Families, Education and Religion
1. Functions of families
Three of the six functions of families in a society include regulate sexual behavior, reproduction, and protection. One primary function of a family is to regulate sexual behavior. Sexual urges between of humans is a natural thing satisfaction of this need involves the man and wife to live together with some kind of bond between them and that is usually marriage. Being involve in a family regulates the sexual behaviors of humans satisfies the sexual needs of individuals. Along this line, families are expected to reproduce to be able to continue human race and the society. Because a family usually satisfies the needs of one another, it is also the members of the family’s task to protect one another especially the children. The family is where an individual seeks the care, protection and security he needs that he usually does not find in any other social group. The family is where everyone can turn to if an individual has no one else to turn to. Usually a family gives the comfort an individual needs.
2. Diverse Lifestyles and families/marriages
Cohabitation as one of the diverse lifestyles of individuals has big effects to families especially to the children. As the data shows, most people who are involved in cohabitation have previous marriages. One reason why these people may prefer cohabitation rather than marriage is because they are afraid that it would result to a failed marriage again, so they chose to live together as husband and wife but without the sanctity and security of a marriage. However, the most affected individuals could be the children resulting from the previous marriage or from the cohabitation itself. The privileged and right of these children to live under normal family conditions are removed from them together with the benefits provided by law of a proper marriage.
Marriage without children on the other hand, as one of the diverse lifestyle of an increasing number of married couples is non-satisfaction of one of the basic functions of marriages. Although, couples are free to choose what they want, remaining childless could have an effect to degree on bonding of the couple which may later result to a broken marriage. This is because there is no child that may keep their bond stronger. If there are children, the couple would have more reason to work and stay together.
3. Functions of Education for individuals and the society
One function of education is to transmit culture. This is very important to ensure that the next generation will know the culture of their society and ensure its continuity as well as the culture of other nations. Formal education has added in its curriculum various studies of the culture of other nations and groups. By learning the culture of other groups, their behaviors will be respected and appreciated. Culture is very important because it shapes the society.
Education also promotes social integration. This is a very important function of a society because we live in an unequal world. Through, education, several individuals have a chance to get equal to other individuals. Different races are socially integrated when individuals are educated. In a classroom of several races for example, blacks have equal opportunities with the whites and they have a chance to mingle with the others, have equal rights, and voice out their opinions as well as any other individual in the class.
4. Sociological Perspectives of Education
Integration as one of the sociological perspectives of enhances ties among individuals bonded with the same faith. Religion is one of the most effective ways of social integration. Even if individuals who are unknown to each other and live on foreign grounds can use their religion to start socializing, expand their social horizons and satisfy their social needs. However, religion can also encourage the disintegration of societies. For example, because of the religious affiliations of the Christians and Muslims, the two societies are prone to having clash with each other.
Religion can also enforce social control. Because of an individual’s religion, he is forced to stick with the rules and teaching of his religion which prevents him from doing other things that they want to do because it is against their religion. Sometimes, religion can help people deviate from the worldly concerns like food on the table and education of children because they believe that their faith can save them. Sometimes, because of their faith, individuals stop their vices or are prevented from attending social occasions that may have been beneficial to them.
