Religion and Society - Essay Example

INTRODUCTION The notion that the belief in religion and a conviction that is based solely on the principles of science, the scientific method as wellas deductive and inductive reasoning are mutually exclusive is one that has prevailed throughout the course of history. There are many individuals who feel that in order to embrace the principles of science and its fundamental ability to offer great insights into life one has to abandon faith as well as its implications which come in the form of religious indoctrination. Many individuals such as the author and prominent zoologist, Richard Dawkins, Madalyn Murray O'Hare, a woman who considered her most prominent accomplishment to be the fact that she has become known to many as an atheist, Victor J. Stenger, a particle physicist and Isaac Asimov embody the belief that the only proof of the existence of a phenomena or an entity is that can be ascertained through empirical means. Conversely, there are individual psychologists who view the role of religion as a vital one in the lives of many individuals and explain how religion can be utilized as a guiding force in the decision-making processes. These individuals include William James, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Gordon Allport, Abraham Maslow, Alfred Adler and Erik Erikson. An investigation of these individuals as well as the self-proclaimed atheists will prove to be quite beneficial in arriving at the underlying determinants of one's religious beliefs and practices. DESCRIPTION The present project examines the etiology of my religious beliefs as well as its ramifications when placed within the context of religious practice. In so doing, it creates a framework on which a study of the psychology of religion can be placed. Methods Research Approach I will utilize the text from a series of interviews with atheists who have gained notoriety as a direct result of the contributions to the field of science and their strong convictions with regards to the scientific principles. These individuals are considered to be premier scientists who possess interesting views with regards to the existence of a superior being, the creation story and the origin of the thoughts depicted in the bible. It is my hope that utilizing these interviews, I will be able to gain a greater understanding of the role of religion in my life. Instrumentation The only instrumentation for this study is an interview protocol which was devised and modeled after the interviews conducted between Richard Dawkins and Sheena McDonald, an interview of Madalyn Murray O'Hair by The Freedom Writer and an interview of Isaac Asimov which discussed the correlation between science and the Bible. These interviews were utilized as a basis for the creation for this instrument. Procedure Through a guided case-study, I will examine my religious beliefs and frame them within a psychological framework. In so doing, the self-created tool will establish an indelible link between my religious beliefs and the pertinent psychological theories/concepts. The primary method of attaining this information will be through the utility of open-ended questions followed by a clarification when needed. Methodological Assumptions The only methodological assumption utilized for this case study was the notion that such a study would yield accurate results with regards to the underlying psychological determinants of religious beliefs and practices. It is felt that much of religion serves as a means of quelling irrational concerns with regards to questions that will remain unanswered as no clear scientific explanations can be offered in support of or in refutation of the origins of man as individuals who are capable of deciding whether we should operate solely based on faith or whether we should always resort to science for our explanation of phenomenon which, on the surface, seem unexplainable. Limitations The limitations of the survey methodology are (1) The study is very subjective as it is a case study based on one's own religious convictions, and (2) The limitations placed on this survey by virtue of its design considerations. In so doing, it is pertinent to indicate that is a descriptive method-one that is not aimed at offering an explanation of the study findings. It is unable to determine causal relationships as well as to control for conditions. Validity and Reliability In examining the test instrument, one can clearly see that it is both valid and reliable. The validity can be established in that it is designed based on interview protocols aimed at assessing one's religious beliefs. During the interviews, the interviewers were definitely able to arrive at the interviewees' perception of the role of religion in the sciences. The reliability can be established utilizing when asked the same questions about an individual's religious practices and beliefs, they tend to remain consistent when the inquiry is done over the course of a relatively short time period. Results The findings of this case study are such that early religious teachings have served to influence my life to a great degree. I can definitely see many of the concepts of psychology at work with regards to my cognizant decision to believe in the presence of a superior being. Some of it can be directly attributed to the notion that society plays a vital role in the adaptation of religious and the practice of organized religion. This is explained through an examination of the thought