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Beliefs in society - Coggle Diagram
Beliefs in society
Function of Religion
Functionalists:
Durkheim- 'The Sacred and the Profane' - all societies create scared objects and these objects serve to symbolise societys shared beliefs, values, this is what he calls the collective consciousness.
- Unrepresentative- small number of illiterate aboriginal groups which were not typical of other tribes. + Universal- can be applied to all religious groups + Supporting evidence from Aborigines (used totems)
Malinowski- suggests that there is 2 functions of religion within society. 1) Helps the individual deal with life crises. 2) To deal with anxiety that is created by events over which people have little control through the use of ritual.
- supporting evidence- Triobriand Islanders- found evidence of rituals were commonly used to deal with life crisis such as marriages, puberty and funerals.
Parsons (1965)- suggests that 1) religion provides the core norms for society.
2) strengthens social solidatriy by neutralizing threats.
+Parsons ideas is that there is anecdotal evidence from all major religions to show they provide the core values in society.
- Universal/ flexible that can be applied to most religions.
- Conflict- dont account for conflict that religion causes and the potential it has to disrupt scoiety.
Bellah (1967) Civil religion in America- Religion and nationality are interwined. They have respect for sacred things that are an established part of American society although in themselves these are not actually religious.
- Generalisable- civil religions may well exist in other cultures.
Marxists:
Marx- formed capitalist ideology, reinforces fall class consciouness; it ensures that the proletariat see capitalism as inevitable and unchallengeable. Religion hides class conflict.
- Evidence to support the idea that those in power use religion as an ideological tool.
- Slavery- slave golders converted slaves to christianity as it and gosel music promises salvation.
- Religion can challegnge inequality- Marx says religion should kep society the same, however can sometimes be a catalyst for change.
'Opium of the people' like the drug opium distorts reality and dulls pain.
1) it compensates the proletariat for their exploitation, oppression and suffering.
2) it reproduces and legtimises the capitalist class system.
Neo-Marxism- ideological state apparatus, control the working class by ideas and not by force. Riches ideas dominate cultural hegemony, the w/c do not revolt.
Feminism:
Believe the religion is patriarchal, a tool with which men justify their oppression of women.
Holm: scriptures contain subordiantion of women. Women are also barred as clergy.
Patraiarchal religious practices.
Simone de Beavouir-
all major figures in the bible are male.
Woen are compensated for suffering- more likely to go to heaven.
Women are clsoer to God- nurturing.
Saawadi- negative marriage and divorce policies.
Eve as committing orginal sin.
Postmoderism- Decline in metanarratvies, believing nwithout belogining.
Consumption- spirtiual supermarket, hybridity, disneyfication.
Social groups
Gender-
Feminism= women oppressed in relgion. Women are more relgious: stronger committment.
Why? Caregivers, socialisation, gender roles, self improvement.
Decline: fertility, feminist views, pain employment.
Social class-
Marxism= opium of the people.
Religion has 2 functions: Reproduce the class system and compensate proletariat for oppression and suffering.
Secularisation seen as evidence of proletariat gaining class consciousness against capitalism.
Sects- bottom class system
Ruling class were religious, however, some say M/C are belonging w/o believing.
Age-
Over 65 attend church.
Below 15 high participation.
15-44 lowest participation.
Why? Elderly- sopcialisation, deprived, life crisis.
Young- secularisation, decline in RE.
Ethnicity- Ethnic minortieis are more likely to be religous than white.
Why? Immigration, shield against racism. deprivation
Conflict- Dress codes, food taboos, muslim extremists, forced marriage.
Belief systems
Open belief system= Open to scrutiny, criticism and testing by others.
Closed belief system= Religion cannot be overturned or disproved.
Popper- science is governed by the principle of falsification.
Science- Religion is nopw being replaced by science- as it can be proved and hypothesis testing can be used. More rational ideas.
Berger- all religion and science are both socially cpnstructed. Science must rquire some faith as cannot be 100% proven.
Knorr-Centina- scince is constructed facts.
Kuhns Paradigms- science is socially constructed, theories become accepted as scientific.
Postmoderity- Giddens- science cannot provide all answers.
Beck- increased risk has led to superstition.
Lyotard- science as a metanarrative has been overturned.
Ideology- Marxism- religion creates false class consciousness.
Neo-Marxism- Gramsci- cultural hegemony- dominance of one belief- ruling class convince the lower class that society is right and fair.
Feminism- men benefit from religion.
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Secularisation
Yes it is happening!
Decline in the power of the church- Ruins have been made into restaurants- decline in joining the clergy, less poltical influence, replaced by media.
The decline in religious beliefs- Wlison- once preoccupied with supernatural
Bruce- scientific thinking replace religious thinking.
Decline in relgious practices-
Brierly- 28% practicing population dropped to 10% in 2015.
Wilson- Census 2011 shows 4 mil fewer christian than in 2001.
Growth of NRMS- Wilson- only superficially religious.
Bruce- NRMS are only significant to a minorty of people.
No it is not happening!
Did the church even have power? Only the ruling class followed religion- no evidence that lower classes followed religon.
Ethnic minortiy participation- Increased participation from Muslims (immigration).
NRMS and fundamentalism increase.
Religion has just changed- Spiritual revolution thesis- Increased spirituality. NAMS etc.
Problem with measurement- Not a global trend- Christian and Islamic fundamentalism on the rise- Religious Market theory- existential security theory- survivial is secure so religion ius taken for granted.
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