Religious behaviours are behaviours motivated by religious beliefs. Religious actions are also called 'ritual' and religious avoidances are called taboos or ritual prohibitions.
Religious beliefs can inform ordinary aspects of life including eating, clothing and marriage, as well as deliberately religious acts such as worship, prayer, sacrifices etc. As there are over 4,000 religions in the world, there is a wide variety of behaviour.
Actions
Religious behaviours may take on several aspects;
- they may be public, such as participating in religious rituals, making pilgrimages, or donating time and money to religious groups;
- they may be group-orientated, such as meeting regularly to carry out traditional rituals in a temple or church.
- they may also be individual and private, such as prayer, meditation, and reading sacred texts.
- they may be professional, with a few people set aside to focus their lives on only carrying out actions in connection with their faith (eg, rabbi, guru, etc)
The most general religious action is prayer. It can be done quietly by a person all alone, but people can also pray in groups using songs. Sacrifice is also a widely spread religious action (usually time, money or food). Prayer and sacrifice, as well as reading scriptures and attending a meeting at a religious building, often form the basis of other, more complicated religious actions like pilgrimage, processions, or consulting an oracle. Many rituals are connected to a certain purpose, like initiation, ritual purification and preparation for an important happening or task. Among these are also the so-called rituals of transition, which occur at important moments of the human life cycle, like birth, adulthood/marriage, sickness and death. A special religious action is spirit possession and religious ecstasy. Religious specialists, such as priests, vicars, rabbis, imams and pandits are involved in many religious actions.
Avoidances
A religious avoidance is when a person desists from something or from some action for religious reasons. It can be food or drink that one does not touch because of one's religion for some time (fast). This abstinence can also be for a longer time. Some people do not have sex (celibacy); others avoid contact with blood, or dead animals. Well known examples are: Jews and Muslims do not eat pork; the celibacy of Catholic priests; the purity rules of Hinduism and Judaism; the Word of Wisdom (which teaches to avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, etc.) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
These avoidances, or 'taboos', are often about;
- food and drink
- speech; some words are forbidden (cursing)
- dying, death and mourning
Religious avoidances are often not easily recognisable as (part of) religious behaviour. When asked, the believers often do not motivate this kind of behaviour explicitly as religious but say the avoidance for health reasons, ethical reasons, or because it is hygienic.
Academic study
Religious behaviour is seldom studied for itself. When it is given attention at all, it is usually studied as an illustration of the religious images, like in comparative religion and cultural anthropology, or as part of the study of man in the social sciences.
Studies can look at both beliefs and actions; for example, studies in the UK looked at people’s attitude to God and the afterlife, as well as actions such as worship attendance and prayer. Other surveys may look at similar actions.
Religious behaviour is part of a larger area of human behaviour; as such, studies and opinions are always changing.
Controversies
Persecution
Opposition to religious behaviour can lead to Religious Persecution, where certain individuals and groups are seen as 'separate' and unwelcome due to their beliefs or actions.
Behaviour in sacred spaces
Christian
There are a number of etiquette rules which would include showing up about five or 10 minutes early to allow some time of prayer and "to be ready to participate in the Mass." Other suggestions may include when to stand, sit or kneel, the use of candles or touching of icons.
Jean-Baptiste Massillon gives a lengthy sermon on the Bible verse, "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves." (Matthew 21:12) stating that "of all crimes, in effect, by which the greatness of God is insulted, I see almost none more deserving of his chastisements than the profanations of his temples; and they are so much the more criminal, as the dispositions required of us by religion, when assisting there, ought to be more holy."
Hindu
There are a number of etiquette rules when attending a temple, including removal of shoes, bowing and bringing an offering.
Muslim
There are a number of etiquette rules when attending a mosque, including wearing clean clothes and carrying out ablutions.
Sikh
There are a number of etiquette rules for the gurdwara, including wearing clean clothes and using head coverings.
Judaism
There are a number of etiquette rules for the synagogue, including seating arrangements and wearing head coverings.