processes of individual atheists as well as the theoretical basis for religion in psychology. It is interesting that I identify myself as a believer in the notion that there is an omnipotent being but identify myself as a more spiritual individual rather than one who is guided by the basic tenets of religion. DISCUSSION The notion that one's religious beliefs is grounded in the society he/she originates from as well as his/her strong belief in the need for strong physical evidence to collaborate the existence of an entity or a particular phenomena is one that has incited inquiry for some time. One of the most prolific rudimentary examinations of religion and its role in our daily lives can be seen in the fact that as early as 399 B.C.E. the Greeks called to task the beliefs of Socrates. His religious beliefs at the time were very revolutionary in that he questioned the existence of the Gods and was essentially put to death as a direct result of questioning what the Greeks felt as unquestionable. At seventy-years old, this philosopher was tried and sentenced to death just for questioning (Religion in the trial of Socrates, http://utopia.poly.edu/tvu01/ENpaper01.htm). Rene Descartes, on the other hand set out to prove the existence of God through a series of meditations. He utilized a method of deductive reasoning to arrive at what he considered to be some truths about the existence of both man and god. In so doing, he abandoned all of his prior beliefs and attempted to delineate some truths based on the existence of clear and irrefutable evidence. Thinking in the mindset of a mathematician, Descartes first reaffirmed the mind-body connection and subsequently reaffirmed the existence of a superior being (Byrne, 1997, pp. 52-101). As a direct result of the beliefs and ideas expressed by philosophers, the field of psychology was born. Out of this came the notion that religion plays a prominent role in the determination of behavior both on a societal and an individual basis. Some of this understanding has been gained from noted theorists such as William James, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Gordon Allport, Abraham Maslow, Alfred Adler and Erik Erikson. First and foremost, William James, a U.S. Scientist and the first president of the American Psychological Association (APA) and one of the first individuals to address the connection between psychology and religion was adamant in the notion that there is a clear distinction between religion as an institution and the religious experiences an individual has. In his book entitled The Varieties of Religious Experience he explained religion in a manner that is quite similar to the beliefs I hold (William James, http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/james.html). I see many inherent deficiencies in religion as practiced on an institutional level but when examining religion on an individual level, I am able to clearly see its role in my daily life as well as the way in which life is perceived and conceptualized. Sigmund Freud, on the other hand had a slightly different conception of the role of religion in the field of psychology. He embodied a very conflict driven model with regards to the psychology of religion in that he paints a picture of the acquisition of religious beliefs as one which originates in childhood and as a direct result of a child's view of his/her father. This can be conceptualized according to Freud as the omnipotent being in a child's life being symbolic of his/her father. With this notion in mind, religion represents an illusion in that it is an attempt made by an individual to fulfill the wishes of this omnipotent being. Essentially, religion is an illusion which serves as a defense mechanism (Freud on Religion, http://www.braungardt.com/Essays/Freud's%20view%20of%20Religion.htm). Alfred Adler's view of religion as one in which religion is situationally based and relies heavily on the zeitgeist of the time. He chronicles religious beliefs and the notion that there is an omnipotent as one that is being changed from a time period when individuals utilized a creationist view of the origins of life to one that has evolved to embody the notion of natural selection. Adler purports that individuals are driven by a feeling of inferiority. In so doing, they are constantly in search of perfection. For many individuals in many cultures throughout the world, this quest is embodied in the notion that there is an omnipotent being he/she strives to be. Under this guise, religion serves its psychological purpose of creating motivation (Adler on Religion, http://www.thegreatideas.org/apd-reli.html). Carl Jung, on the other hand, embodied a belief of the role of religion as one which is obtained as a result of collective unconsciousness as embodied in the notion of archetypes. He felt that the archetypes are innate, unconscious and transcends the cultural lines. His view of religion is one that portrays a very negative conception of Western religion but provides great support for Eastern religion in that he embodies a strong focus on spirituality and its ability to transcend through generations in an unconscious manner (PsychoHeresy: C. G. Jung's Legacy to the Church, http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/jungleg.html). Gordon Allport, in his book, The Individual and His Religion, examined the role of religion in the lives of individuals. In so doing, he was able to illustrate the varying ways n which religion may be