Marx Weber notes that the history of religion shows that religion has been a source of conflict between people of different ideologies within the same religious group, conflict due to generational difference within a religious group, and conflict among people of different beliefs (17). Religion increases the social cohesion amongst the members of the same religion. Religious conflict arises, when religious teachings are intolerant to the ideologies of foreign belief systems. Just as religion is a vehicle for teaching virtues, it can also be a vehicle for teaching oppression, rationalization war, and fundamentalist ideologies (42). Religion also teaches and encourages individuals to work as a community thereby, increasing the loyalty of the individuals to the community. This loyalty is exploitable in time of war, since the individuals are willing to sacrifice themselves for the community, or to do harm to people of different religious beliefs. Fundamentalist and authoritarian religions have been an obstacle to democracy. This is typical of traditional religions most of which do not accommodate freedom of expression, human equality, human material improvement in this world, and accommodation of minority differences (49). Religion can negatively affect democratic principles by hindering the freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the freedom of the press, which undermines democracy (51). In some cases, religion aims at controlling an individual to preserve the community, or to maintain some cultural settings (48). In this case, religion discourages tolerance and choice (63). Lastly, when a religion supports a society’s’ set up, it ends up supporting ignorance, inequality, and injustice, in addition, some religious criticism of member’s behavior does not necessarily make the society a better place (63).
Works Cited
“Is Organized Religion Necessary for Society?”
