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BELIEFS IN SOCIETY (NEO MARXISM AND RELIGION (Believe that religion can be…

- - - - Comte believed that societies evolve and always progress through 3 stages
        In each stage there is a different way of explaining the world
        Stage 1: theological
        Explanations are based on gods and religion
        In Greek mythology the sun rises every morning because Apollo the sun god rides his chariot across the sky
        Stage 2 : metaphysical
        Explanations based on ideas and concepts
        The French revolution fought for a society based on liberty and equality
        Stage 3 : positivist
        Explanations are based on science and scientific experiments
        Religion will disappear as it is replaced by science
      - Comte believed sociology was scientific: it consisted of gathering information, classifying data and drawing conclusions about the SOCIAL LAWS governing human society.
  - - - Believed that scientists tried to PROVE rather than FALSIFY their theory.
        For example, Darwin’s theory of evolution and the survival of the fittest was not supported by all the evidence. He therefore missed the opportunity to falsify his theory. He therefore claimed that scientific knowledge was, at least in part, socially constructed.
      - KUHN
        
        Kuhn believed that scientists, work in a paradigm [a framework of accepted ideas in which they operate, it could include ideas on truth, validity and methodology] and attempt to find evidence to support the paradigm. This continues until anomalies are so strong as to trigger a scientific revolution. At this point, a new ‘normal science paradigm’ is established and the process begins again.
        
        For example, the belief that the world was flat was only disproved when the scientific evidence could no longer be ignored
        
        when many inexplicable anomalies are found, a scientific revolution (paradigm shift) takes place, when the paradigm is replaced by a new one - this suggests that knowledge or the truth changes as paradigms change
        
        paradigm shifts take place when theories in normal science, such as the idea that the MMR jab is totally safe, are challenged by revolutionary scientists such as Andrew Wakefield, who argued that it causes autism - Wakefield made up his results and the paradigm shifted again
        
        sociology then behaves like it is in the 'pre-sciences' stage, where there is no dominant perspective and there are lots of competing theories and perspectives
        
        it is totally valid to refer to sociology as a young science that still needs to find its unifying theory
- - - - Feminists believe PATRIARCHAL ideology keeps women oppressed. They also believe that their own theory [feminism] is a potentially liberating set of beliefs.
        
        FEMINISM AND RELIGION
        
        Highlights the patriarchal nature of religion
        
        Women have an important role in religion, but only as a caregiver: Women are supposed to raise her children to believe in and worship God.
        Many religions see women as potential distractions from worship, so deny men access to them e.g. priests in the Roman Catholic Church have to be celibate.
        Religions have traditionally seen women as temptresses e.g. Eve and the apple, Bathsheba seducing King David and Jezebel as a ‘fallen’ woman
        Women are excluded from power in many religions
        Feminists say that religious texts transmit stories that reflect and uphold a patriarchal society.
        This patriarchal ideology says women are part of the profane and imperfect, and maintains conformity and the submission of women
        
        De Beauvoir
        
        saw religion as exploitative and oppressive towards women. She believed religion duped women into believing they were equal when they weren’t and that religion promotes the idea of women being rewarded for their suffering with equality in heaven which encourages women to put up with exploitation with the hope of future rewards.
        
        HOLM
        
        believes many contemporary religions exploit and subordinate women and give men dominant roles.
    - - MARX believed that if the workers realised this, they would revolt
      - Ideology creates a FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS for the workers, as they are conditioned to believe that their situation is their fault and is justified
      - For MARX, the function of ideology is to maintain a FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS, to stop the working classes revolting
        
        For MARX, only the ruling class have an ideology, as only they have a need to create illusions
        
        MARXISM AND RELIGION
        
        Religion is a NEGATIVE institution in society, as it helps oppress the workers and prevents social change.
        
        According to MARX, in capitalist society the ruling class EXPLOIT the working class in order to get more profit. The working class should overthrow the ruling class to make their situation better, however they are not aware of how unfair capitalist society is
        
        Marx believes that religion keeps the working class in a state of false consciousness. He says “religion is the opium of the people” which means that it dulls the pain of oppression like a drug, but it doesn’t take the oppression away.
        
        Lennin later adds to this, suggesting that religion is a 'spiritual gin'
        
        OVERVIEW :
        
        Marxism says religion passes on beliefs that oppress the working class-it is a conservative force that prevents revolution and keeps things the same. It is a form of social control which keeps the rich rich and the poor poor.
        
        MARX believes that religion JUSTIFIES inequality :
        
        People are given the prospect of the afterlife to look forward to if they are good, so they don’t break the rules and don’t challenge the system.
        Religion consoles people with the promise of eternal life after death, so they put up with a life of suffering on earth
        Religion tells people that their position is decided by God. This encourages false consciousness as it blames God instead of blaming capitalism
        Religion creates the idea that God is all powerful, therefore he could do something about the situation instead of letting people suffer- this makes people think that this is the way society is meant to be
- - - - Globalisation has caused the breakdown of old explanations of the world that attempted to explain everything in one theory
      - Meta narratives
        Sociological theories (such as Marxism)
        Political theories and ideology
        Traditional religious beliefs
        All meta narratives are equally as irrelevant in the postmodern world
- - - - studied Aboriginal societies and found that the worship of totems was the same as worshipping society itself. For Durkheim religious worship encourages shared values
    - - believes religion helps people cope with emotional stress that threatens social order. Unpredictable events like births or deaths create disruption. Religion manages these tensions and recreates stability.
    - - wrote in the 1930’s/40’s that through the process of structural differentiation, religion has lost functions to more specialised institutions. It is left with ‘pure functions’ of helping integrate people into society and providing meanings for life events.
        
        BELLAH
        
        Answers criticisms of traditional functionalist belief by studying modern society. Believes in the idea of American civil religion - that people within the multi-cultural, diverse background share a mutual love of patriotism and worship American values and figureheads with the same devotion and respect as religious figures