Social Function and Social Roles of Religion – As Motivating and Restraining Agent
1. In primitive societies religion maintained social cohesion and controlled individual conduct.
2. In civilized societies while it unites group belonging to a particular religion, it is also a cause for conflict between such groups forming part of a large society. Religion provides set of doctrines and beliefs to unite people.
3. Religion has also influence on economic order.
4. In India, Hinduism through its caste system was responsible for systematic division of labor.
5. Religion teaches people to obey the men in authority with reverence and live peacefully and harmoniously.
6. Religion has encouraged literary activity.
7. Religion provides relief from human suffering and pain by explaining these as the type will of the God it soothes human mind and thus it saves people from frustration.
8. Religion plays an important role in shipping other social institutions. Its presence is felt in all activities, be it social political economic or domestic.
9. It encourages people to becomes benevolent and help their poor and needy fellowmen. It promotes tolerance and brotherhood.
10. It helps in creating fear of God in minds of people and thus restrains them from any anti-social activities.
11. It strengthens and rationalizes the group values and thus checks the disintegrating tendency.