See also
- Discipline
- Elitism
- New religious movement
- Piety
- Revivalism
- Secondary conversion
References
- Visual Capitalist website, Visualizing the World’s Most Popular Religions, article published June 20, 2022
- Science Direct website, Psychology of Religion section, Religiosity, by Darren E. Sherkat, published in the International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition), 2015
- Diversity Style Guide website, Religious Titles
- BBC website, Bitesize Guides; Prayer
- BBC website, Bitesize Guides; The Five Pillars of Islam
- BBC website, Bitesize Guides; The Gurdwara and the Scriptures
- National Health Service website, Religious And Cultural Beliefs (2009)
- "Word of Wisdom". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
- UK Government website, Faith at the End Life (2016)
- King’s College London website, Belief, faith and religion: shifting attitudes in the UK May 2023
- Guardian website, Christianity as default is gone: the rise of a non-Christian Europe, article by Harriet Sherwood, dated March 21, 2018
- British Religion in Numbers website, Figures
- University of Oregon website, Religion influences behavior - both good and bad, by Matt Cooper, dated July 14, 2013
- Pew Research website, Harassment of religious groups continues to be reported in more than 90% of countries, November 10, 2020
- GIS Reports Online website, The Global Crisis of Religious Persecution, August 25, 2023
- Atlantic Council website, Faith leaders highlight Russian religious persecution in occupied Ukraine, by Shelby Magid and Mercedes Sapuppo, article dated November 2, 2023
- Fr. William Saunders. "Appropriate Behavior in Church". www.catholiceducation.org.
- Christ the Savior Orthodox Church website, Church Etiquette
- Massillon, Jean-Baptiste (1879). . Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon. Thomas Tegg & Sons.
- Simple Hinduism website, How to visit a Hindu temple
- Masjid Mosque Al-Islam website, Rules for the Masjid (Mosque)
- Discover Sikhism website, Gurdwara Etiquette and Protocol
- Jewish FAQ website, Synagogues, Shuls and Temples
External links
- The study of religious behaviour, by J.P. Janssen
- Sociology of Religion Resources
- Google Books website The Psychology of Religious Behaviour, Belief & Experience, by B Beit-Hallahmi and M Argyle, (2007) online copy
Religious behaviours are behaviours motivated by religious beliefs Religious actions are also called ritual and religious avoidances are called taboos or ritual prohibitions Religious beliefs can inform ordinary aspects of life including eating clothing and marriage as well as deliberately religious acts such as worship prayer sacrifices etc As there are over 4 000 religions in the world there is a wide variety of behaviour ActionsReligious behaviours may take on several aspects they may be public such as participating in religious rituals making pilgrimages or donating time and money to religious groups they may be group orientated such as meeting regularly to carry out traditional rituals in a temple or church they may also be individual and private such as prayer meditation and reading sacred texts they may be professional with a few people set aside to focus their lives on only carrying out actions in connection with their faith eg rabbi guru etc The most general religious action is prayer It can be done quietly by a person all alone but people can also pray in groups using songs Sacrifice is also a widely spread religious action usually time money or food Prayer and sacrifice as well as reading scriptures and attending a meeting at a religious building often form the basis of other more complicated religious actions like pilgrimage processions or consulting an oracle Many rituals are connected to a certain purpose like initiation ritual purification and preparation for an important happening or task Among these are also the so called rituals of transition which occur at important moments of the human life cycle like birth adulthood marriage sickness and death A special religious action is spirit possession and religious ecstasy Religious specialists such as priests vicars rabbis imams and pandits are involved in many religious actions AvoidancesA religious avoidance is when a person desists from something or from some action for religious reasons It can be food or drink that one does not touch because of one s religion for some time fast This abstinence can also be for a longer time Some people do not have sex celibacy others avoid contact with blood or dead animals Well known examples are Jews and Muslims do not eat pork the celibacy of Catholic priests the purity rules of Hinduism and Judaism the Word of Wisdom which teaches to avoid alcohol coffee