Religion as a conservative force

Tom Evans

Religion can be seen as a conservative force in 2 ways:

1. It is seen as been ‘traditional’, defending moral views and roles. So upholds traditional beliefs about how society should be run.

2. It is conservative because it functions to preserve things as they are. It stabilises society.

Religions conservative beliefs

Most religions have traditional conservative beliefs about moral issues and many oppose changes that would allow individuals more freedom. For example, the catholic church forbids divorce, abortion and artificial contraception. It opposes gay marriage and condemns homosexual behaviour.

Similarly most religions uphold family values and often favour a traditional patriarchal division of labour. For example, the church of England promotes the man to be head of the family. Another example is, Hinduism which endorses male domestic authority and the practise of arranged marriage.

Religions conservative functions

Marxist: See religion as an ideology that prevents social change. By disguising exploitation, it creates false conscious in the working class and prevents revolution, therefore maintaining the stability of a capitalist society.

Feminists: Feminists see religion as a conservative force because it acts as an ideology that legitimates patriarchal power and maintains women's subordination in the family and wider society.

Functionalists: Totems are a symbol of the set of beliefs. This can be anything from an object to an animal and is treated with the highest respect by those that follow that set of beliefs or religion. For example its similar to the crucifix and Christians. He found aborigines doing this in Australia and concluded that when clan members worship their totemic animal, they are in reality worshipping society even if they are not aware of this fact.