RELIGION : A systemic view
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2831 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Human sciences |
Many authors have insisted on the etimology meaning of religion: re-ligere which means basically “interconnect”.
From such a viewpoint, religion is a typical systemic social device, of a universal character.
All religions creeds, of whatever kind, offer similar characteristic traits:
- offering a set ofbeliefs, values , commandments, myths, ritual practices and standardized behaviors
- imposing them as conditions to become and remain a member of the religious bethren
- excluding as “heretics”, “ infidels”, or “renegates” those individuals who do not adhere to or do question the credo
It is thus clear that:
- the basic elements of any credo lead to an also basic psychological similarity among millions of individuals
- such uniformity fosters a sense of community membership in the thus conditioned individuals
- the shared credo creates specific community structures and ushers ordered collective behaviors
- those individuals who do not share the credo are generally excluded from the community and easily become rejected outcasts and may even be killed.
On the other hand, the existence of different religious groups of such characteristics explains rivalries, proselytism, fundamentalism, fanaticism and culture conflicts