Religion in Public Education - Research Paper Example

Religion a Standard in Public Education Abstract Religion serves as one of the most imperative social phenomena, which has left its indelible impacts upon man’s individual and collective life at large. People follow one religious belief or the other and maintain strong and unconditional faith in the supernatural powers, help and support of which is sought for the solution of their personal, domestic, professional and financial problems. Since almost every individual of society contains direct or indirect linkage with the religion, basic knowledge about this social phenomenon is extremely necessary for all members of a social establishment; the same is applied on the multicultural and multi-religious US society, where the people belonging to divergent beliefs reside and adopt the teachings of their spiritual system both openly and secretly. Since sociology is the scientific study of different human institutions, the information about the cult and system of different religions is a matter of grave concern for the student of sociology. However, it is really startling to note that an overwhelming majority of the US population keeps very little knowledge about the faith prevailing in their culture. Not only this that they do not know about the religious belief of the fellow humans, but also it is a great tragedy to learn that the US citizens have given up taking interest in the religious values they follow. It has not only invited the concern of the philosophers and thinkers, but also alienation with the spiritual activities have alarmed them that aloofness and disinterest from religious fabrics may pave the way towards the serious decline of moral values from the very face of the US society. Consequently, the intellectuals and theorists have urged the authorities to include the subject of religion in different social sciences disciplines in order to get the students introduced with this primary institution of society. The present study aims to explore the need and significance of religion and importance of its study in the contemporary life. The study has also been supported with the theory of religion articulated by Max Weber. Essay By critically analyzing the history of the world at large, it becomes crystal clear that humans have always been the followers of one or more religions since their very arrival on the earth. The belief in supernatural powers is actually the outcome of their helplessness and inability to get their wishes and dreams fulfilled on the one hand, and the absence of their power to overcome certain problems and difficulties on the other. Although, humans have made tremendous developments in every field of life; yet such moments come in life when they undergo sentimental and emotional collapse and feel entirely helpless in the face of hardships; they are bound to seek the support of someone supernatural for their rescue as well as for the solution of their difficulties. Thus, religion provides spiritual guidance and emotional relief to the humans. In other words, humans have discovered the very reality that their survival in this world in a respectable and comfortable manner is directly dependent of seeking help from the unseen regulatory authorities of the universe. “Humans have formed their own beliefs (called probability belief in mathematics and science) about the set of unknowable elements of the universe.  They have branded their beliefs about the unknowable as religion.” (Acharya, 2006) Hence, they have found the very truth that there is present some metaphysical powers which are regulating the system of the universe. Consequently, having affiliations with these supernatural powers and begging before them for the elimination of hardships as well as removal of misfortunes is inevitable for their survival. The universality of religion is not based upon the forms of belief and practice, but upon the social functions which religion universally fulfills. Sociologically defined, a religion is a system of beliefs and symbolic practices and objects, governed by faith rather than by knowledge, which relates to man with an unseen supernatural realm beyond the known and beyond the controllable. (Merrill, 1967: 432) Sociological researches interlink religion and morality with each other and declare them inevitable with one another since ever. There was a time during Paleolithic and Neolithic eras, when man was leading a wild and an anarchic life. There was neither any code of conduct, nor the concept of a code of law prevailing that time. With the growth of his intelligence and intellectual development as well, man started thinking in respect of devising some specific methods to make his environment peaceful, systematic and organized. Thus, the sets of laws and concept of jurisprudence came into existence in the light of Divine commandments and instructions. Society develops because of the need for people to use the services of others and insure their own security. In order for a society to gain such a reliable reputation, there needs to be a backbone, which in this case would be a code of law.” (Katers, 2006: p 1) The same is applied with the moral ethics and morality, both of which are the by-product of religion. Religion carries distinguished historical background, mythology, concept of the Creator of the universe, life and death and the secret agents of the most powerful created and appointed for bringing time to time changes for the welfare and survival of human societies. As a system, religion includes beliefs, stories, rituals, structures, experiences, texts, ethics and symbols functioning as a totality. Renowned sociologist Max Weber declares religion as an essential element of the entire social structure. In the Sociology of Religion, Weber lays out his thesis that people pursue their interests, and that religious leaders and