utilized by different individuals. He described two conceptualizations of religion-mature religious attitudes and immature religious attitudes. Mature religious attitudes were seen as those in which an individual views religion as a fluid and dynamic entity only capable of being understood by open-minded individuals who are capable of coming to grips with the inherent inconsistency and the demands for faith. Conversely, immature religion is one in which there is a notion of a negative stereotype of religion as being self-serving in nature (EncyclopediaofReligion and Society, http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/allport.htm). Abraham Maslow presents perhaps the most favorable critique on religion. In his notion of self-actualization and the hierarchy of needs, he indicates that religion serves as a means of facilitating self-actualization. However, this endorsement of religion is one that is not as simple as one would like to think. He acknowledges the role of religion in our daily lives but he embodies the belief that too much of religion relies on blind faith and obedience. He is of the opinion that in order to establish a stronger link between psychology and religion there needs to be an improved theoretical foundation on which this study can be built (Maslow Summary, http://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/daniels/Maslow_summary.html). Finally, Erik Erikson portrays the most positive image of religion in that he considers religion to be very important in personality development. He feels that religion is the primary method in which culture promotes and extols the virtues associated with each developmental stage. Additionally, he views religious rituals as a facilitator of development. All of this is done without the benefit of empirical methods as advocated throughout the sciences (Ideas and Identities: The Life and Work of Erik Erikson, http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/158/11/1941-a). After having examined the pertinent theoretical positions as well as my views on the determinants of my religious beliefs, I can definitely see why the level of questioning which occurs with regards to religion exists. Much of it relates directly to the notion that the level of evidence with regards to the existence of a superior being is lacking. Much of it calls upon our capacity to blindly trust the information we are presented with. For me this brings up many personal questions. When attempting to answer those questions utilizing my scientific knowledge, I arrive at a conclusion which causes me great distress. I question the existence of a superior and omnipotent being but I do endorse one. This goes against much of what I believe in that it takes some empirical proof to make a convincing argument but when it comes to religion, I am forced to take religion on face value and utilize faith as a guiding force. References Adler on Religion (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, from http://www.thegreatideas.org/apd-reli.html Byrne, J.M. (1997). Religion and the Enlightenment: From Descartes to Kant. Louisville, KY. Westminster John Knox Press. EncyclopediaofReligion and Society (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/allport.htm Freud on Religion (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, http://www.braungardt.com/Essays/Freud's%20view%20of%20Religion.htm Ideas and Identities: The Life and Work of Erik Erikson (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/158/11/1941-a Maslow Summary (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, http://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/daniels/Maslow_summary.html PsychoHeresy: C. G. Jung's Legacy to the Church (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/jungleg.html Religion in the trial of Socrates (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, http://utopia.poly.edu/tvu01/ENpaper01.htm William James (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/james.html Primary source-The interview questions on which the paper is based 1. Do you believe in the existence of a superior being Please explain your views. 2. Do you feel that the bible is still relevant today Please explain your views. 3. What about its origins Do you feel that it was created by man or by divine intervention 4. Do you believe that you are a religious individual 5. You make a distinction between being religious and being spiritual-What is the difference Please explain your views. 6. Do you feel others make the same distinction Please explain your views. 7. In your spirituality do you draw on the bible for guidance Please explain your views. 8. Do you have a fundamental problem with the bible and its teachings Please explain your views. 9. Then what is the source of your problems or inconsistencies Please explain your views. 10. Going back to the bible-Do you feel that there is some truth and some concepts that you find hard to conceive Please explain your views. 11. What specifically bothers you about the story of creation Please explain your views. 12. What about faith Please explain your views. Note: The questions contained herein are derived using the personal communications of Richard Dawkins, from the series the Vision Thing aired on 15 August 1994 on Channel 4 (U.K.), The Madalyn Murray O'Hair interview printed in the Jan/Feb 1996 edition of the Freedom Writer and The 10 May 1981 edition of the Austin American-Statesman interview with Isaac Asimov. Read More