Religion is an impersonal force that establishes a collective conscience and a source of moral guidance in societies. It is also the “glue” that holds a society together. Its impact on society is extensive, as it has inspired many works of art, poetry, and literature. Moreover, it has greatly impacted the way people dress, celebrate holidays, and conduct burial rituals.
Religion is an impersonal force
While it is true that many people believe in God, the religiously unaffiliated often argue that God is an impersonal force. This force, also known as the Holy Spirit, shares many characteristics with a personal god, but isn’t as close as a human being. Examples of impersonal forces include gravity and energy. Gravity is the force that pulls objects to the ground as they enter a room, while energy is a force that moves things around the room.
Religion is a belief system that establishes collective conscience
The collective conscience is a system of beliefs shared by a society. According to the philosopher Emile Durkheim, an act is a crime if it offends the collective conscience of a group. The public condemns an act that offends this collective conscience. According to Durkheim, all crimes originate in the collective conscience.
Religion is a “glue” that holds society together
Historically, the concept of religion has been seen as a “glue” that keeps society together. This definition is based on Emile Durkheim’s work with aboriginals of Australia, who practiced totemism, or the belief in a single sacred animal or object. He believed that totemism was the original form of religion.
Religion is a source of moral guidance
The relationship between religion and morals involves the relationship between religious views and the way people behave. Many religious systems have value frameworks that guide adherents in deciding what is right and wrong. These frameworks may be found in holy books or oral traditions and are often interpreted by religious leaders. While many religious systems have some shared tenets with secular value frameworks, others are distinctive.
Religion is a source of reincarnation beliefs
Many religions hold beliefs in reincarnation. Hinduism is a prominent example. It holds that after death, the soul will merge with God. Other religions, such as Christianity, hold similar beliefs.
Religion is a source of sacrifice
Human sacrifice has many origins, and a variety of interpretations of this concept have emerged through history. The idea of giving one’s life was an early form of ritual sacrifice, and was a way for humans to draw near to their gods. In the Hebrew Bible, Abraham explicitly denounced the idea of sacrificing a human being for the purpose of eating its flesh. The Hebrew word for sacrifice, korban, means to draw near. While the idea of sacrifice has many definitions, it can be best understood as an attempt to confront human nature’s longing for knowledge.
Religion is a source of violence
Some people believe that religion is a major cause of violence. However, this is not always true. Many conflicts are fueled by an effort to obtain or maintain a scarce resource. The scarce resource theory is an important framework for understanding conflicts of all scales, including religion. In religious conflicts, combatants are fighting over a resource whose existence is based on belief. For example, “eternal life” cannot be proven to exist, but many people are willing to die to achieve it.