structures help people achieve those goals. In this way religion provides the tools for both stability and social change. (Townsley, 2004) The researchers believe that the initial human societies used to worship several gods and goddesses, and hence were polytheist in nature and scope. It is a matter of fact incontestable, that about 1700 years ago all mankind were polytheists. The doubtful and skeptical principles of a few philosophers, or the theism, and that too not entirely pure, of one or two nations, form no objection worth regarding. Behold then the clear testimony of history. The farther we mount up into antiquity, the more do we find mankind plunged into polytheism. (Hume, 2: quoted in aren.org) The ancient people used to seek the help of kings and warriors in the face of hardships. The ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman literature support the same idea that the heroes obtained the status of deity in their region in the aftermath of killing the monsters, invaders and assailants by dint of their mental and physical powers. It is therefore they declared Oedipus Rex as their King as soon as he killed the monster in the city of Thebes. (Sophocles, 2002) Similarly, all Greek gods and goddesses have performed Herculean tasks for their societies and cultures, and attained the position of deity eventually. The people considered them gods incarnated in human form had arrived to rescue them from the cruel clutches of the aggressors, defiant and ruthless forces of the universe. Since several warriors rose to the occasion to play their formidable role for the rescue of the weak, the masses admitted all these heroes as deity. Consequently, they carved their statutes and started worshipping them by declaring these heroes as gods. Not only this that the people viewed these warriors as the metaphysical powers, but also dedicated different powers to the different heroes, which gave birth to the very notion of polytheism in human societies. The distribution also of distinct provinces to the several deities is apt to cause some allegory, both physical and moral, to enter into the vulgar systems of polytheism. The god of war will naturally be represented as furious, cruel, and impetuous: The god of poetry as elegant, polite, and amiable: The god of merchandise, especially in early times, as thievish and deceitful. (Hume, 9) Thousands of religions are being followed by over seven and half billion humans in the contemporary era, which reveals the unavoidable significance of faith in human societies. Man’s need for religion is greater than his need for any of the other necessities of life, because man needs to know what pleases Allah and what angers Him; he needs to acts in his own interests and to ward off things that will harm him. (Retrieved from IslamQA.com) The concept of deity differed from one civilization to the other. For instance, the ancient Greek worshipped Greek legends, while the ancient Egyptians prostrated before the statues and idols of the pharaohs and emperors. Furthermore, the Chinese sought spiritual inspiration from Confucian and Buddhist faiths, though they were also followers of pluralistic thought in ancient times. Similarly, Shinto faith prevailed in ancient Japanese culture, which was also viewed as the god in human form. The Japanese, as the history and archaeological records submit, had unflinching belief in Shinto faith for the last several centuries, and seek spiritual inspiration from Kami, the main objects of worship according to the Shinto belief. Kami worship had been in vogue among the Japanese even under the Jomon and Yayoi dynasties, few centuries before the advent of Christianity and Buddhism. Kami was not confined to one single object only; rather, it contained several natural phenomena including the Sun, which had always been a source of great inspiration and motivation for them. Thus, the earlier Japanese built shrine and temples of the Sun Goddess and used to seek her support for their worldly matters on the one hand, and for their spiritual uplift on the other. “The principal monument to the Sun Goddess is the Ise Shrine, which houses her image in the form of mirror the most precious object of the imperial regalia.” (Varley 2002, 17) Somehow, they also adopted the Chinese religious mythology and a large proportion of the Japanese population converted to Buddhism subsequently. Abrahamic religious beliefs also enjoy distinguished status in the long list of the prevailing faiths of the contemporary world. These religions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have belief in one and the same Creator, angels, prophets, Day of Judgment, incarnation, reward and punishment and strict observing of chastity, honesty, truthfulness and kindness. Judaism is the oldest one among the Abrahamic religions, and considered Hose of Jacob as the chosen seed as well as the spiritual leader of the people of the world at large. Since the Jews are the beloved nation of God, they will enjoy respect and rewards in the life Hereinafter, according to the Jewish belief. Jews view Moses as their benefactor and savior, who saved the House of Jacob from the cruel clutches of slavery, humiliation and mortification inflicted upon them by the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. The Christian belief takes after Jewish mythology in many ways. It has been the greatest religion of the world for the last many centuries, as the number of its followers is largest in the entire globe. Christianity declares Jesus Christ as the savior, who happily tolerated every type of infliction and cruelty in order to save the humanity from the wrath of God, could be inflicted upon them because of their malpractices, sins and disobediences. Islam is also taken as the third and final one of the three Abrahamic religions. Being the second largest religion, its followers live in every part of the globe. The US society also witnesses Islam as the largest growing faith of the country. Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Holy Prophet sent by God to guide the humanity which was leading the life of sin and transgression in the Arabian Peninsula. The message and teachings of Islam are universal in nature and scope, and are meant for all ages and regions without any discrimination altogether. The concept of reward and punishment in Islam is similar to that of Judaism and Christianity. However, both Judaism and Islam appear to be monotheist faiths, while Christianity maintains belief in the Holy Trinity, including God, Holy Jesus Christ and the arch-angel Gabriel. Western philosophers and intellectuals of medieval and classical eras also lay stress upon the certain need of religion in life. Renowned French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650) argues that religious sets of faith should not be taken as mere imitation of the ideas which have blindly been adopted by a large number of one’ community members without applying one’s intellect. Rather, human brain contains the powers to prove the legality of God’s existence. He refutes the very idea of accepting some presumptions and propositions without analyzing their validity through intellectual capabilities and sound examinations. It is therefore, he lays stress upon the significance of doubtfulness about some specific belief. He is of the view that blind faith cannot make people understand the realities of life on the one hand and phenomena of nature on the other. His meditations are based on his theory that certain false and unproved presumptions get the form of particular beliefs to which people imitate and follow blindly without submitting intellect and seeking proof for this all. He is of the opinion that critical appreciation of any natural phenomenon wide opens countless avenues of vigilance and knowledge to man. If the universe contains realities regarding the Supreme Being, then why should one not examine and accept it to bring it before the world on pertinent intellectual foundations. Hence, Descartes proves the existence of God on the basis of his meditation, observation as well as his thorough study of philosophy, theology and literature. The future philosophers and their theories also submit the same notions. Scottish thinker David Hume and German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche have also argued regarding the significance of proper evidence and observation for demonstrating the ideas regarding natural and social realities. Nietzsche strongly believes that the concept of God is the product of society; it is therefore, the quantity, characteristics and nature of God varies from culture to culture and from one set of religious beliefs to the other. The strongest and most evil spirits, Nietzsche submits, have so far advanced humanity the most: they have always rekindled the drowsing passions--- all ordered society puts the passion to sleep: they have always reawakened the sense of comparison, of contradiction, of joy in the new, the daring, and the untried: (Quoted in Carson, 2002) To conclude, it becomes evident that religion is one of the most fundamental human institutions, and provides spiritual and moral uplift to the followers. Religion is a social institution involving beliefs and practices based on recognizing the sacred. (Macionis, 2007: 498) It is religion that provides human societies with complete code of leading a virtuous, chaste and successful life, and promises the rewards in the Hereinafter provided man has performed superior deeds in the worldly life by obeying the holy commands of God, and observing piousness and kindness towards the fellow humans. If people start ignoring the noble teachings explicitly explained and projected by the religion, the world would witness chaos and anarchy everywhere. It is belief in the unseen powers that prohibits humans from displaying treachery, wickedness, ruthlessness and cruelty upon the fellow humans. Additionally, remoteness from religion also gives birth to mental retardation and alienation in society. There was a time when sex-free states were taken as blessing for society. Somehow, the concept of single mothers and illegitimate children is creating disturbances in several societies of the world. Parents, particularly in European and western societies, have keen desire to coach and teach their children in an appropriate manner, but because of the unnecessary freedom and liberty, they can only lament over the immoral activities committed by their children. Thus, religion offers peace of mind, tranquility and order to human societies. It is therefore the disciplines including sociology, anthropology, economics, law, psychology and ethics etc lay stress upon the teaching of the subject of religion and its importance for the people of a social establishment at large. Works Cited: Acharya, Sankarsan. “Religion, God and Science” 2006, March 17th Quoted in prosperity.com/NewsFeed.html Carson, D. A. “The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism.” Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2002 Hume, David.”The Natural History of Religion” Retrieved from http://www.aren.org/prison/documents/religion/Religion/The%20Natural%20History%20of%20Religion.pdf Katers, N. (2006) “Development of Law in Early Western History” Retrieved in http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/26484/the_development_of_law_in_early_western.html Macionis, John J. “Sociology” Eleventh Edition Pearson Prentice Hall 2007 498 Merrill, Francis E. “Culture and Society” Prentice Hall New York 1967 432 Townsley, Jeramy “Marx, Weber and Durkheim on Religion” August 2004 Retrieved from http://www.jeramyt.org/papers/sociology-of-religion.html Varley, Paul “Japanese Culture” University of Hawaii Press Fourth edition 2000 4-31 Read More