Learning about world religions can be interesting, intriguing, and helpful in modern society. My perception of religion as a separate system of orders and customs significantly changed after I gained more knowledge about different religions. Religion presents an essential part of different cultures and provides the foundation for the system of values in the culture. Thus, it is important to learn about other people’s beliefs and attitudes to increase the level of cultural awareness in the world.
Firstly, learning about world religions significantly influenced my perception of religion. Before acquiring substantial knowledge about different religions, I mainly perceived religion as a source of power and social control, which provides the foundation for society. Now, I acknowledge that religion is closely connected with society, and they mutually influence each other. Moreover, if I previously experienced trouble choosing between differentiating opinions on the positive and negative ways in which religion influences society and people, now I prefer to remain neutral. Religion has several functions, such as sacralization of the society’s norms, unifying the population and promoting solidarity (Otu 221). Thus, there is no point in discussing how religion influences society in a good or a bad way because religion is manifested by society and performs various functions. Thus, it is necessary to explore different religions as a product of society and study their connections with culture, the population’s moral values and behavior.
Learning about other peoples’ beliefs and attitudes is important to ensure a better future for the global population. Religion provides the key to understanding the historical context of differences in many fields of knowledge, including literature, art, law, economics, and politics. While it seems that in modern society, the influence of religion is less present in politics or the economy, the cultural values promoted by religion ultimately leave their mark in influencing the decision-making process. Thus, the study of current trends in politics or economy requires collecting historical context in religion as, for a long time, it determined the population’s way of life. Furthermore, the globalization trend of the economy suggests close cooperation between companies from different countries. Overcoming the difficulties and misunderstandings in communication requires significant cultural awareness. Studying religion can positively influence an individual’s cultural awareness because it improves his ability to recognize and understand different concepts.
In conclusion, learning about world religions improved my motivation to participate in cultural exchange. Studying religion is important for understanding the impact of moral values promoted by religion on the population’s lifestyle, perceptions, and behavior in different countries. Furthermore, exploring different religions can improve the individual’s level of cultural awareness, improving his experience of living in a developed diverse community. Now that I have more knowledge about world religions and can construct an idea about the role of religion in different countries, I feel more confident in approaching people from other countries and cultures. I also acknowledge that for some people sharing their experiences with religion is more difficult, and now I know how to behave in such a situation by showing respect to other religions. In the past, religion presented a complicated and mysterious topic for me. However, now I perceive it as a logical component of society’s life because it provides foundations for communication and moral guidance. In future, I plan to utilize this information to promote cultural awareness and diversity.
Work Cited
Otu, Eyo Nsa. “The Survival of Religion in the 21st Century: A Critical Survey.” Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research, vol. 15, no. 4, 2018, pp. 215-229.