Term Paper on "Religion and Sociology"

Term Paper 4 pages (1316 words) Sources: 3 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Religion and Sociology

Challenges to the collective consciousness of the United States often revolve around concepts of conflicting religious belief. Within the past century a movement that many believe is fundamentalist has frequently challenged ebbs and flows in the religious ideals of the nation. The Christian Right gives millions of people a sense of peace, promising change in a socially challenged nation often more expressive of its violence and failing family structure than its value as a leader among men and nations, of while many others it gives pause to consider oppression and censorship of changes that they believe are foundational to progress, such as the appreciation of the changing acceptance of diversity, especially with regard to family structure, with the majority of Americans embracing the diversity of the new family including homosexuality and women's rights, not to mention a greater acceptance of abortion. (Wood & Wald 351) In a nation where religion and the state are assumed and expected by many to be separate entities many people are concerned with the political and sociological pull that is being developed by the Christina Right, while those within the movement embrace the ideals of family and conservatism that drive the movement, and that they wish to see as the guiding force to social change.

As Jeff Sharlet notes in his foundational work, Through a Glass, Darkly: How the Christian Right is Reimagining U.S. History, many individuals wish to discount the validity of the messages of the Christian right, claiming that they are, "A burp in American history. An unpleasant odor that will pass." (34) Despite the reality that such fundamentalist movements have been around since the foundation of the nation, and yet he also makes clear that the reinterpretation of the historical past of the United States as one that expressed fundamental principles, without regard to context, is troubling as it discounts the foundational truths that separate faith from politics. Sharlet points out that many Christian Right followers believe that the separation of church and state was meant by the framer of the constitution and the United States, was meant to protect the church from the state, rather than the more traditionally accepted view that the reverse is true, and that the framers wished to make sure that religious doctrine did not manipulate governmental and legal issues. (35) Wood, also reiterates that much current scholarship details the foundation of the separation to protect religion from government rather than visa versa. (339) point frequently made by the prominent social theorist Emile Durkheim, the foundations of religion are far less concrete than one would expect and that religion and religious beliefs are a fundamentally social phenomena, dictated by the power of coercion.

Blend et al. 20) It is almost as if the Christian Right, read the words of this master and detailed how their social goals would best be accomplished, as the foundation of the social movement that is beginning to influence the politics and opinions of the nation, is founded in the fellowship of the faith, recruiting and influencing these recruits to vote in a particular, ascribed manner. According to Wald the massive movement is gaining political strength and voice through getting out the vote, in their massive parishionership. (Wood & Wald 351) This is despite the multitude of studies that support the idea that the majority of people are not supportive of the Christina Right leadership opinions, such as the right to easy access to birth control and the Equal Rights Amendment, purporting that men and women are equal and should be legally accepted as such, two fundamental objections of the Christian Right leadership. (351-352) The pro-family movement has reiterated the need to vote, the way the church would have you vote, by lobbying extensively and even making huge campaign contributions to chosen candidates. (353) Evidence of Durkheim's sociological explanation of religion can be found in countless examples, in one example Sharlet, reiterates testimony by a professed "Jesus freak"… READ MORE

How to Reference "Religion and Sociology" Term Paper in a Bibliography

Related Term Papers:

Sociology? According to Giddens (2010) Article Critique

Sociology?

According to Giddens (2010) sociology can be described as the systematic study of varoous types of patterns that invole various types of human behavior that is among diverse civilizations… read more

Article Critique 4 pages (1202 words) Sources: 4 Topic: Sociology / Society

---

Sociology of Religion Essay

Sociology -- Sociology of Religion

Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation significantly contributed to both Capitalism and Secularization in the West. The Reformation eliminated or severely reduced Roman Catholic strengths, replacing… read more

Essay 5 pages (1771 words) Sources: 3 Topic: Religion / God / Theology

---

Sociology Australia Journal

Sociology Australia

Examining Sociology

I was introduced to some very interesting terms and concepts this week. I was particularly interested in unobtrusive research and its comparison to empirical studies. At… read more

Journal 2 pages (737 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Sociology / Society

---

Sociology - Welfare Hard of Hearing People Term Paper

Sociology - Welfare

Hard of hearing people represent a special segment in the society we live in. They are a disadvantaged group of people who due to the fact that… read more

Term Paper 12 pages (3954 words) Sources: 15 Style: Chicago Topic: Sociology / Society

---

Religion and Politics Religion Today the Average Thesis

Religion and Politics

Religion Today

The average day of most individuals is that of waking up early, rushing to work to give 110% of themselves and their efforts and then… read more

Thesis 6 pages (1783 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA Topic: Religion / God / Theology

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>