Religion has been important in peoples’ lives for literally thousands of years and has shaped aspects of daily lives, including cultural, political, educational, and ethical. Indeed, religious beliefs and practices are dominant in almost every corner of the world; therefore are central to the way people live and how societies evolve. The article focuses on how religion influences the societies of the global community with regard to the provision of values and norms, power and authority, and fellowship.
The Foundation of Moral and Ethical Values
The role that religion plays in societies is probably best seen in the promotion of moral and ethical standards that are embraced in society. Christian persecution is a clear example of the war that arises out of moral and ethical values that result from religious approaches toward life. Christians can be discriminated against or even persecuted based on the fact they are a minority in the societies they live in, their spiritual belief undermining the cultural and, in some cases, legal values of the given society, thus exposing the issue of religious tolerance.
All religions give the feeling of what one should do or should not do as a member of that given religion. For instance, the law and commandments in Christianity and in the Old Testament, the five precepts of the Buddhist teachings, and the concept of Dharma in Hindu religion give out strict principles of conduct which people will act in accordance to.
Many of these religious beliefs then permeate a society’s culture especially in issues to do with legal systems and moral standards. From these values, most of the law is derived whereby religious teachings inform laws of marriage, crime or civil liberties.
Influence on Social and Cultural Traditions
This, of course, must include religious structures because these are also providers of social and cultural values. That’s why religious celebrations such as festivals, rituals, and customs are held in many countries, and people feel united and understand themselves as a culture.
For example, Christmas, Eid al/Fitr, Diwali, and Hanukkah, amongst others, are not only religious occasions and celebrations but also very cultural activities and religious practices that promote unity and identity.
Such festivities entail traditions that have been inherited through the generations in regard to such practices, hence cultural endowment and enhancement of unity. In addition, religious beliefs affect art, music, and literature as part of cultural endowment in a given society.
Impact on Education and Knowledge
Religion also plays a major role in Education as this sub-sector receives a sizable portion of its funding from religious institutions. Over the ages religious places have been citadels of learning, which act as storehouse of knowledge. Education in medieval Europe was provided mainly by monastic schools. Monastic schools were the first schools that developed in Medieval Europe, and many of the oldest universities in today’s world are religious ones, for example, Oxford and Al-Azhar universities.
Till now, religious schools and universities still help millions of students across the globe get educated. Not only that, these institutions provide Education to students but also teach the righteous path by shaping the next generation’s mind-set.
The Role in Governance and Politics
The role of religion in government and politics has been established ever since the concepts of why and how governments were created and how they operated. In some countries, religious leaders have a strong influence over the political as well as over the legal systems. For instance, in Iran, the form of government is theocracy, which means that the rulers are religious authorities, and Islamic law/information called Sharia laws the state.
Within Vatican City, the pope possesses both ecclesiastical and political power. In the secularist states, religion remains a barometer as far as political commentaries and decision-making processes are concerned, especially in the United States of America, where religious groups act as opinion makers when it comes to public policies on key issues such as abortion, marriage, and Education.
Promoting Social Unity and Division
On the one hand, religion can cement people together within a people group, and on the other, it can cause conflict between different groups of people. On the one hand, It creates loyalty and unity and creates a social identity to belong to a specific group of people. The worship places that include churches, mosques, and temples are social places that help in enhancing the relationship between people.
At the same time, several very important negative trends can be mentioned: religious differences may contribute to conflicts and divisions, especially in those areas of the world where representatives of different religions live. There are numerous examples of religious conflicts that were witnessed in history, including the crusades and some of the conflicts going on in the Middle East. These problems appear mainly in the case of religious struggles over power or where religion is a part of ethnicity or nationalism.
Conclusion
Religion has remained influential in determining the character and fabric of societies, even in contemporary societies. It impacts every part of a person’s life, including ethics and cultural beliefs, learning, leadership and governance, and interpersonal relationships. Surviving is, therefore, evidence that religion as a social, institutional force can actually direct peoples’ focus to more than just differences as it did for Falamoso in this case, but it can also cause conflict. Appreciation of the diverse roles of religion in society is very important, especially with the rising cases of extremism and intolerance in society today.
