Religion and Its Functions in Society

Introduction Religion in some form or the other has been with man for long. It is one of those few characteristics and activities of man which are independent of his animal nature. It has sprouted out of his mind, in response to his felt needs, external and internal. To trace its origin is impossible, and to define it is no less. It is evolutionary in character. Most of the definitions of religion oscillate round the concept of the super human; belief and practice; rituals and rites.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Its Functions in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Every society possesses some conceptions of a supernatural order of spirits, gods or impersonal forces. These forces are different from and in some sense superior to those forces conceived as covering ordinary â€Å"natural† events and their nature and activities somehow give meaning to the usual, the frustrating and the rati onally impracticable aspects of experience. They are attributed in part at least to its agency, and the men devoted an important part of their time and resources for regulating their relations with this order as they conceive it. Analysis of Religion Religion seeks to interpret and control man’s relations with the forces of his physical and social environment. These forces are thought to be under the control of some supernatural power. The attempt to interpret man’s relations to these forces led to several forms of religions like superstition, animism, totemism, magic, ceremonialism and fetishism. Function of Religion Religion can serve certain functions in society including acting as the social cement that binds society together and suppresses conflict between social groups. It can be used as a form of social control. It is a source of legitimacy for society and its institutions. It is a source of identity. It provides a means for emotional expression and dealing with the difficulties of life. It also provides an explanation for the existence of the physical universe and how it functions. How has religion influenced politics? Religion and politics are dimensions of human experience engaged in a meaningful exercise of power. Both are patterns of power, dynamic processes of action and interaction, and systems of power relations that reinforce the general distribution of power within any society. One of the prominent scholars in the area of religion and politics asserts that, â€Å"Religion is concerned with the systemic ordering of different kinds of power, particularly those seen as significantly beneficial or dangerous.† In other words, religion is the way human being orient themselves to the multitude of powers that impinge upon their lives.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another author, Firth Raymond, agrees that, â€Å"Religio ns are basically concerned with problems of meaning and power,† (21) furthermore, religion alone is not sufficient as a single variable to explain [political] conflict in any given state. Hence, religion is an element in the conflict between ethnic language groups. Ronald L. Johnstone further explains that ethnicity and ethnically based action are determined by political, economic, and cultural factors, (Ronald 2007) although the factors vary in importance according to specific historical and contextual conditions. The interplay of religion and politics is often described as a volatile mix; and political scientists and politician have long insisted that these two entities should remain separated from each other. Religion has had varied effects on embedded cultural and political assumptions, with regards to policy and political decision-making. Some of these effects have contributed to the emergence of norms and values that assist in the maintenance of peace and order within th e West, while others have influenced the emergence of cultural behaviors and assumptions that several social commentators claim have has a destructive influence on the environment and on the health and well-being of communities and individuals. The relationships of religion to politics are complex and paradoxical. Both try to secure power. Yet they are different in the aims and values set on power. The basic power envisaged in religion, whether immanent or transcendental, is of another quality from another world. Both politics and religion imply awareness of social relationship and emphasize integration. Politics is focused on the relationship between men, whereas religion is focused on the relationship of men with gods or spiritual beings. Both use calculation and appeal to emotion, but religion is grounded in revelation whereas politics tries to keep within the bounds of reason. In hierarchy of social activities, religion stands at a peak of evaluation, while politics may have a l ow rate in the scale of public esteem. What is religious fundamentalism? Fundamentalism occurs in all the world’s major religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. It is a very powerful force in the world affairs today. It occupies a position not dissimilar to that occupied by Marxism in the twentieth century. Like Marxism, it is not only a belief system but also a plan of action to transform humanity (Scott Jones1). In addition, the plan in question sometimes involves the use of extreme violence, exercised not only within but also across state boundaries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Its Functions in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Religious fundamentalism has become a subject of teaching and research. In North America, the events of 9/11 have added a sense of urgency to what otherwise would have remained a part of the sober study of comparative reli gion. Whether we like it or not, after 9/11, religious fundamentalism has become an issue of national security as well (Scott Jones 9). Fundamentalism can be defined as the creation, the categorial result, of modern ideological structures that have generated the concept in the process of interpreting and making sense of a much wider realm of social realities (Scott Jones10). From this point, the term â€Å"Religious fundamentalism† refers to extremism and politicization in all varieties of religion. Increasingly, fundamentalism has become a pejorative label, often used synonymously with terrorism (Scott Jones18). Works Cited Firth, Raymond. Religià ³n: A Humanist Interpretation. New York, NY: Routledge, 1996. Print. Ronald Johnstone L. Religion in Society, A Sociology of Religion, eighth edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, 2007. Print. Scott Jones, Julie. Being the Chosen: Exploring a Christian Fundamentalist Worldview. Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing , Ltd. 2010. Print. This essay on Religion and Its Functions in Society was written and submitted by user Bast10n to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Soviet Socialist Leader essays

