Question

For this discussion list at least 5 ways/actions you see religion providing social control in the everyday world? For each way/action explain why and whether or not you believe it is positive or negative.
Your response should be at least five 8-9 sentence paragraphs (1 paragraph per way/action).

Answer 1

All the religions of the world deem to increase the feelings of sacredness and devotion in a person and strive to bring human beings near to God. In all the cultures of the world, religion plays a very important part of life and is practiced by almost everyone, collectively. Religion does not confine itself to a human being but has a far wider reach and also has a profound effect on the society. Religion impacts the life of human beings and a society as a whole. Religion is the foundation of a society.

Religions are adhered to by many people and are powerful instruments for implementing social control in the everyday world. Religion is the tool by which human kind has managed to wield power over other human beings. The political leaders or rulers frame the laws and regulations of a society. But merely formulating these rules is not enough. The leaders expect the people to comply and obey these rules. Forcing people to accept and behave in accordance to the laws is possible, but only to some extent. The rulers do not want the people to break the laws. The police and the judicial system provide a solution to tackle the people who break the rules of the society. Punishment of this type deters some people from committing crime, but not all. Therefore, religion is brought into picture. People are made to believe that if they break the laws of the society they would be punished by God. As the religious people fear offending God and incurring his wrath, they are wary to break the rules of the society. This is a positive use of religion to control the society, as most of the people fear God more than any other form punishment. Thus, they are deterred to break the stipulated laws and it ensures safety in the society.

Religion serves as a moral guide and deters a person to indulge in illegal practices. The young people who practice any form of religion are less likely to get into trouble. The youth of today are exposed to lot of wealth, leisure and freedom. This prompts the youth to resort to many wrong deeds. There is a high incidence of pregnancy among teenage girls. This is due to the excessive freedom given to them. The teenagers also indulge in alcohol and drugs from a very tender age. The suicide rates among this age group is also on a rise. The youth who are inculcated deep religious and social values since childhood hesitate to get themselves into trouble. They have a sense of guilt and shame which the religious way of life inculcates in them. Thus, religion plays an important function of keeping the moral values of the young people intact. These youth are the future of a society and the religion helps to control them.

Religion also fosters gathering of people. The people who frequently visit religious places of worship develop a sense of kinship with the other people who are regulars to these place. The meeting of people in a common place increases a feeling of solidarity between them. There is a unity between these people who meet for a common cause of worshiping God. It increases the happiness quotient among people when they meet other people, rather than sitting at home and watching TV. These people then form groups to help the poor and underprivileged groups of the society. The people who are depressed or do not have friends find these religious places a solace as they get to meet so many people. Thus, the stress of the people is reduced when they indulge in conversation with others and confide in them. Everyone in the society starts knowing everyone and it reduces the inclination of the people to involve in wrong activities, due to the factor of shame. Thus, religion provides a positive development of harmony and peace in the society by gathering people together.

The family structure which in the past ideally consisted of a wedded couple and their children is on the brink of collapse now. The excessive liberation and increased intolerance has led to the deterioration of the concept of family. Many couples decide to live together without getting married. The divorce rates are also alarming. Remarriages subject the children to live and adapt to a new parent.. Single parenting is also on a rise. Children from such families are suffer endlessly due to the lack of a conventional family set-up. They also suffer from emotional and mental disorders in future life. The religious couples are less likely to divorce and try to adjust with their partners. The children in a religious family are stressed upon the importance of staying together. A family which stays together is a happy family and the children also are healthy, both mentally and physically. Religion instructs the unity of the family and discourages divorces and children born out of wedlock. The society which has a large number of divorced, unwed or single parents is acceptable nowadays, but is an unhappy society. Religion therefore, ensures control over the rise of several mutations of the traditional family system. But, sometimes the over rigid religious doctrines which are against divorces create a negative effect on the society. The couple who does not see eye to eye, but just stay together because their religion says so, quarrel constantly and as a result the children face the brunt of it. Unhappy families do not help to contribute to the society's happiness.

Religions promote belief and faith in people. The people who believe in God are more optimistic that God will take care of them. These people tend to be healthy both in body and mind. The healing power of God is supposed to cure many of their ailments. The children who belong to religious families have less emotional problems and mostly become law-abiding citizens of the future. These children have a positive attitude towards the world as they are taught the religious doctrines of peace, harmony and love towards other human beings. As a result, these children have an open outlook and are less likely to discriminate others on the basis of race or other factors. The religious children obey their parents and elders. The alcohol and drug abuse is also negligible among these children when they grow up. They are less likely to take part in crime or immoral activities. Fear of God rules the actions of this children. Thus, religion dominates the behavior and future of the children who believe in their religion. But, sometimes some children are so strictly inducted in the rigid religious practices that they fail to make a differentiation between being a religious person or becoming a fanatic. Some of these religious fanatics then grow into adulthood and transform into terrorists who are highly intolerant about other religions of the world and create destruction and disruption of peace in the world.