CULTURE AND RELIGION 11
Running head: CULTURE AND RELIGION 1
Interaction Between Culture and Religion and Their Effect on Law
Culture entails the norms and social behaviour within human societies. It is an umbrella concept encompassing beliefs, arts, laws, knowledge, customs, and even habits in societies with different people sharing different cultures. Usually, culture could be acquired through learning whereby socialization and enculturation influence people in society regarding diversity. Cultural norms help structure acceptable behaviour in society and guide people regarding how to dress, communicate, and even carry themselves in different situations. However, religion constitutes social and cultural behaviour systems that influence practice, beliefs, morals, views, ethics, and organizations. Religion associates humanity with transcendental, supernatural, and spiritual aspects. Different religions could constitute vast elements ranging from sacred aspects, faith, and divinity, with most religions acknowledging the existence of a supernatural being. Some practices within religion include sermons, rituals, and commemoration. Religion also offers opportunities for festivals, initiation, funerary services, and sacrifices, among others like matrimonial services and meditation. Therefore, religion could possess sacred histories and narratives which could be passed along within sacred books, chapters, scriptures, holy grounds, or even symbols with the primary goal to assign meaning to life. Importantly, religion entails symbolism which is used to tell stories; hence followers of religion could employ these stories to determine the origin of life, the universe, and complex phenomena.
Firstly, culture and religion both have etymological origins, which could be perceived as classical. Religion may have been derived from the root,”‘religio,” which is vastly associated with moral obligation and conscientiousness. It evokes the sense of right or explains the need of obligation to duty regarding anything relevant to human existence. The medieval or ancient world regarded “religion” as the virtue to worship but without precise definition regarding practice. There was no actual doctrine or even source of knowledge concerning it. In retrospect, “religion” defined social responsibility concerning family, neighbours, and a supernatural being. On the other hand, culture is based upon the term often used by Roman orators, Cicero. The latter employed the term to define the cultivation of the soul for the growth and realization of philosophy. Culture could then be assumed to refer to the concept of making humans better entities with more meaning being placed on their need to overcome barbarism and through every possible way become wholly human.
Similarly, culture and religion have since interacted in many ways, and their influence in society continues to spark attention from scholars daily. These concepts have influenced human existence and led to the establishment of differentiated groups of individuals who strive to exist in harmony. The existence of different cultures and religion have always initiated discourses in society and other times even elicited differences and enmity. However, the modern world has sought to accommodate different cultures and religions, focusing on the harmonious existent of humans without the need to settle these differences but to appreciate their existence and acknowledge their uniqueness. Therefore, in an attempt to see that humans exist in harmony regardless of their cultural or religious differences, laws have been created to restore boundaries and reinforce the need for humans to exist as one entity.. However, culture and religion have influenced laws in many ways, and the relationship among these concepts could be defined as intricate and sensitive. Usually, the differences that emerge concerning cultural differences may not be as intense as those that emerge regarding religious uniqueness. Over the years, religion has been regarded as sensitive and the differences that have emerged between religions. For instance, the differences between Christians and Muslims have indicated the significance of religion and the uniqueness of each concerning the positions of respective believers of followers in society. While religious differences have led to the culmination of violence, wars, enmity, and disagreements, modern societies have placed significant efforts regarding how followers of particular religions associate and exist peacefully with their counterparts. In this regard, the law has ensured that there is adherence to these factors.
Nonetheless, the relationship between religion and culture is frequently construed as negative, with the freedom to engage in religion being invoked to defend against human rights violations. However, many advocates regarding these human rights have distinguished the two concepts, with culture being perceived as the problem and not religion. While religion and culture could be told apart, they could be related extensively because culture has since been influenced by religion while religious ideas continue to be seen as aspects of modern culture. In this regard, acknowledging the relationship between the two concepts and how they influence each other could create new ways by which more positive avenues for human rights promotion could occur. Besides, freedom of religion is usually employed to defend human rights and to protect them against discrimination. However, religion does not mandate such human rights violations because the latter could be considered as cultural practices. For instance, the discrimination of women in the workplace is not subject to religion but a significant part of cultural practices at the workplace. In this regard, it could be difficult to impose expectations concerning religious beliefs and practices even while the main problem seems to be sitting with the cultural practices of humans on a daily basis.
Moreover, culture has a vast influence on law compared to religion even though human rights, culture, and religion do not exist in isolation but influence and affect one another. Often they influence each other negatively, but at times, the relationship among these three concepts could be positive and enriching. In retrospect, allowing the law to be influenced by religion could limit people’s freedom. Religious influence must remain out of laws even while religious texts could determine laws against such actions as murder and theft due to the primary moral and ethical codes in society in general. Take, for instance, a gay couple who are denied a double bedroom by a hotel run upon Christian values. According to modern law, the gay couple has the edge over the hotel and could win the case if ever it gets to a court of law. However, their freedom is limited because of the nature of their relationship and the religious beliefs of the hotel management team. Usually, religion affects law superficially but can rarely dictate how the law works in general. Religion could only help criticize different kinds of laws, and even followers of different religions can only participate in law as normal citizens of a country like other members of society without necessarily having the power to determine what law works and what law does not.
Furthermore, modern law and religion could be considered social and political concepts with common elements. They both aim at constituting or framing consciousness and behavior concerning private and public spheres of life. They are complementary even as they constantly contradict each other and act as relevant rules, execution, and adjudication sources. They both encompass obligations, obedience, institutions, legal ideologies, and leadership as building blocks regarding maintenance and prevalence with a reliable command structure. They are also subjects of political influence because they could be interdependent. They may also generate, maintain and challenge political power; hence they have never been completely separate as religion has always been embodied in modern legal systems.
On another hand, culture plays a significant role in upholding law and reinforcing legal systems. Different countries have different cultures, which could influence their respective legal systems. In this regard, culture is not in any way relevant than religion in supporting the law. Law is shaped and established by the society within which it operates and functions; hence, it could be considered cultural. Besides, the culture regarding organizations is modified and formed by legal disciplinary entities. Today, culture and law exist collectively to determine the particular structure to be followed by unique societies. Law regulates human conduct, while culture is the result of unregulated human behaviour. These concepts may seem different, but they align with each other in that law could demand it be studied and practised hence intersecting typically with culture. Many sociologists have studied the partnership that emerges between law and culture over the years, and there has since been an evolution regarding both disciplines over the years. Law continues to raise concerns concerning modification by societal factors and culture. Such aspects as gender, violence, engineering, science, and medication are essential in establishing the relationship between the former concepts.
In conclusion, culture and religion continue to interact vastly while influencing society. These concepts have influenced human existence and led to the establishment of differentiated groups of individuals who strive to exist in harmony. The existence of different cultures and religion have always initiated discourses in society and other times even elicited differences and enmity. However, the modern world has sought to accommodate different cultures and religions, focusing on the harmonious existent of humans without the need to settle these differences but to appreciate their existence and acknowledge their uniqueness.
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