Functionalist Perspective on Religion, Stresses

¶ … functionalist perspective on religion, stresses the positive or 'good' aspects of religion and religious influence in society. To clarify, the functionalist theory of religion and sociology argues that religion; in combination with other common social institutions contribute to the harmony and stability of society. The main thesis of Functionalism is that the primary function of religion is to answer questions about the meaning of life, existence, and the afterlife that create a more stable society. A Functionalist might use examples of societies with cohesive social and religious frameworks, such as the Amish, or current societies or subcultures that provide comforting and immediate answers to the questions of the individual's meaning of life, purpose of existence, and moral values, such as the military or twelve-step programs. Thus, in contrast to chaotic environments such as secular university, which provides no such secure answers to life's questions and often provokes depression, doubt and disharmony, religion in a functionalist view, creates harmony and answers fundamental questions about life all humans ask.

Question

The "conflict perspective on religion," stresses the negative aspects of religion, however. It might see the lack of conflict in faith-based societies or cohesive organizations as liable of creating a dangerously conflicted 'us vs. them mentality' provoking social intolerance and social or potentially violent military conflict with a religious society's differently believing neighbors. At best religion stifles individual creativity within a society, as people become afraid to espouse alternative points-of-view. The development of the Christian religion that coincided with a rise in anti-Semitism, as Christians reacted with intolerance against a smaller, minority religion is one example, as might be the lack of dissent advocated with excessively homogeneous neighborhoods in the racially polarized South of the 1950's. Thus the conflict perspective stresses the ability of dearly held, intransient beliefs to create negative forms of conflict and to stifle positive forms of dissent and creative perspectives upon life that differ with the hegemonic view. Because religious worldviews cannot be questioned by logic, they become entrenched, and create more negative societal views and conflict with others who believe differently.