and major characteristics of each.…
This paper is intended to show how religion is perceived to have several common elements but in essence that is not a true statement based on the terminology used to describe “religious practices”. People believe that typically religions have overlapping themes such as: higher powers to worship, followers, codes of conduct or morals, and a place of worship, however not all do. Because the term religion arose in western society it mainly only focuses on western culture and may not fully encompass the beliefs of different cultures in other parts of…
Religion, whether we realize it or not, is a major element of American society (and also worldwide history). For many, religion is a significant part of their cultural identity. Religion plays a part in all levels of politics and is often an aspect of community events and organizations. Everyday, we all interact with people who have different religious backgrounds and personal beliefs. Children born into religious families are very connected with their religions from birth and this affects the way they will see the world for the rest of their lives. Even those who later explore other faiths or convert to other religious ideas will be affected in subtle ways by their family religion. We are a product of our upbringing, no matter how our later life experiences or how the state may change us. Besides on a personal level, there is a consistent debate on whether religion should be present in the public school systems, or if it is against the state. A philosophical quote by Pope Benedict XVI (born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger) in an interview on religion versus the state includes, “A just laicism allows religious freedom. The state does not impose religion but rather gives space to religions with a responsibility toward civil society, and therefore it allows these religions to be factors in building up society” (Ratzing). Though this may seem like an inspiring idea, there are still debates on the subject.…
In today’s world, religion plays a profound part in many people’s lives and they find it important to firmly follow the guiding principles of a religion. Religion has been around for many years and although different people have their own definition of what it may be, religion is essentially a personal belief system. An individual’s belief system is the set of principles by which the individual lives his/her daily life and which direct his/her thoughts and actions. One question that arises in today’s society is: What role should religion play in government policies? This essay argues that religion should play no role in government policies because it would affect democracy of the state, influence laws on the basis of religious grounds and cause oppression of minority religions. In this essay, I first put forward 3 arguments on why religion should play no part in government policies and support these arguments with a range of scholarly articles. Next, I present two counter arguments followed by a rebuttal for each. This is followed by my conclusion, which re-states why religion should play no role in government policies.…
For thousands of years it has been shown that the belief in a God or gods has been vital to flourishing civilizations. It may be the under lying cause of many conflicts but these instances relies on the principles and beliefs of the religion and who practices it, such as negatively influenced extremists. Religion has brought contentment to the lives of many and has unified cultures all over the world, and to close this essay with, religion is “the greatest of all means for the establishment of order in the world and for the peaceful contentment of all that dwell therein” (by Baha’i U’llah, a Persian noblemen). The world needs a change but the questions remains, in what? Should religion cease to exist or should it be the main focus of society’s…
Religion is a set of beliefs of which concern the cause, nature, and purpose of the world. Especially when it is a particular religion. These religions usually involve devotional and ritual observances, and they often contain a moral code which each person must follow. Religion provides many things to different people, for many it can represent hope and for others it is a symbol of control and it gives people a purpose by giving each person a set of guidelines to live by. Religion benefits many people and many communities; it can benefit individuals by developing them spiritually and giving them a purpose. For communities it can…
The enormous role played by religion in the U.S. is certainly nothing new. In fact, religion has been a major component of the American cultural landscape since the very beginning of the republic.…