The Contribution of Religion to Society and Culture

Religion can make a deep contribution to how we understand and see ourselves as human beings. As Tim said before, religion contributes to culture, society, music, architecture, the arts and how we view the world. One aspect that has been heavily influenced by religion is Art. The paintings that are based around religion are some of the most recognised and inspiring pieces of art in history. For example, paintings in the Sistine Chapel such as ‘The Creation of Eve’ and ‘The Creation of Adam’ by Michelangelo are among the most famous paintings in the world, which are influenced by religion. Religion discusses the ‘meaning of life’, including questions such as ‘Who am I?’, ‘Is there life after death?’, and ‘Is there a God?. Answers to these questions bring comfort, a sense of belonging and meaning to certain cultures and societies. It brings an individual self worth and happiness, and the feeling that they have something to live for. This is one of the main reasons people decide to follow a certain religion – to bring them happiness and to do right by their religion, therefore contributing positively to society.

However, religion does not always have a positive contribution to society and can encourage violence when religious believers are convinced that their view is being challenged. This can lead to outbreak of wars. This has happened in the past and is happening now and causing great devastation throughout the world. One of the most recent wars about religion was between the Muslims and the people of Israel in the Gaza Strip.

In conclusion, religion has many positives when contributing to society and culture. However, it can cause negatives when it gets out of control, leading to hostility. Many religions send across the same message, and have the same values. When these values are taken upon, it can have a huge positive impact on a person’s life, giving them renewed hope and a positive outlook on