The Role of Religion in Society - Essay Example

Running Head: RELIGION & SOCIETY The Role of Religion in Society RELIGION & SOCIETY The role of religion in societies cannot be under played. Religion helps a person to differentiate between right and wrong and helps him to conduct himself correctly within the society in which he lives. Religion helps in bringing about oneness in society. Every religion lays down certain rules of behavior and these are similar across religions. Religion gives solace in times of stress and acts as an anchor when man becomes desperate in the face of crisis. The family is the center of every society and it is in the family that values and ethics are imbibed and take shape. The religious practices of the family decide one’s concept of right and wrong and inculcate the observance of values such as charity, honesty truth and forgiveness. Religions across the world give importance to these values and hence whichever religion one practices, it has the strength to play a vital role in bringing about peace happiness and harmony in society. RELIGION & SOCIETY Religion has been described as a set of beliefs or moral codes that influence a person’s behavior and beliefs in what is right and wrong. It is considered that religion or the concept of God or a superhuman being or beings, came into existence to counter primitive man’s helplessness against the furies of nature. However, as man evolved and began to reason and to be able to explain the forces of nature and control them to a large extent; the question of where he came from or what his ultimate destination is remained unanswered, and instilled a sense of uncertainty and to some extent fear in man’s mind. This uncertainty and fear are really the beginnings of all religions. Therefore one may assume that religion fulfills man’s psychological need to counter his fears and believe in an agency to which he refers by various names to help him face stress, grief and various anxieties in the crises that he faces during his life. Religion also plays a powerful role in society. It helps man define what is right and wrong in society. A man’s religion lays down norms of right and wrong that he follows without giving it much thought; his fear of retribution if he does not follow those norms most times compel him to keep on track. Hence society is a safer place due to the forces of religious values. The sacred texts of all religions lay down rules of right and wrong and these rules do not differ much from one religion to another except in the way they are explained or the rituals that are performed in relation to these ethical codes. Compassion, tolerance, love and service, justice, kindness, fraternity, valor, living in harmony with one’s fellow beings and helping the needy are all values espoused by every religion. RELIGION & SOCIETY Since earliest times, religion has influenced the society in which man lives and works. Although societies and religions may differ, the inherent influence of religion on societies manifests itself in the way people conduct themselves and the work that they do. The disruptive tendencies of politics and economics are neutralized by the soothing influence of religion. Although the religions of the world may differ in their details, their exhortations to their followers ensure a peaceful and progressive society. The basic fundamentals of most religions agree that there is a single supreme authority, who is the father or creator and may be called Allah (Islam) or Jesus, (Christian)Ishwar (Hindu )or Elohim (Judaism) but who is all pervading and to whom His followers bow in unity. Religious teachings declare that God has created man in his own image and all men are equal. Hence every religion exhorts its followers to do away with discriminations between man and man. To quote from a shloka of the Atharvaveda a holy book of Hinduism in which God Himself urges man :“Oh human beings! I create you in the same category; I accord you single mindedness and make you completely free of envy and malice. Oh people! Have such dedicated attraction towards one another as the cow has towards her newly born calf.” The same sentiments have been expressed in the holy Quran: "This community [of humans] is really one. But they divided themselves on their own." (Dr. Kumar 2010) or as enunciated by the Baháulláh “the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God.” (Ibid., p. 217. ) RELIGION & SOCIETY Every religion stresses the need for harmony, unity and compassion and helping the sick and needy. In this context the Dalai Lama’s comments are revealing. He says “Every religion emphasizes human improvement, love, respect for others, sharing other peoples suffering. On these lines every religion had more or less the same viewpoint and the same goal.” (Dalai Lama) There is unanimity amongst all religions of the basic principle of treating others with respect and love as is expressed in the golden rule of Christianity “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”; or as is proclaimed in the Shinto religion: “The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form”. (Munetada Kurozumi)This very simply means freedom of a person to follow his way of life so long as he does not hurt or infringe on the basic rights of others because all humans are created equal. The seven deadly sins that the Christian church has warned about, have been equally condemned in every other religion be it Judaism, Buddhism, Islam or Hinduism. Every religion warns its followers to beware of falling prey to envy pride greed and uncontrolled anger. Similarly the seven charitable practices as espoused by the Catholic Church