Religion concepts and perspectives

Religion is a multifaceted social and psychological phenomenon. The world's religions function on the level of custom and tradition as well as on the level of art and literature. Belief in God is only one aspect of a religious system of belief. Religion informs politics, morality, and social norms too. Although I was born into a Catholic family and am familiar with many Catholic traditions, I do not consider myself a religious person. I do not base many of my decisions on religious doctrine. Nevertheless, Catholicism is a part of my ethnic and cultural heritage. One of the most valuable roles of religion is an emblem of culture and identity. Respecting the diversity of the world's religions is a crucial part of respecting other human beings.

The role that religion plays in my personal life is relatively minimal compared with some of my peers. Nearly nine out of ten Americans believe in God, and most Americans value religion's role in their personal and social lives (Stone 2009). My personal beliefs do not on their own form a religious system because many of my core beliefs are secular humanist in nature. Deity is not integral to my views on ethics, morality, family, friendship, or even science. If I were to start my own religion, it would incorporate as much from my secular ideology as from a theological one.

Like most people, I initially acquired a religious belief system from my parents, who were in turn influenced by their family and culture. I have studied religion as a system of theological belief and I have studied religion also as a historical and sociological phenomenon. Religion has been inextricably embedded into most cultural traditions, so that beliefs in and about God are sometimes inseparable from political ideology. In fact, theology and political leadership can be dangerously entwined with one another. Religion not only plays a role in cultural traditions and customs but also in a means to maintain social control.

A belief system that is rooted in religion can too easily become dogmatic, rigid, and authoritarian. One that discounts the importance of religion in human culture runs a similar risk. The traditions that derive from religion bind us to our families and our ancestors. When we neglect religious traditions, we run the risk of not learning from the past. Religious traditions are filled with symbolism and other mental cues that help guide human thought and behavior. If nothing else, religious traditions create opportunities for familial and social interactions.

Beliefs about nature and the environment can be strongly influenced by religion. Religions that view nature as sacred create an environmental ethic, whereas religions that view nature as a tool for human advancement commodify the environment. Having been exposed to both points-of-view, I am able to understand why some people feel obligated to protect the environment and others do not. Thus, religion can inform a wide range of social and political issues.

Religion also informs social values and norms. Values related to sexuality, marriage, childrearing, and gender all stem from religious tradition. A patriarchal religious tradition is more likely to give rise to a patriarchal culture. Religions that debase human sexuality and the human body are more likely to give rise to negative attitudes toward sex and bodily functions. Catholicism is one of the best examples of a world religion that espouses conflicting views of human sexuality. Reproduction is viewed as sacred and in some cases an obligation. Yet many aspects of human sexuality are considered taboo. Those taboos create problems such as prejudice and restrictions on human rights and freedoms. Homosexuality is one of the topics considered taboo in Catholicism as well as many other world religions. The taboo against homosexuality overrides the taboo against harming human beings, which is one of the reasons why religions can cause more harm than good.

My personality also plays a major role in my personal religious development. Religion may have been part of my identity when I was younger, but has since played a more minor role in how I present myself to the world. On the other hand, religion plays a more salient role in my metaphysical and cosmological beliefs. I appreciate the role of religion in helping human beings ask probing questions about the nature of the universe, the soul, and human consciousness. While I do not feel that religion has all the answers to such serious questions, I do like how religion attempts to address them. Religious traditions occasionally become the symbolic vehicles with which to contemplate mystical issues. For example, the holiday of Easter asks all Christians to ponder the meaning of life and death and the possibility of resurrection. A person does not have to be a Christian to appreciate the underlying meaning of such a religious tradition.

Traditions help sustain religions. Without traditions, religions would easily fall apart. Practioners keep their religion alive by passing on traditions throughout multiple generations. In some ways, traditions are the most concrete aspects of any religion. Traditions create opportunities for social gatherings such as religious holidays or Sabbath days. Traditions also create opportunities for personal rituals, prayer, and meditation. For example, some Catholic people keep rosary beads and others decorate their homes with religious relics. Most persons, even most believers, do not necessarily appreciate the more esoteric functions of a religion. The traditions are far more accessible ways to connect with the core values and beliefs of a religious tradition. People can usually relate more easily to a family feast than to a passage in the Bible. The feast reminds us of our cultural identity, without needing to analyze our beliefs in God.

Being knowledgeable about other people's beliefs and attitudes towards religion makes us skillfully open-minded. We can hold fast to our personal convictions and still be interested in and accepting of other people's differences. Differences in belief prevent the world from becoming homogenous; we are permitted to exercise our minds and to entertain nuances of thought and feeling. Being knowledgeable about other people's beliefs and attitudes towards religions helps us understand why others communicate differently, have different worldviews, behave differently, or hold different political beliefs. Instead of judging we can learn from each other.