Religion is a cultural system of behaviors, practices and ethics that is practiced by a group of people. Many different religious groups have developed over time and have a range of beliefs, practices and values. Some religions are more focused on social control than others, while others are more spiritual in nature.
Religion gives people a sense of identity and purpose in life. It also helps people feel a connection to tradition and a sense of community. It can help people cope with stress and anxiety, and it has been shown to increase health.
It provides a basis for morality and behaviors, and it can help people avoid some crimes and other problems. It may even help people live longer, healthier lives.
The major functions of religion are to give meaning and purpose to life, to reinforce social unity and stability, to serve as an agent of social control, and to promote physical and psychological well-being (Emerson, Monahan, & Mirola, 2011). It can also be used to encourage people to work for positive social change and for people to support each other.
These functions may be related to the belief in a higher power or in the existence of supernatural beings. Some religions are more focused on supernatural beings than others, and some cultures have a greater number of gods or spirits.
Sociological perspectives on religion aim to understand the functions that religion serves, the inequality and other problems it can reinforce and perpetuate, and the role that religion plays in our daily lives (Emerson, Monahan, and Mirola, 2011). These include:
Conflict perspective
The conflict perspective argues that religions promote inequality and social strife. It explains why some people do not have access to religious resources and why others are able to have them. It also explains why certain religions are more likely to lead to violence and other forms of social conflict than others.
Symbolic interactionist perspective
The symbolic interactionist perspective argues that religions are meaningful and important because they provide a basis for people to believe in something that gives them meaning. It explains why some religions have more followers than others and why some are more dominant in a society.
This perspective argues that a person’s view of religion is determined by how they interpret their experience of it and by what values they hold. It explains why people have such a strong sense of morality, and it explains why people choose religion.
Symbolic interactionists argue that the meaning of a religious symbol or practice is not always clear or predictable, and that many people have difficulty making decisions about their own beliefs and practices because they don’t know what they are supposed to do. They also argue that religions are not neutral and that some can be more beneficial than others.
These views of religion are often based on theories that have been used in the social sciences and humanities for centuries. They include those that reflect the views of Emile Durkheim and Paul Tillich, which emphasize the functions that religion serves for society, regardless of what specific religious beliefs a society favors. They also include those that reflect the views of other philosophers, such as Karl Marx and Jean-Paul Sartre, which emphasize that a belief in religion is a form of belief that has been constructed by social structures.