Situation ethics works towards a successful end goal which in this case is love, this is pragmatism. The ethic is relativistic which means that there are no fixed rules when choosing what to do but whatever is done must stay relative to the Christian love of agape, making it simple and easy to make decisions accordingly. Positivism is where faith statements are made and people act in a way that is reasonable in the light of these statements. Reason isn’t the basis for faith, but it works within faith. Situation ethics depends on Christians freely choosing faith that god is love, so giving first place to Christian love.
For Durkheim shared religious rituals reinforced the collective conscience and maintain social integration. Durkheim also says that religion helps individuals with cognitive functions, as it teaches us basic concepts. Anthropologist, Malinowski says that religion promotes solidarity. He says it performs important psychological functions in two situations. When the outcome is important but uncontrollable, and at times of crisis.
However, there were individuals and groups who were opposing abolition. Merchants, plantation owners, slave traders and anyone else who has benefited from slaves, have opposed. Anti-abolitionists believed that abolition would create poverty, unemployment and many things, such as dry docks and industries that were designed for slavery and slave trade will be wasted. Some individuals have used religion as an excuse, for example a Spanish priest, Raymund Harris, argued that slavery is part of nature, and even it is approved by the Pope. Some anti-abolitionists have argued that by abolishing slave trade and slavery, the freedom and liberty of individuals who are benefiting from slavery will be taken away.
Many theories, such as the Marxist theories, see religion as maintaining the status quo and preventing social change. Religions have also often been supporters of traditional conservative values, especially in relation to the family and sexuality, for example. However, many sociologists argue that religion can also be a powerful force for social change. This essay will look at how religion can prevent social change and how it can act as a force for social change. Sociologists have argued that religion can be a force for social change.
Augustus introduced Sumptuary Laws which curbed the extremely decadent behavior of the upper class minority, ensuring Rome’s growing prosperity did not undermine traditional values. Jones approves of these laws, stating that “the Roman people… were in dire need of reform”. Augustus also believed religion was crucial in returning to Rome’s former traditional values and wanted to revive the belief that ‘pietas’ would maintain Rome’s success, as supported by Galinsky who believes the core of the social reforms was the revitalization of religion. His main moral legislation, however, aimed at limiting wrongful behaviors including adultery, divorce, and a lack of marriage and child-bearing. The Lex Iulia de Adulteriis Coercendis focused on punishing the crime of adultery, for which people could be exiled or even killed.
The view that religion is a conservative force stems from theories from Functionalists, Marxists and Feminists. Each see religion as keeping society in its current form, despite the theories coming to the same conclusion the reasons differ. For Durkheim religion acts as a vital organ in society and keeps society alive by maintaining social solidarity. Functionalists believe that religion creates a shared value consensus and acts as a social glue helping unite individuals as well as helping them cope with stress. In comparison to this view Marxists see society as promoting the interests of the ruling class and legitimating suffering and therefore preventing social change.
By being strict and simple with their daily lives it helped ensure their survival in the harsh New World. The Transcendentalists weren’t concerned with their survival but rather spiritual purity and connection with nature. Practicing a broader perspective of the “self” allowed Alcott and his follower to introduce social reforms that sparked in the minds of people across the nation. The Transcendentalists sought to secede from the institutionalized society and ended up with their ideas setting the foundation for social reform
Our founding fathers fought for a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to avoid conflict and rise of power in one or more branches. In that aspect I believe the government works in a constructive manner to ensure equality between the branches, however, in the matter of working in a constructive manner for the good of the people is less certain. This country is facing an economic crisis and there are members of both parties that would tell the general public they would like the war in Afghanistan and Iraq to come to an end when in reality an economic recovery is the last thing they want to happen in a foreign country. The Republican Party, for example, would have liked to see a higher unemployment rate towards the end of 2012 in hopes of decreasing the chances of the President’s re-election. Higher unemployment rates lead to a more devastating economic crisis resulting in the failure to re-elect a democratic President or more precisely, our current President.
On those premise it is asserted that religion play an important part in nurturing the virtue needed for a free society. Matthew Spaulding’s Meaning of religion and Liberty, asserts this about religion and morality: “They aid good government by teaching men their moral obligations and creating the condition for decent politics” (p313.2008). While not everyone morality depends on religion, I do believe and support argument that religion is necessary to morality. The religious principles speak to morality and morality aid virtue. Outside of the realm of government if we look at our society today many of our moral have changed.
A term he coined to describe phenomena that have an existence in and of themselves, are not bound to the actions of individuals, but have a coercive influence upon them. Durkheim stated that “collective conscience governs what it is that we believe and the values and principles we have”. Collective conscience comes about because of our capacity to be moral, (ability to do what is right) and to look beyond our own selfish needs. As a group of people, we had recognized that we depend on society and that we need to maintain social order. This recognition promotes unity and consensus; it is done through institutions, such as religion and the education system.