- Religion can be seen as a means of controlling individuals by giving them a sense of something greater than their individual selves, something existing before their lives, caring for them, and giving them rules to follow
- This is often called “God”, but God is really a symbol of society
- Religion (from Latin ‘ligare’ to bind) binds society together and its health
Emile Durkheim
Quote
“The God and the society are one” (Emile Durkheim)
- Durkheim saw religion as one of the forces that create within individuals a sense of moral obligation to adhere to society’s demands.
- What exists is a unified social system which believes that it owes its being to God.
- Religion is not only a social creation, but is, in fact, society divinised - it is effectively made into the divine object of worship.
- Religion is essentially social, occurring in a social context, and when men celebrate sacred things, they unwittingly celebrate the power of the society to which they give sacred significance.