Chapter 3.2 - Social Functions of Religion

Many people believe that religion occurs only in the church, temple, or other spiritual places of gathering. They see religion and society as complete separate entities. While this view may appear correct on the surface, a closer look at religion and society reveals that the two are not separate at all, but intricately interconnected and codependent. In reality, religion is inherent within many aspects of society, and religious beliefs inevitably affect areas such as politics, economics, and cultural values. The role of religion in human society can be explained in two ways, one is positive and the other is negative. Now we discuss them.

3.2.1 Positive Functions of Religion:

Durkheim believed that the primary function of religion was to preserve and solidify society. It functions to reinforce the collective unity or social solidarity of a group. Sharing the same religion or religious interpretation of the meaning of life unites people in a cohesive and building moral order. The social cohesion is developed through rituals such as reciting prayer in the honor of God, institutions of worship (church, temple, mosque, etc.), performing Namaz, and multitudes of observances and ceremonies practiced by different groups. The unifying rituals of different faiths are also observed by individuals on the most significant occasions such as birth, marriage and death. This integrative function of religion was particularly apparent in traditional, pre-industrial societies. The following are some integrating function of religion in society.

(i) Religion and Service-

Religion manifested itself in man’s social tendency. Human beings learned to love each other in the form of children of the same father. Finding God potent in everybody the devotees sacrificed their lives for the Divine power that is in the form of society. With regard to many saints, it is related that they licked the wounds of leper to clean it because they were serving God manifested in the form of the lepers. In the Gita, the worshipper of God has been ordered to engage in the service of all living beings. Love and service are accorded considerable importance in the Christian religion also. Christ served the poor, convalescing and sorrowing people throughout his life which culminated in his crucification. Islamic religion has encouraged the tendency of brotherhood. Buddhist religion has preached non-violence, compassion and sympathy. Similarly, even in tribal religions, the people recognizing the same totem or God were well organized. Religion has always generated a sense of belongingness in society.

(ii)Religion and Education-

Religion has served humanity through the spreading of education. In almost all places of in the world, the spread of education has had an important place in all religious institutions. Priest in Christian churches and their contemporaries in Islamic mosques, Hindu temples and Buddhists monasteries, have long been engaged in the spreading of education. Religion also caused encouragement in higher education. While Nalanda, Taxila were the centers of Buddhist religion, they were at the same time the bases of knowledge and consummate mastery. Me of different communities made serious attempts to spread education among the members of their community.

(iii) Religion and Benevolence-

There has been a tradition of medical service in society in the name of religion. The fundamental reason for such a move is that the religious persons treat the service of the helpless and ill as a part of his worship to God. In order to stock up virtue and due to a feeling for service, it is a tradition among rich peoples to open hospitals, distribute medicines, cloths etc. An important aspect of the daily life of saints is service.

(iv) Religion and Alms-giving-

To religion is conjoined alms-giving. Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hindu and all other religions have accepted the importance of almsgiving. In Hindu religion, a person who consumes without giving alms is thieving. Given in Isla, it is a religious constitution to give as alms a part of one’s income. The purpose of alms was the economic assistance to the poor members of society. It prevented inequality in society and maintained the balance. Even today one comes across peoples indulging in such activities of distributing clothes, foods etc. Some people even go to the extent of giving everything in the name of religion.

(v) Religion and Forbearance-

All religions of the world have emphasized sacrifice and forbearance. Christ said that ‘if a person begs you for your cloak give him your coat as well and if slapped on one cheek, present the other.’ This religious tolerance is in evidence from Christ to Martin Luther, Buddha to Asoka, and from ancient Indian saints to Gandhi.

(vi) Religion and Non-violence-

All the founders and seers of the religions have preached love and non-violence. Jains and Buddhists treated non-violence as the supreme duty. Mohammed Himself suffered many kinds of cruelty. Even when Christ was mounting the cross, he begged God to forgive those who were responsible for this gross misdeed.

3.2.2 Negative Impact of Religion on society:

But all the good activities in the name of religion in society do not imply that immoral acts have not been done under a religious pretext. The human society has been harmed as it has been assisted by religion and consequently some people want to eradicate the name of religion from society. One can see the following things on the subject-

(i) Dogmatism-

Religion has been the basis of dogmatism. Fearing God and the next world, religious peoples do not have the courage to break ancient traditions and customs. In this way religion has become the most serious obstacle to negation of child marriage, widow remarriage etc. These cases are specially seen in India. Thus in India religion has handicapped social progress.

(ii) Exploitation-

In this way, women have been mercilessly exploited in the name of religion in human history. The religious scholars have stripped her of all rights and made her the slave of men. The principle of Karma prevented the poor and injured from revolting against exploitation.

(iii) Laziness and fatalism-

Religion encouraged fatalism and people became addicted to laziness. Even today, thousands of men in different religions live a parasitic life, a burden to society, on religious pretensions. In India, thousands of people garbed as sages live a lazy life, becoming a burden to society.

(iv) Violence and war-

Bloody wars have been fought for centuries both in the East and the West on the same pretext. The pages of human history are cluttered with accounts of the bloodsheds of the crusades and the jihads. People belonging to different religions feel that their religion is superior. They even try to impose their religious practices on others which would lead to conflict situations. In Europe alone, many peoples were burnt alive in the name of religion. The same event is seen in some Asian countries in the recent past. In this way, religion was responsible for currents of hatred and despising which pulsate in society.

But even after these defects religion can not be deported from society. Religion can not be irrevocably condemned for their sake because similar deeds have been done in the name of politics, science, race, country and state. Whenever any ideal and thought are transformed into institutions in society their life-energy becomes petrified as it gets entangled in external limitations and this culminates in the body being worshipped instead of the soul. All defects attributed to religion are the defects of religionism. Religionism is as false and harmful as racism, casteism, groupism and narrow nationalism.