6. PositiveEffectsof Religion
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• Thereisnodoubt that religion hasan
important role in society.In fact, it has
becomesocloselyintertwined with other
institutions suchaspolitical andeconomic
systemsthat religiousbeliefssometimes
becamethe basisof the political legitimacy.
7. 1.ReligionPromotesSocialHarmony
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• Religion believes in supernatural beings and
powers.It practicesasetof ritualsand
ceremonious rites of passage of intensification.
It also regards religious leaders such as priests,
priestesses and shamans in high esteem. These
characteristics help advance social harmony by
assimilatingandstabilizingcultures andnations.
8. 2.ReligionProvidesMoralValues
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• Perhapsoneof the mostsignificantfunctions of
religion isthat it encouragesmoral values.It
providesasystematicmodelof the universe,
whicheffect determinesorganizedhuman
behavior.Byproviding moral values,oneisable
to distinguishright from wrong,goodor evil. It
alsoprovidesasystemsof rewardand
punishmentthat administersandstandardizes
peoplebehaviorin society
9. 3.Religion ProvidesSocialChange
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•Sincereligion isasourceof moral values,
religion providessocialchange.It canbevery
effective in lobbying andcampaigningfor
certain socialissuesusingits ownmoral teachings
asthe basisof argument.Forexample, the
Churchin the UShasbeenactivein the
campaignfor civil liberties aswell asthe
antislavery movement.
11. 5.ReligionGivesPositiveGoalinLife
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• Peoplewereinspiredby the story of different
prophetsfrom their ownreligious affiliations,
like that Moses,SiddhartaGautama,and
Muhammad.Thepeopleshowedhowordinary
peoplethem weregivenimportant missionsin
life, andhowthey struggledto carry out their
respective missions.
12. 6.ReligionGivesPeopleaSenseofBelonging
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•Justasfamily, ethnicity, or nationality give
peopleasenseof belonging,sodoesreligion.
Forsome,religion providespeoplewith personal
identify aspart of agroup with similar
worldviews,beliefs,values,practices,and
lifestyles. It providescommunitieswith
prospectsto recognizeandoffer vital action and
serviceto provide the needsof the larger
community.
16. 1.ReligionAffirms Social Hierarchy
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• Somereligionsaffirm socialhierarchy often
favoring menasandresult,perpetuate the
notions of classandgenderdiscrimination and
oppression.Another exampleof religion
reflecting the hierarchy of political structures
would bethe Confuciansemphasisonthe
relationsbetweenthe ruler andthe subjects,
with the former exercisingthe authority over
the latter.
17. 2.Religion CausesDiscrimination
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•Therearesomewhosaythat religion, after
turning peopleagainstthemselves,turn people
againsteachother. Thishappenswhenpeople
do not tolerate religiousideologiesdifferent
from the onethey follow.
• Religioncanalsobeasourceof discrimination,
or the prejudicial treatment of different
categoriesof peopleor thingsespeciallyonthe
basisof race,religion, ageandsex.
19. 4.ReligionAsAn EconomicTool for
Exploiting The Masses
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• According to the Germanphilosopher Karl
Marx, “religion isthe opium of the masses.”
Thisisin relation to hiscritical approachto
religion in whichheproposedthat the
bourgeoisiekeepthe proletariat in control
through religion.
21. 6.ReligionObstructs the Useof Reason
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•Manyquestionthe suitability of religious
doctrine to the needsof the presentand the
future generations.In order to put thesedogma
to practice, religion should,therefore, evolve
andlearnto adaptto the everchanging world.
23. Historical Events Caused By Religion
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•In someregionsin the world, religion has
becomevery influential in almostevery aspect
of humanactivity-from personalroutinesto
diplomatic relations.Furthermore, in each
country therearemajority andminority
religiousgroupsadsometimesthe power
strugglebetweenthesetwo groupsescalateinto
historical developmentswhichoftentimesshock
the world.
24. Historical Events Caused By Religion
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• Self-Immolation of aBuddhistMonk in Vietnam
• WidowsBurningAmong the Hindusin India
• The Inquisition
• TheGodhraTrain Incident in2002
25. Self-Immolation of aBuddhistMonk in
Vietnam
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• Self-Immolation, or the killing of oneselfasa
form of sacrifice,originally referred to asthe
actof settingoneselfonfire. Butnowit
refersto asmuchwider rangeof suicidal
choicessuchasleapingoff acliff, starvation,
or ritual removingof the guts(alsoknowas
seppuku).It isusedasaform of political
protest or martyrdom.
26. WidowsBurningAmong the Hindusin India
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• Sati,or the practice of self-immolation of a
widowonherhusband’s funeral pyre, is said
to haveoriginated 700yearsagoin India,
when the rajputwomen burnt themselvesto
deathafter their menweredefeatedin
battlesto avoid beingtakenbythe
conquerors.
27. The Inquisition
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•Inquisition refersto the RomanCatholic Church
groupschargedsubduingheresyfrom around 1
184,
whichincludesthe EpiscopalInquisition (1184-1230’s)
andthe PapalInquisition (1230’s).TheInquisition was
aresponseto largepopular movementsin Europe
consideredheretical or profane to Christianity,
particularly Catharism(aChristian dualistmovement
whichespousedthe ideaof two gods,onebeing good
andthe other evil).
28. TheGodhraTrain Incident in 2002
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• In February2002,atrain wassetonfire in which
59people,including 25womenand15children,
werekilled. Thefire happenedinsidethe
SabarmatiExpresstrain nearthe Godhrarailway
station in the Indian stateof Gujarat.Thosewho
diedinsidethe train weremostly Hindu pilgrims
andactivistsreturning from the holy city of
Ayodha after areligiousceremonyat the
disputedBabriMasjid site.
