Affiliated School;
How did the social and political upheaval of the 1960s impact organized religion?
Social and political upheaval of the 1960’s impacted in the way of life of Americans in a number of ways. This is when the sexual revolution occurred, racial segregation and most people fought for their rights. The sixties, the United States was highly characterized with social movements ( Zeitz, 1964). Most sociologists describe it as a decade characterized with irresponsible and flamboyant behaviour by the people as many cultures loosened their tie to the society. It is the decade when the first man landed on the moon (Marwick, 1998).
The movements started by the civil movement that was fighting for racial equality, this is because even after the end of slavery in 1865, there were some laws that still refused the black people to actively participate in the society as stated by the fourteenth amendment (Marwick, 1998). Christianity was greatly involved in these social movements this is because people would hold their meetings in churches where they would sing and pray as well. This was the time Martin Luther King Jr was fighting for equality. A time he also had Christians and a huge group of the Christians were coloured people that gladly funded his activities ( Zeitz , 1964).
Malcolm X was a Muslim who strongly followed his religion. During his fight for the rights of the black people the Islamic community had formed a union, where he was elected as the chairperson of the union. He would fight while his religion was uniting the people who were supporting his endeavours (Marwick, 1998). The Jews were supporting the civil movement as well.
Religion was greatly affected by the movements as it became the safe haven for the people who were fighting for their rights ( Zeitz, 1964). Religion acted as a uniting factor that held the people together. Religious people their religious based opinions to political issues and became part of the leftist that kept the government in check.
References
Zeitz , Joshua, (1964), The Year the Sixties Began", American Heritage, Oct. 2006.
Marwick, Arthur,(1998), The Sixties: Cultural Revolution in Britain, France, Italy, and the United States, c.1958-c.1974,Oxford: Oxford University Press, , ISBN 978-0-19-210022-1), 247–248. New York.
