Learning Area:INTRODUCTION OF WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEM

Grade Level: 11
Quarter Number: 1st
Module Number: 03

LESSON TITLE
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF RELIGION

Learning Competency

Analyze the influences of religion to culture and society

Message to the Learner and Facilitator

Learner:

In this module, you will do activities that demonstrates your understanding of historical and
geographical contexts of the different religions. Answer each activity as best as you can.
Ask help from your parent or guardian only if you find it very hard to answer.
As much as possible, try to answer the activities in less than an hour.

Facilitator:
Most of the activities in this module is self-explanatory.
Give further explanation if needed, but make sure that the child himself/
herself answers the activities. We intend to train the child for independent learning. It is very
appreciated if the child can finish this independently, correctly and within the allotted time.

Introduction
How does awareness on the positive and negative effects of religion promote tolerance and
understanding among believers.?

Learning Objectives

Knowledge: Know the positive and negative effects of religion.

Skills: Analyze the positive and negative effects of religion

Attitude: Appreciate the influence of religion to culture and to society.

Values: Respect other religion.

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 What I Know

DIRECTION: Give at least 3 answers on the positive and negative effects of religion.

POSITIVE EFFECTS NEGATIVE EFFECTS

What’s In

In our previous lesson, we already know how these different religions came into being and
how does its geographical and cultural location affects these religion.

What’s New

Answer the following questions based on the song given.

Imagine
John Lennon

Imagine there's no heaven You may say I'm a dreamer

It's easy if you try But I'm not the only one
No hell below us I hope some day you'll join us
Above us only sky And the world will be as one
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in
peace, you
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world,
you

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 QUESTIONS:

1. What was your initial reaction when you read the lyrics of the song?
2. Why do you think the songwriter suggests that we imagine a world without religion?
3. Do you think he does not have God? Explain.
4. What message did you get from the song?

What Is It
In this section, let us discuss the positive and negative effects of religion.

LESSON PROPER:
Religion can affect more than a particular person's habits. These beliefs and practices
can influence an entire community, nation, or region. Religious practices shape, and are
shaped by, the culture around them.1
In this lesson, we will look at the positive and negative effects of religion in our
culture and society.
POSITIVE EFFECTS
A. Promotes Social Harmony
Religion can help maintain a social stability and is seen in a positive light
because it is a tool to promote the harmony.2 One of the identifiable source of promoting
social harmony in religion is a religion practice. Religion practices are a set of rituals and
ceremonious rites of passage and intensification. It also regards religious leaders in high
esteem. These characteristics help advance social harmony by assimilating and stabilizing
cultures and nations.3

For instance, praying during a crisis tends to make people feel better because it
makes people believe they can exert some influence over events and feel secure of the

future. Also, religion can make people more confident towards their life rather than
feel hopeless and powerless, which will be less detrimental to the society. 4
Religion provides divine authority to ethical and moral principles which also help
promote unity among people. Common participation in rituals together with basic uniformity
of beliefs help promote social cohesiveness.5
1
https://study.com/academy/lesson/how-religion-contributes-to-cultural-change.html#:~:text=Religion%20can%20influence
%20the%20culture,and%20scientific%20advances%20are%20made.
2
https://www.coursehero.com/file/15671604/Religion-has-been-used-in-society-both-to-promote-social-harmony-and-to-
advance-social-conflict/
3
https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-3-positive-and-negative-effects-of-religion?from_action=save
4
https://www.coursehero.com/file/15671604/Religion-has-been-used-in-society-both-to-promote-social-harmony-and-to-
advance-social-conflict/
5
https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-3-positive-and-negative-effects-of-religion?from_action=save

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 B. Provides Moral Values

One of the most significant functions of religion is moral values. It provides a

systematic model of the universe, which in effect determines organized human behavior.

By providing moral values, one is able to distinguish right from wrong, good from
evil. It also provides a system of reward and punishment that administers and standardizes
people’s behavior in society. 6

C. Provides Social Change

Since religion is a source of moral values, it provides social change. It can be very
effective in lobbying and campaigning for certain social issues using its own moral teachings
as the basis for argument.

Religion has the potential to institute social change, especially in the issues
concerning poverty, reproductive health, gender equality and religious discrimination.7

D. Reduces Fear of the Unknown

Religion was developed from man’s need to have a sense of origin and destination; to
discover where they came from and where they are bound to go when they die. Religion
provides answers for phenomena and questions that science or reason cannot explain.8

E. Gives Positive Outlook in Life

People were inspired by the stories of different prophets from their own religious
affiliations like that of Moses, Buddha and Muhammad.

 These people showed how ordinary people like them were given important missions
in life, and how they struggled to carry out their respective missions. Their narratives (known
to us because of religion) may give people a sense of meaning in life; that they are not placed
in this world without a purpose, that each has a mission to fulfill and it is up to them to
fathom what their missions in life are.9

6
https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-3-positive-and-negative-effects-of-religion?
from_action=save
7
https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-3-positive-and-negative-effects-of-religion?from_action=save
8
Ibid
9
Ibid

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 F. Gives a Sense of Belonging

Belonging to a particular religion – whose members share the same beliefs, practices
the same rituals and worship the same god – gives individuals a sense of being in the right
place with the right people.

