Assess the Functionalist View That Religion Benefits Both Society as a Whole and Its Individual Members.

Item A suggests that dishalists believe righteousness helps to integrate individuals into a comm union by instilling into them a set of shared out beliefs that gives them a feeling a belonging and a park area identity. This helps society to cooperate harmoniously creating affable cohesiveness as people believe in the same intimacy and any abide by the same rules. While conform to religious beliefs this allows us to gain morals, as well as bighearted us a variety of cultures allowing us to digest and assent different pietisms. Functionalists see religion as a exacting aspect to society. Durkheim argues that religion functions to reinforce the corporate unity or social solidarity of a group. He says all societies destine the man into the sacred and the profane. His view on sacred symbols represents societys collective sense which is the shared norms, values beliefs and knowledge that make social feel possible without such consciousness it would crumble. While combat-ready in shared rituals binds individuals together reminding them that they are a demote of a community. The individual sees religion performing a evidentiary function allowing them to feel apart of society and seeing that religion strengthens us to face lifes trials and motivates us to overcome obstacles that would otherwise overcome us.

Durkheim employ the religion of Aborigines to develop his argument. He calls their religion totemism, as apiece clan of aborigines had a sacred symbol called a totem which was a symbol of their gods and of their society. Therefore, he argues the people are rattling worshipping society. However, Durkheims summary has been criticised as he only looked at undersized pre-industrial societi! es so his views do not apply to complex neo societies. in like manner he fails to account for the development of new religions some of which stand the norms and values current at the time, for example the Amish. Like Durkheim Malinowski sees religion as reinforcing social norms and promoting social...If you expect to get a fully essay, order it on our website: OrderEssay.net

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