Question

Whereas functionalist Emile Durkheim sees religion as a source of social stability, conflict theorist Karl Max believes it helps maintain patterns of social inequality by promoting the idea that believers should be satisfied with existing circumstances since they are divinely ordained.

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Answer 1

Functionalist perspectives, like those of Durkheim, see religion as promoting social stability and cohesion, while conflict theories, such as those proposed by Marx, argue that religion helps maintain social inequality.

Step-by-step explanation:

The perspectives of functionalism and conflict theory in sociology exhibit contrasting views on the role and impact of religion in society. Functionalists like Emile Durkheim argue that religion serves as a source of social stability and cohesion, fulfilling various functions such as providing emotional comfort, answering spiritual mysteries, and encouraging social interaction and social control. On the other hand, conflict theorists such as Karl Marx view religion as a mechanism that helps maintain social inequality, asserting that it perpetuates the status quo by convincing believers that existing social arrangements are divinely ordained and should therefore be accepted.