The Soviet Socialist Leader essays Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov, more popularly known as Lenin, is arguably the greatest leader in Russian and Soviet Union History. Lenin inspired and led the Bolshevik (Communist) Revolution of 1917, and was the architect and first head of the recently dismantled United Soviet Socialist Republic. I would also argue that the Bolshevik Revolution is the most significant political event of the 20th century, and Lenin must for good or ill be regarded as the century's most significant political leader. Not only in the scholarly circles of the former Soviet Union but even among many non-Communist scholars, he has been regarded as both the greatest revolutionary leader and revolutionary statesman in history, as well as the greatest revolutionary thinker since Lenins considerable leadership power stemmed primarily from his visions and the passionate manners in which he conveyed them. This was never more evident than during the Communist Revolution. Lenin did not have a great military mind, nor his generals and advisors, and thus he created some of the more serious military blunders of the century. However, Lenin was able to continually inspire the Bolshevik army despite their many defeats. Outnumbered, outgunned, starving, freezing, and exhausted, Lenins motivated army defeated the Mensheviks in 1918 and seized Adding to the amazement of his leadership ability, Lenin controlled the Bolshevik revolution from another country. Lenin fled to Switzerland for the greater portion of the 1917 Revolution to escape possible capture and execution. While in Switzerland, he authored many idealist works, including Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism (1916). In this book, Lenin argued that the world war was an inevitable outcome of Western capitalism and imperialism, whereby the capitalist states of Europe had come to rely upon aggressive foreign expansi ...

Causes of changes in wheat prices

Causes of changes in wheat prices Since the summer of 2010, we have seen the price of wheat significantly increasing. In this essay I will outline the possible reasons why wheat prices have shot up in recent months and also introduce methods of intervention that can be used to try and contain the price rises. This year has seen irregular weather patterns considerably affecting harvests in many major wheat producing countries. This has in fact manufactured the recent spike in wheat prices across the globe. Russia’s harvest has been the most significantly affected by the weather. During the summer, Russia and the Ukraine had been experiencing severe droughts and wildfires which have prevented the growth of crops, also destroying a third of their produced wheat. As a consequence, Russia announced a ban on all exports of their grain from the 15th August – end of December, which was then extended into 2011. After the failure of the Russian harvest alone wheat prices shot up by 20% alone, illustrating a rest riction in supply of the grain. After this announcement the US Department of agriculture cut its projections for the next year’s world production of wheat by 15.3m tonnes to 645.7m tonnes. However, it is important to note that wheat stocks are higher still than crisis levels witnessed in 2007-08. This projection and halted production have caused wheat prices to increase on the future markets to their highest levels since the last crisis. Canada, the 2nd largest wheat exporter in the world has been severely affected by heavy rains which have prevented farmers planting seeds and also destroying hectares of land, considerably damaging next year’s harvest. India, the 2nd largest wheat producer, was hit by severe monsoon rains in August which heavily affected their wheat storage. They had insufficient storage, causing around 10m tonnes of wheat to be at risk of rotting due to it being exposed to the rain. Also, Egypt, Serbia, Australia and Pakistan have been hit by major fl oods which have destroyed up to a fifth of the countries crops, reducing supply further and aiding the price increases. The combined effect of these weather disasters is shown in the diagram below: The diagram shows that supply has fallen from S1-S2. This has reduced output from Q1-Q2 and increased the price from P1-P2. Here you can see that the change in price is considerably larger than the change in output. This is due to the fact that wheat is a necessity and therefore is price inelastic, which is represented by the inelastic demand curve. This means that with a reduction in the supply of wheat, even if it is below crisis levels seen in 2007-08, there will be a large increase in price. Another reason why prices have been rising lately is because of the rapidly increasing global population. The global population is rising so fast because emerging countries have the fastest increasing population rates. Many emerging countries are becoming wealthier meaning that demand for grains i s increasing faster than the population. However, it may be argued that recent spike in wheat prices has been caused by uncertainty in the market and panic buying, as a result of export restrictions and a fall in supplies. It may also be argued that recent price rises have been exaggerated due to ‘Speculators’. These are investors who purchase wheat on the commodities markets expecting further price rises and are compressing supply whilst making profits from doing so. This results in short term increases in the price of wheat, which is what we have witnessed in recent months.

