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 wiz by instilling into them a set of shared out beliefs that gives them a feeling a belonging and a place area identity. This helps society to cooperate harmoniously creating societal tackiness as people believe in the same issue and any abide by the same rules. While conformist to religious beliefs this allows us to gain morals, as well as bighearted us a variety of cultures allowing us to inhabit and assent different theologys. Functionalists see religion as a exacting aspect to society. Durkheim argues that religion functions to reinforce the collective unity or social solidarity of a group. He says all societies river basin 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. Whi le alive(p) in shared rituals binds individuals together reminding them that they are a take time off of a community. The individual sees religion performing a authoritative 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 master 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 sincerely worshipping society. However, Durkheims summary has been critici! sed as he only looked at humble pre-industrial societies so his views do not apply to complex neo societies. in like manner he fails to account for the learning 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 fate to get a fully essay, order it on our website: BestEssayCheap.com

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