EX TENEBRIS CRESCIT FLOS
Religion, Society, and a Religious Nonconformist
November 9, 2005
Religion and Society
Sociologists define religion as a social institution involving that which is
considered sacred, including beliefs and practices [1]. Organized religion has
been with us since societies began to form, and it will likely be with us
for some time to come, and it has immense power within society, even in the
United States where its power is constitutionally limited. In this country,
Christianity is dominant, and a large majority of the population claim
allegiance to this faith. Religion has many functions within society, and
none of this has to do with "saving people's souls". It provides people
with a shared set of symbols and norms, and it provides orderly rituals.
Cultural norms which derive from religion are powerful forces for conformity
within the religious group, and by extension to the entire society if the
group has political power. Religion can be used to legitimize or condemn
just about anything, from murder to homosexuality. Finally, religion provides
comfort and meaning for its adherents. It is comforting for many to believe
in a higher power and purpose in life.
Disadvantages of Religious Nonconformity
Even in a society in which religious freedom is written into the law, refusing
to conform with powerful religions can result in difficulties. I am a
religious nonconformist, a person who refuses to join any particular religious
group and who chooses to follow my own spiritual path. Technically, I have the
legal right to do this, but it confers some disadvantages.
A major disadvantage of religious nonconformity is being left out of social
networks. People routinely use their church groups to find friends, marriage
partners, or even employment - the networking opportunities are invaluable.
If the particular church is socially dominant, those advantages only increase.
As a result of refusing to join such a group, I had fewer friends as a child
and my networking opportunities are somewhat limited. There were even children
who would not have anything to do with me because I was not a member of their
religion. I was marked as an outsider.
Employment discrimination is illegal, and most large companies have strong
policies against it, but it still occurs - it has just been driven underground.
In one area, it is still overt - politics. It is essentially impossible for
a non-Christian to hold the highest political offices in the land (although
Jews have had some success). Simply not being a Christian is an offense
great enough to turn off sufficient numbers of voters to turn an election. I
realize I am accusing large elements of society of being shallow and bigoted,
but statistics bear this out, and the huge role of religion in the presidential
election of 2004 provides further confirmation. Although I am involved in
politics, I stick to low levels and will not ever run for anything higher than
a low-level political party official because I don't want to go through the
difficulties of a campaign, with the bigots questioning my character because
I am not religious or because I am a transsexual.
Most importantly, religious values get written into law. In spite of the
constitutional separation between church and state, the religious values of
lawmakers and their constituents often get imposed on everybody. Some, such
as prohibitions against murder, are noncontroversial and are easily backed up
by reason. But the legal disadvantages heaped upon homosexuals and
transsexuals come primarily from religious values, are difficult to support
logically, and adversely affect people who do not share those values. In this
way, the power of religion extends far beyond its members and affects the
entire society. Religion can also be a force for the good, however. Churches
were at the forefront of civil rights battles in the 1950's and 1960's, and
certain churches are active in this arena today. So like it or not, and for
good or ill, religions to which we may not belong have a major impact on our
lives.
Why Not Just Conform?
For many people, the answer is easy. They conform. They stay within the
religion in which they are raised and they never deal with this question. For
those of us on the outside, it is a biting question.
If the words of the First Amendment have any meaning, no one should
be required to conform. Religion is a personal decision, and society has no
business either directly or indirectly forcing people to follow specific
sets of religious values, unless those values are shared by diverse groups of
people and are supportable without resorting to religious arguments.
Religion, or even the lack thereof, is such an important personal belief that
changing it based on external pressures is difficult. One may outwardly
conform if the social forces are strong enough, but an internal change of
beliefs may never happen. I cherish my individual spirituality and would
never give it up. It is a matter of basic belief and values, and nobody has
the right to take this away. In this area, I choose not to conform to
society's norms, and I feel secure in my legal right of refusal. I just
hope the Bible-thumping conservatives do not get their way - I could not live
in a theocracy.
Sources
Explanations of general sociological concepts can be found in the following
textbook, or in other introductory sociology texts.
[1] Macionis, John J., "Sociology." 10th Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.
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