Sociology 1020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Collective Effervescence, Protestant Work Ethic, Opiate
3 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Sociology cannot probe the supernatural claims that religion so oten is about. Intrinsic religion is a central part of their idenity and used as guidelines for living. Extrinsic religion is a self-serving way for rewards. Religion is the opiate of the masses it makes them passive. Religion has a compensatory role in the face of economic deprivaion. Rich used religion to gain legiimacy for their wealth and power. Religion serves the interest of the dominant class. Emphasis on social origin of religion and its important social cohesive funcion. Religious rites provide guidelines as to how people should act in the presence of the sacred: sacred objects are representaive of power, which is bestowed by the people. Collecive efervescence is a feeling that even when alone, the group is carried with you. The funcion of religion is transcendence: integraion, regulaion, empower, interpret, and represent. Religion funcions as a way to explain things in life, or account for the unexplainable.