Election Program Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Election Program - Case Study Example Any good candidate would. However Edwards is "is running for president to build One America" ( http://johnedwards.com/issues) and with an issued that is so likely to divide American, I think it would be a tough issue for him to decide one. And rightly so. The problems in American are huge. Especially with the buyer of the airport being from the Middle East, the situation becomes even more complex. There are still many Americans today who hold out racial hatred against any people from that region, and I can see already the protests coming from such people about selling over the airport to them. Especially sense the American concern for air security is already so high; I think many problems would come from the selling of the airport. However, the poll numbers show that 59 percent of people support the idea, and Edwards is a man of the people after all. In theory, it would be best for Edwards to support the idea on the campaign trail. This could work in his favor, as it would bring 59 percent of the public opinion under his belt, and it would work great for his every man image, and his idea of standing up to the old corrupt government as a person of the people. On Edward's own site is a quote about his ideas for the power of public government: ""With his One Democracy Initiative, Edwards has demonstrated that he will take on the dominance of corporate lobbyists to be the leader of something we lack today in Washington: a powerful 'lobby for the public good.' His vision for government reform, like many other issues, is charting a way to reclaim the soul and values of our party and of the country" ( http://johnedwards.com/issues/govt-reform), and his support of this plan would only straighten this platform of his. Problems further arise with the issue of this plan getting through the House and the Senate. If Edwards supports the plan and upsets his own party to much, he could loose the nomination. If he upsets the other side to much, he could find it very difficult to work with the House and the Senate if and when he becomes President. However, it would look really good to all the people of American if Edwards stood up to the House and the Senate on the platform that a majority of people support this bill, and that he did as well, further rallying his cause as a president for the people. Running for President, Edward also had to keep in mind the other half of Americans that don't support the idea as well. Maybe it wouldn't be the best bet for Edwards to come out and publicly support this idea, as it could cost him almost 50 percent of the popular vote on the election. And in a crucial election like this, every and any vote counts, and losing that much popular opinion might not work in his favor. It would be a tough decision for anyone to make, however I believe it would be in Edwards best interest to support the popular opinion and support the plan. This way, he can further build upon his platform as a people's man, and can also stand up to the government, which would really rally the people to his cause. It might upset some people on the other side however, and that is to be taken into consideration, but I feel that it would do more positive for his Presidential campaign that it would do to hurt it. It

Advertising principles and strategy Research Paper

Advertising principles and strategy - Research Paper Example This paper explores print advertisements for motor homes, caravans, and camping. In the exploration, the paper compares five different advertisements for the similar product in terms of research into the product, its competition, target audience, and relevance of presenting product and brand to their audience. Moreover, the paper would analyze each chosen advertisement by looking at the relevant of the idea of sustainability. The five advertisements identified in this paper would be analyzed and critiqued through their strategies by using the Bernbach’s ROI model. This model devotes itself to maintaining high standards of an advertisement (Horn 2006, p. 4). The print adverts explored in this paper are the caravan world magazine, the caravan world yearbook, camper trailer Australia, caravanning and motorhome magazine, and caravanning Australia magazine. Each of these print adverts has specific characteristics that distinguish it from the others. 2. Analysis a. Winnebago caravan This advert promotes caravans made by this company that could be used for hiking. The target audience of the advert is the group of individuals aged between 25 years and 50 years especially those with small kids. It does this through the notion of caravan parking at any place where the children and adults can have fun. For an advert to be effective, it has to be relevant to the target audience. The message in the advert is very relevant to the target audience. This is because it informs the audience on the strength of the product, which is the ability to be conveniently parked at any place. The advert has an inter mix of colors and natural features. According to Besser (2005, p. 3), pictures of natural features and other attractive sites unfolds unique history that can result to a distinguished form of attractiveness. However, attractiveness of features depends on the target audience. The color and features used in this advert is very relevant to the target audience. This is becaus e the group of people with the age bracket of 25 years and 50 years are highly attracted by colors and natural features. However, the advert fails in terms of originality and sustainability. The advert contains several features, varied groups of individuals, various font types, and a company logo. This makes the advert to be somehow confusing thus unsustainable and unoriginal despite its uniqueness. Moreover, it is large with a lot of words and statements. This makes the advert not to be memorable among the target audience despite have a message that resonates with the target audience. However, the advert is visually arresting due to its multi-featured and multi-colored nature. The advert can change the way consumers view the product although its impact is greatly hindered by unclearness. b. Winnebago tent This advert advertises a tent that can be used for adventurous camping. According to Consterdine (2005, p. 6), the essential strength of print media especially magazines in advert isement it the way readers chose and use the information they obtain. The target audience for the advert is the population of men and women aged between 18 years and 40 years through the notion of river bank camping. Information provided by the advert is somehow relevant to the target audience. However, the pictures on the advert and the colors used in the advert are ambiguous and not clear. It is somehow difficult for an individual in the target audien

