The Secularization of Society

This is a difficult question to answer, because in many aspects, religion today is just as strong as it ever was. Even though less people go to church than they used to, I think the textbook says it right when the author states: "...religion remains a significant force, albeit often in new and unfamiliar formats" (Giddens et al. 523). Merriam-Webster dictionary defines religion as ": a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices", the key words in this context are "Personal set" of practices. Fewer and fewer individuals classify themselves as "religious" or "belonging to a religion", however the belief in God and the fundamentals that go hand in hand with faith remain strong for many people.

But is this true for the majority? I am not so sure. I still consider myself spiritual, though not "religious". I hold beliefs and values that are common to several different denominations, so it would be difficult to classify myself as belonging to a specific religion. Even though I would like to find one, I do not have a church that I frequent or belong to. But I do hold my "personal set" of views of faith very close. Although I think its unfortunate, I believe that our society in general is becoming increasingly secularized as time goes on. The text book makes a good point, arguing that religious bodies have lost much of the "social influence, wealth, and prestige" as they used to hold. I think many people now are too busy, to "politically correct", and too caught up in their own consumer-driven lives to really allow themselves to be influenced by religion.

Hopefully, I am wrong. I do not feel that this path is necessarily the right path for society to take; in fact, I feel hopeful that most people continue to practice faith in their own way and have not abandoned it completely. Aside from the moral regulations and rules that religion enforces, there is much good to be had when one has faith in God. Fundamentally, most of the major religions ultimately revolve around the same core values of respect, love, and compassion towards mankind and the world we are a part of. Perhaps a state, or government, or bureaucratic entity can exist and function just fine without religion. But can a person?