How Can Religion be Used a Tool of Social Control and/or Oppression?

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How can religion be used a tool of social control and/or oppression?
Introduction
Religion is defined as the organized collection of beliefs, worldviews, and cultural systems that connect humanity to an order of existence. There are many different religions, but Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism are the most practiced religions across the world. Religions such as Christianity and Islam are regarded as concerning ways that people learn to deal with the afterlife concerns. Ideally, moral conduct, worship, right belief, and participation in all religious activities among followers play a key role in the day-to-day living of religious followers. Many sociologists agree that religion has a greater influence on today’s society. The sociological perspective on religion dates back to over two centuries ago. Three theoretical perspectives (functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionalism) have been used over the years to explain the role of religion in society. Religion is a strong agent of social control as well as an oppressive tool.
Religion and Social control
In his functionalist theory, Durkheim argues that “religion remains a key conservative force that helps create social order and promote value consensus in society.” According to him, religion plays an important function both at the individual and social level. Religion plays a key role in promoting stability and preserving a society’s status quo and preventing possible social upheavals. In a study conducted by Durkheim among the aboriginal tribes, it is evident that religion had four key functions. First, religion promoted self-discipline among followers. Religious practices are defined in ways that promote a collective significance and learn to behave socially. They learn to shun selfishness to pursue socially benefitting motives. Secondly, Durkheim argued that religion promoted cohesion in the sense that worship and other religious practices brought a community together. It became easy to reaffirm and reinforce social bonds. Thirdly, religion established and maintained traditions and ensured that values passed from one generation to the other are vital to those subscribed to respective religion. Finally, Durkheim realized that religion re-ignited hope. In the advent of trouble and failures, religion reminded people not to lose their grip as good things were set to come.
Religion gives meaning and purpose to human life (Sumter, Melvina, et al. 193). For many years, many things have remained a mystery, and while science tried to explain things such as human exitance and the origin of the earth, the evidence remains inconclusive. More so, much of the things that occur, including death, life, and diseases, are still a mystery, and it is the many religious worldviews that allow people to make sense of all these occurrences that science often cannot prove. People who are subscribed to a religion are trained to live a meaningful and purposeful life whereby love, integrity, honesty, humility, hard work, among others, are the founding principle (Nadal, Sam, and McNamara 30). According Priya (2018) many delinquent behaviors in today’s society are attributed to weak and broken families and societies. For every society to succeed, commitment, attachment, and belief must exist. With reference to attachment, an individual’s especially children, will be less likely to commit mistakes and crimes if the system or peers disapprove of his or her actions (Priya 23). Commitment refers to the time one spends pursuing some activities. more so, belief, which is an element of social control theory, argues that “individuals with strong belief on existing social norms are less likely to commit social deviance.”
Additionally, religion and particularly religious institutions such as the church play a key role in instilling normative beliefs, involvement, commitment, and attachment (Sumter, Melvina, et al. 193). Like social control theory, religion agrees that building a responsible, attached, and involved society helps reduce social deviances such as juvenile delinquency, crime, and poverty. According to Day (2020) religion reinforces positive behaviors and makes it possible for individuals t...