Religion in Society

Though there is argument over the effects of secularization, there is no debate that it has occurred. Over time, many western nations have slowly driven God out of public life. In the Seventeenth century, as shown by The Scarlet Letter, religion played a major role in society; It was not only visible at the personal level, but it also provided the basis for government. Now, government and religion have become separated.  People have gone from following the rules of religion to submitting to the commandments of corrupt governments. If this trend continues, it could have devastating effects on our lives.

Religion teaches us to do right and forbid wrong, which is something most would not argue against. It is necessary in society to regulate behavior because at the end of the day, humans are just animals with intellect. As depicted in Lord of the Flies, without a fear for the consequences of our actions we would do anything we please. We would not know right from wrong, and killing and stealing would suddenly become normal. If our actions bore no consequences, the only thing preventing us from committing crimes would be the moral compass all human beings are born with. The only problem with this is that this compass is very weak and inaccurate; what appears to be north on one person's compass is actually south on another's.