What is sociology (4) - Kim Jae Hoon (김재훈)

Topic 1 : What functions religion may have?

Religion implies a belief for God.
The first form of religion was developed to the form of a totemijeum, shamanism, animism.
These are used to keep the community and to transmit of required living knowledge.
In other words, the first function of religion is the maintenance of the community.

The second function is to make people together.
In Turkey, a religious facility of 12,000 years ago have been found. Until then, scholars have been thinking that religion was born from agrarian era.
Despite a number of personnel required for the religious facilities, it have been completed successfully. We can see what the second function of religion through this case.

The third function of religion is the role as a service. Most religions have a doctrine for salvation of men. So they work diverse religious outreach, it will be the driving force to develop the society.

On the other hand, religion has also dysfunction. Religious conflicts are a big part of world history. For example, 911 terrorism has caused total chaos of the world.

I don’t have a religion. However I think that the positive function of religion is very helpful to the development of society.


Topic 2 : Why Muslim don’t eat pork?

Prohibited food is called 'Haram' by the Muslim. Haram include pork, dog meat, the meat of birds of prey, and so on.
Pork is noted as a the representative food as Haram. Religious reasons are that "Jesus locked the devil  to pork”.
But it has another reason. Islam had difficulty to obtain the food because the area is desert, pigs will eat a lot of food. Even the pig it not any offer for labor.
In addition, pig needs a large amount of water for temperature control. The use of large amounts of water in order to obtain the meat is not the right choice.

Thus the prohibition of pork in the Muslim originated from a variety of economic, hygienic and environmental factors.