It also provides them a sense of security because other people who belong to the same
group tend to support and help each other in times of crisis. People can also rejoice with them
in times of success.10

NEGATIVE EEFECTS
A. Affirms Social Heirarchy
Some religions often favor men and as a result, perpetuate the notions of class or
gender discrimination or oppression.

Example:

The traditional caste system in India reflects how religion shows political and social
structures since it propagated the idea that people had to be subdivided into certain social
classes with particular social roles and that the attainment of moksha (union of the universal
and individual soul) would depend on how they performed their duties based on their
designated class.

B. Causes of Discrimination
Religion can be a source of discrimination or the prejudicial treatment of different
categories of people or things. Many instances in the history, religion has been used by
colonizers to justify their forcible occupation of territories.

 There are some religions which discriminate other religions by saying that theirs is the
“right religion” and that only their followers will be saved in the afterlife.

C. Triggers Conflicts and Fights

Wars have been fought in the name of religion. Numerous lives were sacrificed and
lost and this phenomenon continues up to the present time.

10
Ibid

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 For example:

In Palestine, Jews are in conflict with the Muslims;

 In Kashmir, Muslims are against Hindus;

 In Sudan, Muslims vs Christians and animists

D. Economic Tool for Exploiting the Masses

With ‘the social-conflict approach,’ Karl Marx argues that religion plays a significant
role in maintaining the status quo. Marx argues that religion accomplishes this by promising
rewards in the after-life rather than in this life. By focusing attention on otherworldly
rewards, religion pacifies members by providing a worldview that deflects attention that
would otherwise be directed at the inequalities of this world. 11Karl Marx said “Religion is
the opium of the masses.” he believes that religion maintains social inequality by propagating
a worldview that justifies oppression.

According to Marx, in a capitalist society, religion plays a critical role in maintaining

an unequal status quo, in which certain groups of people have radically more resources and
power than other groups of people.12

People will not complain of being poor or being in the lower ranks because “the
kingdom of Heaven is waiting for them”.

E. Impedes Scientific Success and Development

Catholic church claimed that the earth was flat and that it is the center of the solar
system and so when Copernicus stated his theory that the sun is the center of the solar system,
he was banned from the church and his book was banned for more than 200 years.13

F. Obstructs the Use of Reason

Many question the sustainability of religious doctrines to the needs of the present and
future generations. Ancient religious beliefs and practices which have proven to be inhuman
should be replaced with sensible ones.

11
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/the-conflict-perspective-on-
religion/
12
Ibid
13
https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-3-positive-and-negative-effects-of-religion?from_action=save

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 iti
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 For example:
Trepanning or boring of holes in the skull, a surgical procedure performed on
epileptics and the mentally ill, with the belie that through the hole, the evil spirit will leave
the person.

What’s More

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER. Complete the graphic organizer by adding some more positive and
negative effects of religion.

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 What I Have Learned

What I have learned is that ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.

What I Have Valued

What I have valued is that ____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.

What I Can Do

ESSAY:

1. Among the positive effects of religion, which can you relate with and why?

2. Do you think it’s ironic that wars have been fought in the name of religion when it is
supposed to promote peace and compassion? Explain your answer.

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 Post-Assessment

TRUE OR FALSE. Write TRUE if the statement is true and FALSE if the statement is
false.

____________ 1. Marx believed that religion lulled people into a sense of class
consciousness.
____________ 2. Conflict theory focuses on the fact that religion is a source of cohesion in
society.
____________ 3. Most religions exhibit some aspects of fundamentalism.
____________ 4. The caste system in India promotes the inequality of political and social
status of a person.
____________ 5. Religion is a product of culture. Therefore it is a social phenomenon that
can be easily defined and understood by religious people.
____________ 6. Ancient religious beliefs and practices which have proven to be inhuman
should be maintained.
____________ 7. Marx believes that a religion is an opium to the society.
____________ 8. Religion has the potential to institute social change.
____________ 9. Religion provides divine authority to ethical and moral principles which
help promote conflict among people.
____________ 10. Belonging to the same religion gives people a sense of security.

Additional Activities

NONE

Answer Key

What I Know
ANSWER VARIES

What’s New
ANSWER VARIES

What’s More and What Can I Do

ANSWER VARIES
Post Assessment

1. False 4. True
2. False 5. False
3. True 6. False

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson
 7. True 9. False
8. True 10. True

REFERENCES

https://study.com/academy/lesson/how-religion-contributes-to-cultural-
change.html#:~:text=Religion%20can%20influence%20the%20culture,and%20scientific
%20advances%20are%20made.

https://www.coursehero.com/file/15671604/Religion-has-been-used-in-society-both-
to-promote-social-harmony-and-to-advance-social-conflict/

https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-3-positive-and-negative-
effects-of-religion?from_action=save

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/the-
conflict-perspective-on-religion/

Writers: Dan Davy P. Azarcon

Ritchie Descartin
Amy Faith Suson