Classical Theory Essay Example for Free

Classical Theory Essay The Difference Between a Classical Management Theory a Human Relations Theory by Stacy Zeiger, Demand Media Human relations theory seeks to develop satisfied employees. Classical management theory and human relations theory represent two views of management on the opposite ends of the spectrum. One view focuses on looking at workers solely as a means to get work done, while the other focuses on developing an organization and the behaviors and motivations of employees. Most managers find that a combination of the two theories serves them best in their businesses. Ads by Google Ssangyong Korando Special New Offer On SsangYong Korando From Only R2499p/m. Enquire Online Now! www.ssangyongdeals.co.za What is Classical Management Theory? Classical management theory involves creating multiple levels of workers to improve productivity. Employees at the lowest levels find their tasks overseen by supervisors who, in turn, are overseen by managers. At every level, employees are expected to perform tasks according to specific procedures designed to maximize productivity. In addition, this theory focuses on an impersonal side of business. Employees and managers should not allow friendliness and personal interactions to become involved with the organization. Rules must be followed exactly, and the hiring and firing of employees must relate only to the skills they possess. Pros and Cons of Classical Management Theory Classical management theory is not used in many organizations because of its shortcomings. While some components of the theory, such as designing procedures for completing a task and keeping personal issues out of business, help an organization focus on the job at hand, the theory fails to recognize the differences among employees. When employee feelings and opinions are not taken into account, the business may not grow or may experience high levels of employee turnover as employees fail to develop a relationship with the business and leave in search of a more satisfying job. What is Human Relations Theory? Human relations theory, also known as behavioral management theory, focuses more on the individuals in a workplace than the rules, procedures and processes. Instead of directives coming directly from management, a human relations theory provides communication between employees and managers, allowing them to interact with one another to help make decisions. Instead of giving workers quotas and requiring certain procedures, workers are exposed to motivational and emotional tactics to get them to increase productivity. The focus of this style is creating fulfilled, productive workers and helping workers invest in a company. Pros and Cons of Human Relations Theory While many companies operate based on the human relations theory, this type of management has dangers. Companies risk workers becoming too social or easily swayed by personal emotions and opinions when making decisions, rather than relying on hard data. It may be more difficult to reprimand employees for poor performance or dismiss them once they have become invested in the company. Despite these risks, human relations theory has the potential to increase employee retention rates and productivity. As employees feel more valued by a company, they invest in that company and its greater good.