tea etc of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints These avoidances or taboos are often about food and drink speech some words are forbidden cursing dying death and mourning Religious avoidances are often not easily recognisable as part of religious behaviour When asked the believers often do not motivate this kind of behaviour explicitly as religious but say the avoidance for health reasons ethical reasons or because it is hygienic Academic studyReligious behaviour is seldom studied for itself When it is given attention at all it is usually studied as an illustration of the religious images like in comparative religion and cultural anthropology or as part of the study of man in the social sciences Studies can look at both beliefs and actions for example studies in the UK looked at people s attitude to God and the afterlife as well as actions such as worship attendance and prayer Other surveys may look at similar actions Religious behaviour is part of a larger area of human behaviour as such studies and opinions are always changing ControversiesPersecution Opposition to religious behaviour can lead to Religious Persecution where certain individuals and groups are seen as separate and unwelcome due to their beliefs or actions Behaviour in sacred spacesChristian There are a number of etiquette rules which would include showing up about five or 10 minutes early to allow some time of prayer and to be ready to participate in the Mass Other suggestions may include when to stand sit or kneel the use of candles or touching of icons Jean Baptiste Massillon gives a lengthy sermon on the Bible verse And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them that sold doves Matthew 21 12 stating that of all crimes in effect by which the greatness of God is insulted I see almost none more deserving of his chastisements than the profanations of his temples and they are so much the more criminal as the dispositions required of us by religion when assisting there ought to be more holy Hindu There are a number of etiquette rules when attending a temple including removal of shoes bowing and bringing an offering Muslim There are a number of etiquette rules when attending a mosque including wearing clean clothes and carrying out ablutions Sikh There are a number of etiquette rules for the gurdwara including wearing clean clothes and using head coverings Judaism There are a number of etiquette rules for the synagogue including seating arrangements and wearing head coverings See alsoDiscipline Elitism New religious movement Piety Revivalism Secondary conversionReferencesVisual Capitalist website Visualizing the World s Most Popular Religions article published June 20 2022 Science Direct website Psychology of Religion section Religiosity by Darren E Sherkat published in the International Encyclopedia of the Social amp Behavioral Sciences Second Edition 2015 Diversity Style Guide website Religious Titles BBC website Bitesize Guides Prayer BBC website Bitesize Guides The Five Pillars of Islam BBC website Bitesize Guides The Gurdwara and the Scriptures National Health Service website Religious And Cultural Beliefs 2009 Word of Wisdom www churchofjesuschrist org Retrieved 2020 03 18 UK Government website Faith at the End Life 2016 King s College London website Belief faith and religion shifting attitudes in the UK May 2023 Guardian website Christianity as default is gone the rise of a non Christian Europe article by Harriet Sherwood dated March 21 2018 British Religion in Numbers website Figures University of Oregon website Religion influences behavior both good and bad by Matt Cooper dated July 14 2013 Pew Research website Harassment of religious groups continues to be reported in more than 90 of countries November 10 2020 GIS Reports Online website The Global Crisis of Religious Persecution August 25 2023 Atlantic Council website Faith leaders highlight Russian religious persecution in occupied Ukraine by Shelby Magid and Mercedes Sapuppo article dated November 2 2023 Fr William Saunders Appropriate Behavior in Church www catholiceducation org Christ the Savior Orthodox Church website Church Etiquette Massillon Jean Baptiste 1879 Sermon XXI Respect in the temples of God Sermons by John Baptist Massillon Thomas Tegg amp Sons Simple Hinduism website How to visit a Hindu temple Masjid Mosque Al Islam website Rules for the Masjid Mosque Discover Sikhism website Gurdwara Etiquette and Protocol Jewish FAQ website Synagogues Shuls and TemplesExternal linksThe study of religious behaviour by J P Janssen Sociology of Religion Resources Google Books website The Psychology of Religious Behaviour Belief amp Experience by B Beit Hallahmi and M Argyle 2007 online copy
