Ereño, Irish Pauline

Dayaldas, Sareena
Calma, Kriszha Mae
Yabut, Jan Carlo
MCSE-3B

Is Religion Still Important In Today’s Society?

I. Objectives

This research aims:

• To define religion
• To know whether religion is still important in today’s society
• To relate religion to the subject of sociology
• To understand the importance of religion in today’s society

II. Ideas

Religion is defined herein as our system of choosing actions that serve and promote the
greater social good – as measured by our collective chances for survival, continuance-in-
kind, and prosperity.

Religion is our underlying belief system and values - those necessary tenants that may not
always be directly verifiable by our science, or our philosophy, but are reflected in our
moral strictures governing our interaction and behavior with our environment and other
humans.

Religion gives us our primary social direction in life - what it is we collectively strive for,
sacrifice for, and build for as a social unit. A primary goal Transcendent Reality as a
religion is the formulation, dissemination and practice of personal and group ethics and
behaviors that promote the greater social good – as measured by our collective survival,
continuance-in-kind, and prosperity - beyond random chance. In Transcendent Reality,
such ethics are not arbitrary or capricious, but must be continually measured and
evaluated.

The west has largely abandoned religion as a relevant force in daily life, believing ethics
and morality are arbitrary, without natural consequences. This is very unfortunate,
because values and ethics spring from religion – our concepts of the greater social good -
whence come wise or foolish choices having immense social consequences.

3. Perspectives

• Structural Functionalism:
According to Durkheim, the power of religion is really the power of society. Religion,
particularly in traditional societies has important functions: it interprets, regulates,
integrates, and empowers individuals and social groups and represents society through
religious rituals, myths and beliefs.

• Interactionism

For Weber, religion’s important purpose lies in its meaning for its followers. Religion
provides interpretations of reality and holds out the possibility of escape from suffering.
As meaning systems, religious beliefs may be related to economic systems. For example,
the religious ideas of the early Puritans nicely matched the type of economic activity we
call capitalism. Finally, while it is possible to distinguish distinct types of organizations,
religious organization revolves continually in response to social changes within and
outside the organization.

• Social Conflict:

The work of Marx reflects a conflict theory of religion. Marx argued that the upper
classes use religion as an ideological tool to justify their monopoly of power and wealth.
While the oppressed may find some comfort in religious beliefs, these beliefs serve to
blind them to the source of injustices in this world and so to prevent them taking action to
eliminate these injustices.

IV. Interview Results

Religion is a huge part of the culture of the Filipinos today. Filipinos are very affected by
faith and religion. It's often the driving factor for everything they do. Religion is still
important because it is the reason people act and speak the way they do. It also keeps
hope in the world and we personally think that religion is one of the only reasons there is
still good in the world today.

Although some of the Filipinos we interviewed today doesn’t know the real meaning of
being a Christian. Some of the interviewees we asked answered that they still don’t know
how to apply the things they learned from the church to their everyday lives. Some also
answered that they only go to mass sometimes, when they have time. And some can’t
answer at all. Their understanding of Christianity and religion has not really deepen yet.

V. Reflection

• Ereño, Irish Pauline

Religion is still important but not as important as before. Most of the Filipinos today are
quite distracted from all the things that surrounds them, such as works, studies, computers
and all material things there is. It distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and
maintaining that vital connection throughout their day. They are often busy but even so,
many Filipinos are still have time for God, they still live life for only Him. They keep on
trying even though they sometimes migth forget.

• Dayaldas, Sareena

Religion is still important to us because it is still a part of our daily lives. Although many
people might think a lot of things everyday, and some people doesn’t really attend mass,
but still majority of us filipinos still end up praying to whoever God we believe in before
we sleep at nigth.

• Calma, Kriszha Mae

For me, religion is not that important in today’s society now…because nowadays, they
just go to mass if they needed to ask for something and they only pray when it’s
necessary to do so. As what I have observed they are only looking forward for their own
personal matters.

• Yabut, Jan Carlo

Religion is not as important as before. For them, religion is only important because they
have problems and they need to ask for help. Most of the time, they don’t find time for
religion because they are busy doing their own stuffs.