Critical Analysis of Religion: A Sociological Perspective Essay

This essay explores various concepts in the sociology of religion, including symbolism, translatic religion, taboo boundaries, speech and scripture, healing through religion, and revelation authority. It critically analyzes personal experiences through these concepts, highlighting the importance of understanding changing human cultures and religious systems. The essay discusses religious symbols, globalization aspects of religious freedom, and social taboos within religion. It also touches on the role of faith healing and the impact of cultural changes on religious beliefs, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a strong religious belief system. The author shares personal experiences and observations to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between religion and society. Desklib provides a platform for students to access similar essays and study resources.

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Journal entry part 2
Introduction
This paper applies various concepts and ideas from aspects like symbolism and imaginary,
translatic religion, taboo boundaries and religion, speech and scripture, healing through religion,
revelation authority and change.
It also deals with an application of several concepts from these particular topics in order to
critically analyze own personal experiences.1It is evident that this paper is significant in
discussing the importance of the concepts in the history of religion and societies religion
systems.
The year of anthropology is a key aspect as it enables one to clearly understand the changing
human cultures, concepts, and methods throughout history and how humankind adapts to the
changing cultures.2 Over the years the key domain of religious beliefs and system have been
constantly changing from community to community.
The symbolic and imaginary issues regarding the religious system involve the various symbols
that different religions identify with across the globe. As a Christian, we normally have various
symbols during the actual worship and also the holy cross that typically depicts and shows the
religion I actively engage in.
It also includes unique gestures and bodily movements which are significant in forming part of
the religious rituals and relationship to the holy trinity. They have enabled us to unite as religious
members of a particular faith tradition and the religion that each individual represent.
1 Kadar et al.Religion and spirituality: Unfuzzying the fuzzy." In Sociology of Religion,p.29-34.
2 Koenig et al.Handbook of religion and health,p.78

The trans tic religion concepts are important since they represent the globalization aspects of key
religious freedom, evolution, and ideological debates.it is also key as it
Thus particular religion aspects have enabled me to relatedly distinctively to the conflict and
understanding of the existing contemporary religious beliefs. I have also acquired a broader
understanding of respect to human rights and identify challenges pertaining to the religion
system in a broad spectrum of the international domain.
In religion, there also exist various taboo and social boundaries. For instance, in my religion,
there exists a sexual taboo where religion plays an important role in discouraging practices of
homosexuality, transvestism, and bestiality in society. However, it is evident that the
liberalization aspects of the western community have led to the erosion of key religious taboos n
the individual levels.3 Therefore, as a religious believer, I should make continuous efforts to
influence fellow members in order to create awareness in order to build a strong human culture.
This awareness will increase individual level reflection so that I can share various experiences
and offer direction to others so as to maintain the foundations of a strong religious belief system.
Over the year it has been evident that the American culture changed during the early and late
1990s providing a platform for religious healings as a distinctive feature of the contemporary
cultural society.4 This aspect enables men to believe in faith healing hence increasing my
personal relationship with religion. I assert that elicitation of divine intervention in both spiritual
and physical healing is a key aspect in the healing of various illness and disabilities which is
often brought about by active practicing of faith. I have witnessed people having a strong faith
and getting healed from this belief.
3 Norris, Pippa, and Ronald. Sacred and secular: Religion and politics worldwide,p.56
4 Ysseldyk et al"Religiosity as identity: Toward an understanding of religion from a social
identity perspective,p.135.

Conclusion
Religion is an important aspect of society. In spite of its rapid changes, it is aimed at making
society a better place.it enables people to communicate freely and share ideas that are of
importance to society.
Bibliography

Kadar, Jill L., Allie B. Scott, Kathleen Hipp, Timothy G. Belavich, Eric M. Butfer, Mark S. Rye,
Brenda Cole, Kenneth I. Pargament, and Brian J. Zinnbauer. "Religion and spirituality:
Unfuzzying the fuzzy." In Sociology of Religion, pp. 29-34. Routledge, 2015.
Koenig, Harold, Harold George Koenig, Dana King, and Verna B. Carson. Handbook of religion
and health. Oup Usa, 2012.
Norris, Pippa, and Ronald Inglehart. Sacred and secular: Religion and politics worldwide.
Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Ysseldyk, Renate, Kimberly Matheson, and Hymie Anisman. "Religiosity as identity: Toward an
understanding of religion from a social identity perspective." Personality and Social Psychology
Review 14, no. 1 (2010): 60-71.