of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked sheltering the homeless and wiping the tear from every eye are similar to those of the Mustahab or desirable conducts of Islam or the Marganusari or path follower of Jainism. The five precepts of respect for life, property, nature, honesty and a clear mind enunciated by the Buddha find echoes in every other religion known to mankind, be it Jainism’s ahimsa (non violence), satya (truth) and asteya (refrain from stealing) or the spiritual works of mercy as laid down by the Christian faith. RELIGION & SOCIETY There is a famous story told among Buddhists of a king who went to a sage for advice on the most important Buddhist teaching. The king settled down to listen to a long sermon and was surprised when the sage answered, Do no evil, do only good. Purify your heart. The king protested that he had come a long way and what the sage had told him could be understood by a toddler; to which the sage replied that it could be understood by a child but it was difficult for even an octogenarian to practice. The practice of religion has a tremendous influence on society. In fact it is the very center of every society and offers a sense of belonging. In every society the family is the epicenter of social life. It is here in the family that a child learns his first lessons in ethical behavior and conduct in society. Studies have shown that religion plays a major role in the social bonding, self esteem and sound moral judgment of a child as he grows and this in turn leads to happiness and a sense of general well being. Such people are usually law abiding citizens, more optimistic, more productive and less likely to be drawn into crime. The practice of religion is known to be good for health too. It helps people to recover more quickly from illness and gives them strength to fight disease. It is a well documented fact that a firm faith has given mental strength to people in distress, who but for that anchor would have succumbed to injury or disease. Dr. Irving Rosen M.D. Director of Education at the Cleveland Psychiatric Institute and a member of the Institutes of Religion and Health; despite admitting to not being particularly religious himself, remarks “I believe from what I can grasp of strictly secular, practical matters that religion has a vital stake in health”. (Rosen 1974) RELIGION & SOCIETY In today’s materialistic societies, religion plays an even more important role. Every religion advocates that the wealthy help their less advantaged brethren. This help to the downtrodden elements in society, is referred to by various names by different religions but the ultimate aim is similar – to help those in need. Although religions and societies are different in different parts of the world, there is an inherent inter- dependence between them in every society. In the new era of globalization, societies are made up of peoples of different races, religions colors and creeds. In these circumstances religion can have a positive or negative impact on society. Whenever religion has played its proper role in society, there has been peace and harmony among people. As the teachings of all religions are similar, so man must learn to live and let live. Religion is a private matter and hence people of all religions can live together in happiness, peace and unity if only they will listen carefully to the teachings of the religions they practice. Religion is good not just for the individual but also for societies and nations. It has been known to improve self control; self esteem as well as lead to serenity and good health. Research data suggests that regular religious practice is good both for the individual as well as for the society in which he lives. “The truth of the Gospel is indispensable for a healthy society,” Pope Benedict XVI who is the religious head of the Catholic Church has rightly said “since it opens us to hope and enables us to discover our inalienable dignity as God’s children.” “The authentic progress of humanity is best served by just such a combination of the wisdom of faith and the insights of reason.” (Benedict 2009) The Dalai Lama the RELIGION & SOCIETY spiritual leader of the Buddhist religion in Tibet sums it up when he says “All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.” (Dalai Lama) RELIGION & SOCIETY References Taken From: Baháulláh: His Teachings Copyright 2010, Baháí  International Community Retrieved From: http://info.bahai.org/article-1-3-2-1.html Quotation of Pope Benedict XVI Taken From: National Catholic Reporter Author : John L Allen Jr Retrieved From: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/religion-key-healthy-society-pope-tells-secular-czechs Quotation of the Dalai Lama Taken From: Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance Retrieved from : http://www.religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm Quotation of the Dalai Lama Taken From: Popular Quotations by Dalai Lama Retrieved from : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dalai_lama.html RELIGION & SOCIETY References Quotation of Shinto Religion Munetada Kurozumi Taken From: Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance Retrieved from : http://www.religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm Taken From: Blitz comprehensive Tabloid Weekly Author: Dr. Ravindra Kumar Retrieved from: http://www.weeklyblitz.net/378/similarity-among-teachings-of-religions Taken From: Journal Article from Journal of Religion & Health Author: Dr. Irving Rosen Director of Education at the Cleveland Psychiatric Institute Retrieved from: http://www.springerlink.com/content/q7873m50068n0132/ Read More