Sociological Theories and Religion

Sociological theories and religion

SOC/101

Kathleen Marker

July 9, 2012

Sociological theories and religion

Many question religion and the effect it could have over a person or a group. Religion is a very powerful and influential force in human society. Some think that religion is just someone’s imagination or something fictional. Religion plays a major part in the way people and their families operate. What religious background a person is taught or has experienced the most could have an avid affect on the way he/she acts in their community. Each religion has a meaning and people seek to live out the meaning of their particular religion. Where a person lives affect their views on religion. Sociological theorists such as Emile Durkheim, the founder of functionalism, Karl Marx, the founder of conflict theory, and George H. Mead, the founder of symbolic interactionism all had different and some of the same thoughts on the effects religion had on each of these sociological theories. Because there are so many different religions in the world today people should not be looked upon differently or be made to change their religion because of the way society views it. Each theorist who studied the religion sociological institution came up with various reasons why they thought that the way people viewed religion needed to be changed. The founder of functionalist Durkheim stated that people viewed their religion as sacred and argued that religion never concerns only belief, but also encompasses regular rituals and ceremonies on the part of a group of believers, who then develop and strengthen a sense of group solidarity. The conflict theorist Marx, never really studied the conflict theory when it came to religion he just used another theorist views that many people cannot understand how society works to gather their own view of the norms and values. Mead the founder of symbolic interactionism found that with this perspective people attach meanings to symbols in relation to religion. The differences in each of these theories are that interactionism relies of face to face interactions, Functionalist adapts to society and the conflict theories find the conflict in the issues (MacMillen, 2009). “Like all other social institutions, religious organizations have become large with more specializations and subgroups” (Vissing, 2010). In reference to the interactionism perspective and how it affects the views of the religious process of people and how they actually become religious. The social internationalist wants the individual to look at their own beliefs as sacred, if not they do not exist. The conflict view focuses on cohesion between religious people. The conflict theories also bring about the feminist theory view in which it focuses on how woman in religion act when they are put in leadership roles. A few religions and religious denominations are more gender equal, but male dominance remains the norm of most (MacMillen, 2009). The functionalist view focuses on how to belong and how one can accept their beliefs. . The functionalist view also shows the individual involved in the religious institution how to worship in order to fit in this society. This view also helps with the upbringing of the children who are involved in this institution. Basically paying close attention to the way a person behaves when it comes to religion. “To worship a god for religious purposes means to worship our society” (Goldstein, 2010). There are many different religions and which one a person adheres to depends on what their family follows through on. There are Jews, Hindu, Christians, Muslims, atheists, Catholics, Pentecostal, and many others but these are some of the most common ones that represent a great deal of the country we call home. One person may not agree the views and actions of one religion but may find one that has some things in common with the one they worship to. For example, Jehovah’s Witness do not wear pants I have only seen them in skirts. I attended on of their fellowship meetings and informed that it is against their religion to wear pants but that is a practice that they have been taught to follow. The is mass, communion, and ministering are all forms of how an individual shows their god that they mean something to him and appreciates the blessing that have been bestowed up the individual. Within each of the previous discussed sociological theories people want to be accepted for who they are and do not want to have to change to conform to something they are not especially when it come to their religion and or their culture. Religion is something that that people cling to; a person’s religion can make or break an individual’s action if they want to do wrong. Religion something that is learned and once learned a person expects to follow through on their beliefs and how to belong. No one person should be made to be a certain religion because the actions with not be followed through like a true Christian or a true catholic would it would be fake and that is just not right. Religion is a tool for class oppression in which it promotes stratification because it supports a hierarchy of people on Earth and the subordination of humankind to divine authority. Each person should cling to the religion that best suits them; we all need some balance and for some religious backgrounds give us that

References

Goldstein, Warren S. (2010). "Religion: The Modern Theories". Sociology of Religion. FindArticles.com. 24 Jun, 2012.

MacMillen, S. (2009). The Sociology of Religion, 70(2), 203-204. Retrieved June 25, 2012, from ProQuest Religion. (Document ID: 1791293691).

Spickard, J. (2011). Key Thinkers in the Sociology of Religion, 72(2), 242-243. Retrieved June 25, 2012, from ProQuest Religion. (Document ID: 2401212851).

Vissing, Y. (2011). Introduction to Sociology. San Diego, CA: Bridgeport Education, Inc.

References: Goldstein, Warren S. (2010). "Religion: The Modern Theories". Sociology of Religion. FindArticles.com. 24 Jun, 2012. MacMillen, S. (2009). The Sociology of Religion, 70(2), 203-204.  Retrieved June 25, 2012, from ProQuest Religion. (Document ID: 1791293691). Spickard, J. (2011). Key Thinkers in the Sociology of Religion, 72(2), 242-243.  Retrieved June 25, 2012, from ProQuest Religion. (Document ID: 2401212851). Vissing, Y. (2011). Introduction to Sociology. San Diego, CA: Bridgeport Education, Inc.