Religion and Theology

Different perspectives come about when it comes to organized religion. Some would say it has been beneficial in the establishment of faith and renewal of community building. Despite these positive influences, there are also negative situations that have forced not only to question its impact but also the legitimacy of this social institution. Seeing this, the ability of organized religion to create illusions about reality, function towards violence, and a justification for oppression and control provides its capacity to become detrimental and ineffective to society.

One perspective that makes religion unconstructive to society is its ability to create opportunities for war and conflict. Through history, societies have seen the ability of different faiths to engage in war in preservation of its self vested interests. The Crusades is a clear example of these, it justified the Holy War and created numerous casualties from both parties and even provided destruction on lives and property (Ganly, p.1).

Similarly, it can also be seen that some organized religion even promote conflict and violence within its written texts. Islam for example justifies the value of Jihad as significant  with the overall purpose of carrying out the protection of the faith (Ganly, p.1). Such ability to justify these actions brings about the existence of radical Islamists. These are the ones who have been responsible for many suicide bombings that are happening within different societies around the world. Such fundamental continue to spread and provides questions to its real goal and purpose as it applies to believers. Seeing this, the violence that is created and associated with the protection and practice of religion is one reason why it remains to be damaging and harmful to society.

Another reason why organized religion is detrimental to society is because of its ability to create illusions in the perceptions of what is appropriate and right for the people. In particular, this argument can be rooted from Sigmund Freuds psychological analysis and tries to determine its existence under these parameters. Though it may be confined in such discipline, there is considerable basis on its relevance and application on how organized religion is detrimental.

Here, it can be seen that the illusion is created based on the ability of humans to view religion as an instrument for highlighting both their superiority and the existence of a higher beingentity. As Braudgardt argues religions are remarkable compromise formations they allow the human being to admit its extraordinary vulnerability and at the same time, to retain a sense of superiority in relation to the surrounding reality (p.1). This analogy takes into account the ability of humans to both exercise control to reality and justifications for those that cannot be explained by creating an organized religion.

Such approach tends to create dependency on the capacity of human beings to survive. In essence, organized religion serves as an instrument used by people to move forward and address the changes in their lives. It corresponds to the provision of doctrines and laws that promote not only the ability to withstand these challenges but remain complacent and have faith in these specific doctrines and dogmas. Due to this, it creates a negative perspective of religion and humanity. As Braudgardt mentions Dependency turns into its opposite based on the (delusional) construction of a second, divine reality, which de-realizes the concrete materiality of human life (p.1).

Lastly, organized religion is detrimental to society because of its ability to harness negative perceptions and allows human beings to endure these due to the existence of dogmas and the culture and lifestyle it evoked. This argument centers on of Karl Marx view that religion is considered to be the opium of the people.  The main reason behind this attribute is the ability of organized religion to establish control mechanisms that provide individuals with inverted reality. This then coincides with the inability to function rationally and be stimulated by actions of faith and religious principles (Kries, p.1).

Analyzing further the concept of inverted reality, Karl Marx believed that religion posed a threat to the ability of mankind to exercise its experiences fully because it bases its perspective on assumptions that organized religions do exist. Such analogy then provides justification towards failure and inability to rise above problems. Here, Marx argues that Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point dhonneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement and its universal basis of consolation and justification (Smith, p.1).

Seeing this analogy, the value then of religion becomes tainted with false realities that are then signified with proper approaches and actions. Such dynamic in turn introduces new perspectives that devalues and hinders the application of both humanistic experience and ability to justify suffering and hardships of individuals. So instead of striving towards betterment, organized religion is used to further opportunities to turn to faith and justify its causes accordingly.

In the end, the negative impacts of religion can be rooted not only within its foundations but also several actions that it seeks to promote. From its ability to promote an illusion and an inverted reality, organized religion has created the justification for wars and violence throughout history. Seeing this, it has not only conditioned mankind to act valiantly to such consequences but also provided the condition towards sustaining these elements through time.