As a result of today’s lecture, independent task and tutorial, I have learned that religion can be sectioned in to three types – established religion, sects and cults. Each of these share certain characteristics, allowing them to fall into the same category, although they also display differing levels of extremity and different ways of organisation. I have also learned that there are many different definitions of religion, depending on which angle one looks at it from. However, there are commonalities between all religions and Bourdillion believes that they are composed of the way people see things and symbols. As I am viewing religion from a sociologists point of view, it would have been recommended by Ninian Smart that I should adopt the scholary approach.
Furthermore, I have learned that religion has many purposes and through discussion of the opportunities and challenges of religious diversity in the tutorial, I have found that this is a very powerful part of today’s society. Potentially creating a more accepting and peaceful culture as by allowing our children to grow up in a religiously diverse society, we are allowing them exposure to, and possibly experience of, different religious practices and lifestyles, therefore helping to eradicate the fear of the unkown. In addition, in many cases it may lead to people finding their own sense of identity within a different religion to that which they were originally brought up to be. As well as this, I learned that religion provides order within society. This provides a clear example of how lifestyle impacts on society as it is ultimately our beliefs which guide us towards the decisions we make. Meaning that those who follow a religion, should follow the teachings of that religion and this will impact their actions. It can also be said that through these teachings there are requirements, sometimes in the form of rituals. These rituals can have an impact on our society as those who go through with them, or do not go through with them, will either fit in to the society within their religion or not and this will affect them phsycologically.
I mostly understand the main concepts and issues of the topics and areas I have learnt today as I am now able to see the vast complexity of the definition of religion and its purposes within society. I can also see that religion and society have been connected since the creation of whichever one came first, and affect each other in both positive and negative ways. Many Marxists could be argued to believe that religion has always been used to control people and to deceive them into a false sense of contentment and safety as all will be solved by God, hiding them from political unfairness.
However, I am struggling to understand Bruce Lincoln’s belief about culture and religion providing a site for negotiations for power and privilege in society and the ‘hegemonic struggle’. To develop my understanding of this, I will find his book ‘Discourse and the Construction of Society’ and I will read more about this particular term and topic and will hopefully find further explaination. I also need to read more on the theorists that we looked at today, I have began to read about Bourdillion. I will continue to do this before next weeks class as well as reading about Bronislaw Malinowski and Emile Durkheim.