An Analysis of Religion by an Athiest Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The person as a whole, mind and body, is a very complex and unique organism that can be easily influenced by society. Since people are so easily susceptible to be influenced by others, each person must rely on their beliefs in order to make a judgment that is morally and ethically pleasing through their knowledge and experiences. A person’s morals and ethics are formed through their religious beliefs and practices. Morals and ethics allow one to make a knowledgeable and responsible decision. One’s religious and spiritual beliefs shapes and molds the mind, body, and spirit of the person. Each religion has its own unique principles, a list of do’s and don’ts that set the foundation for their moral and ethical beliefs. Everyday people are presented with situations in which that person must arrive at the solution through weighing each possible option morally and ethically. When one is confronted with a situation in which they must use thei r personal knowledge, experience, spiritual beliefs and practices to weigh each option morally and ethically and choose that which best suits their religious beliefs. In order for a person to be able to correctly analyze and weigh each option he or she should have full knowledge of each available option and their outcomes. To weigh each solution properly, a person must use his or her religious beliefs and knowledge to evaluate every aspect of the option. In religion, there are four main factors that make it possible for a religiously enlightened person to decipher between the morally and ethically correct and wrong decision. People are educated through the teachings and beliefs of their God to acknowledge what â€Å"the beautiful† and â€Å"the sacred and transcendent† are and how to decipher between what is good and what is evil. A religion’s depiction of what â€Å"the beautiful†, sacred, and transcendent† are creates one’s basis for their moral and ethical beliefs. Through one’s spiritual knowledge and understanding of â€Å"the beautiful†, sacred, and transcendent† allows one to distinguish between â€Å"the good† and â€Å"the evil.† In order for a person to choose the best decision he or she has to have a firm grasp, intellectually and spiritually, on the concepts of â€Å"the beautiful†, â€Å"the sacred and transcendent†, â€Å"the good†, and â€Å"the evil†. The concepts of each of the factors must be fully understood by him or her to de... ...dered to be the highest forms of evil. For some the temptation they sense from evil is irresistible and they commit a sin for which they cannot be forgiven. I believe that it is through one’s spiritual, physical, and mental strength that he or she’s ability to decipher between â€Å"the good and â€Å"the evil† is developed. The stronger the person, the less susceptible he or she is to â€Å"the evil,† vice-versa. I believe that the will and overall strength of the person develops their ability to fight â€Å"the evil.† â€Å"The evil, the good, the sacred and transcendent, and the beautiful† are all determined through the religious practices and beliefs of an individual. As a result, the person must use his or her knowledge of good and evil to develop their own moral and ethical standards according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Using these standards people combine their spiritual and intellectual knowledge of â€Å"the beautiful, t he sacred and transcendent, the good, and the evil† to decipher â€Å"the good† from â€Å"the evil.† Without religious experience and practices we would not have the information available to consciously choose â€Å"good† over â€Å"evil† and strive for spiritual, physical, and mental perfection. An Analysis of Religion by an Athiest Essay -- essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The person as a whole, mind and body, is a very complex and unique organism that can be easily influenced by society. Since people are so easily susceptible to be influenced by others, each person must rely on their beliefs in order to make a judgment that is morally and ethically pleasing through their knowledge and experiences. A person’s morals and ethics are formed through their religious beliefs and practices. Morals and ethics allow one to make a knowledgeable and responsible decision. One’s religious and spiritual beliefs shapes and molds the mind, body, and spirit of the person. Each religion has its own unique principles, a list of do’s and don’ts that set the foundation for their moral and ethical beliefs. Everyday people are presented with situations in which that person must arrive at the solution through weighing each possible option morally and ethically. When one is confronted with a situation in which they must use thei r personal knowledge, experience, spiritual beliefs and practices to weigh each option morally and ethically and choose that which best suits their religious beliefs. In order for a person to be able to correctly analyze and weigh each option he or she should have full knowledge of each available option and their outcomes. To weigh each solution properly, a person must use his or her religious beliefs and knowledge to evaluate every aspect of the option. In religion, there are four main factors that make it possible for a religiously enlightened person to decipher between the morally and ethically correct and wrong decision. People are educated through the teachings and beliefs of their God to acknowledge what â€Å"the beautiful† and â€Å"the sacred and transcendent† are and how to decipher between what is good and what is evil. A religion’s depiction of what â€Å"the beautiful†, sacred, and transcendent† are creates one’s basis for their moral and ethical beliefs. Through one’s spiritual knowledge and understanding of â€Å"the beautiful†, sacred, and transcendent† allows one to distinguish between â€Å"the good† and â€Å"the evil.† In order for a person to choose the best decision he or she has to have a firm grasp, intellectually and spiritually, on the concepts of â€Å"the beautiful†, â€Å"the sacred and transcendent†, â€Å"the good†, and â€Å"the evil†. The concepts of each of the factors must be fully understood by him or her to de... ...dered to be the highest forms of evil. For some the temptation they sense from evil is irresistible and they commit a sin for which they cannot be forgiven. I believe that it is through one’s spiritual, physical, and mental strength that he or she’s ability to decipher between â€Å"the good and â€Å"the evil† is developed. The stronger the person, the less susceptible he or she is to â€Å"the evil,† vice-versa. I believe that the will and overall strength of the person develops their ability to fight â€Å"the evil.† â€Å"The evil, the good, the sacred and transcendent, and the beautiful† are all determined through the religious practices and beliefs of an individual. As a result, the person must use his or her knowledge of good and evil to develop their own moral and ethical standards according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Using these standards people combine their spiritual and intellectual knowledge of â€Å"the beautiful, t he sacred and transcendent, the good, and the evil† to decipher â€Å"the good† from â€Å"the evil.† Without religious experience and practices we would not have the information available to consciously choose â€Å"good† over â€Å"evil† and strive for spiritual, physical, and mental perfection.