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Evaluate the sociological arguments for and against the idea that religion is essentially a conservative force in society.
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Suzanne Bembridge Evaluate the sociological arguments for and against the idea that religion is essentially a conservative force in society For religion to be considered a conservative force it would need to be the case that religion prevents social change and maintains the existing order of society. Some sociologists would agree with this and others would argue against such a claim. As a result, one side would argue that religion prevents change and the other would argue that it could cause social change. One sociologist who believed that religion prevents social change was Durkheim. He believed that religion acts as a conservative force. He thought that religious worship is like worshipping society and that religious beliefs strengthen the values of that society. Durkheim's justification for this view was expressed in the practice of totemism among Australian aborigines. The totem pole was considered to be a sacred object with each clan having an individual...
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