To this kind of religion make sense? There

To begin with, I want to use Berger’s theory to talk about religious functions in society. In the modern society that we are discussing, the role of religion has disappeared, has continued, and has changed. It can be said that religious organizations regulate these functions most not to be eroded. “It makes the society stable and orderly. (Berger 1969 chapter 1-3)” There are still many religious teachings about good and bad rewards in people’s inner morality. With religious belief, if we do good works in this life, we will rise to heaven or a better afterlife. If we do evil things in this life, we will go to hell. Does this kind of religion make sense? There are so many things that laws cannot punish a lot or correctly like some greedy merchants selling the illegal cooking oil to reduce cost. If these merchants do not have a religious belief, they will just keep doing such illegal work and paying a small price to take the punishment of law: however, if they have a religious belief, they will be afraid to go to hell. Does this kind of religion make sense? What we must admit is that morality still exerts an essential impact on our whole society.
Moreover, according to both Berger and Freud’s opinion. The generation of religion is closely related to people’s determination of their own existence, the source of their own existence, and death. At the beginning time of culture developing, in compared to modern, the human is ignorant and helpless. They have to be afraid of submitting to the forces of nature. Human society indeed has been developed a lot in thousands of years. There are still many problems that currently seem to have no solution on this earth. War, disease, hunger, oppression, and vendetta; at the beginning of life, we have been doomed to the end of death. I think both Berger and Freud identity Psychology in modern society which can comfort people like religion and may have a better effect and future. “Even though Freud thought we can live without religious illusions, there is a fact that people cannot escape mysticism. (Freud, Strachey, & Robson-Scott 1970 chapter 6-7)” However, do the poor countries can use psychology to comfort every poor human and help them solve the problem of unfair? These things are always happening in normal people, too. The answer is definitely no, but religion can do this. At this time, God and religion give these unfair things and suffering meaning and tell you death is not the end of life. We just need to trust God. I believe that so many people who got serious cancer will trust God in the same way as loyal Christine. Thus, I think if we cannot solve the things that were keeping people confused, the significance of religion will not disappear. “In Berger’s opinion, we need legitimation to figure out these things, but religious legitimation is the most useful way when science and other way cannot do legitimations. (Berger 1969 chapter 1-3)”
Furthermore, according to Omid Safi ‘s “Islam as an Abrahamic tradition” and Ayya Khema’s “Who Is My Self?”, I want to illustrate the religious traditions’ connections to modern society. With the development of society, our society becomes more and more creative, free, open, and educational. It is impossible to forcefully shift the values and social structure of the past 2,000 years to modern society, so it is normal to think some traditions are weird and unexplainable. “In Omid’ opinion, we need to look at these traditions in combination with historical circumstances and factors. (Safi 2010 207-215)” Some traditions were created by that period’s value and thought, so it is reasonable to have conflicts with society now. For example, some traditions are not healthy for human, based on modern science, such as Muslims cannot eat in the particular month. However, this does not mean the religious traditions are useless and meaningfulness. It is totally incorrect to treat these traditions. Most of them are valuable for people to research, such as the practice in Buddhism will bring peace to people.
Overall, religion s is completely worthy of respect and awe in our society today. It contains an overwhelming number of people’s efforts and intelligence. “Just like Berger’s opinion: religion controls the impulses of human beings, prevent individuals from endless madness, and ultimately ensure that individuals form part of society (Berger 1969 chapter 1-3).” In my own words: it gives us the interpretation of life’s impermanence, helps people to overcome anxiety, and helps stabilize society with mortality. From this functional perspective, even though nowadays religion is not as same important as before, religion will never disappear.