LESSON 7

Religion and Belief

System
 INTRODUCTION
Religion is considered as one
of the most influential and
universal forces in society.
THE NATURE OF RELIGION

Religion
– came from the Latin
word “religo”, which means “to
bind” or “to obligate”
RENARD (2002)
-According to him, religion
refers to a person’s “adherence
to a set of beliefs of teachings
about the deepest and most
elusive of life's mysteries”.
EMILLE DURKHEIM (1915)
- He defined religion as a unified
system of belief and practices related
to sacred things i.e., things set apart
forbidden –beliefs and practices
which unite into one single moral
community called a Church”.
Characteristics of Religion
(Durkheim)
1.Religion has a clear distinction of
the profane and the sacred.
Profane -refers to the domain of
everyday life.
Sacred refers to the domain that are
given respect or reverence.
2. Religion considers belief and faith
as forms of acceptance of sacred
things without any clear evidence
or proof.

3. Religion uses rituals and develops

organized forms of practices to
stimulate the fate of people.
4. Faithful members gather to
organize religious communities.

 Durkheim notes that in religion,

conformity to rules is rewarded and
unconformity is punished.
KARL MARX (1844)
-Is a German philosopher that
defined religion as the “opium of the
people”. Mark argued that religion was
used to maintain the unequal social
system that provides more benefits to
the elite or the upper class while
negatively affecting the lower social
classes.
MAX WEBER (1905)
-Is a German sociologist that
describes religion as, an
important factor toward the rise of
capitalism in his book “In the
Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of
Capitalism (1905)
KINDS OF RELIGIOUS PATTERNS
1.SUPERNATURALISM
-refers to the society’s
belief in non-material forces
that can influence the
physical world.
2. ANIMISM
- Is the belief in nature spirit.
It also emphasizes ancestor
worship. Animist believed that
the deceased ancestors
continue to guide them in spirit
form.
3. TOTEMISM
-they believed that the natural
elements, plants, or animals can
influence one’s life and the
material world.
4. THEISM
- refers to the people’s belief in
the divinity.
5.POLYTHEISM
-refers to the beliefs of a
society to the pantheon of gods.

6. MONOTHEISM
-is a belief in a single god.
 TYPES OF RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATION
1. CHURCH
- Is an institutional organizations
that is considered as the most
recognized form of religious
organization. Church is defined as a
large and formalized organization
that is incorporated into society and
is sometimes fused with the state.
 Characteristics of Church as
Formal Organization
 The church has a clear hierarchical
structure and organization.
 It has a developed professional class
which makes up the bureaucracy of the
church.
 The church hierarchy formulates and
implements a set of rules and regulations
to govern the organization.
2. DENOMINATIONS
-are religious organizations
that have a large number of
members but are formal than a
church. Denominations gain
members by recruiting them and
converting members from other
churches and denominations.
Denominations examples:
 Different Protestant and Christian
denominations
 Baptists Episcopalians
 Methodists Unitarians
Lutherans Presbyterian

 The Sunni and Shi’a Muslim denominations

3. SECT
-are religious organizations that
tend to differ and oftentimes reject
a larger religion’s beliefs. Sects
oppose religious pluralism and
focus on the promotion of strict
religious doctrines that incorporate
all aspects of the member’s life.
4. CULTS
-are relatively small religious
organizations whose doctrines are
outside mainstream religious
traditions. Usually small and
localized communities led by a
charismatic leader who exercises
absolute control over its members.
Classification of Religions:
Institutionalized Religions In the World
1. MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS
-religious that assert the
existence of a single divine being.
Examples:
Judaism
 Christianity
 Islam
2. POLYTHEISTIC RELIGIONS
- belief in the existence of
multiple deities or gods.

Examples:
 Hinduism
 Buddhism
Religion Where Religion Nature of
It Started Religion

Judaism
West Asia Christianity Monotheistic
Islam

Hinduism
South Asia Polytheistic
Buddhism
1. Judaism
- came from the Hebrew word
Yehudim, which means “Judah”.
- It traces its beginnings to the
time of Abraham, who was the first
Hebrew who received revelations
from God or Yahweh.
Hebrew Bible – a principal collection of holy writing
of Judaism and is a collection of short written and
edited text over a thousand years.

Synagogues – sacred temples of Jews.

Torah or Pentateuch – a foundational text of

Hebrews. Also called as the Five Books of Moses:
1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy
2. Christianity
- from the Greek word christos,
which means “anointed”.
- the term was derived from the
name of Jesus Christ the founder of
Christianity.
Christians – people who professed
their belief in Jesus Christ.
Bible – sacred text of Christianity, is a
set of holy writings inspired by God and
given by God to man.

Three Main Groups of Christianity

1. Orthodox
2. Protestantism
3. Roman Catholicism
3. Islam
- derived from Arabic word aslam,
which means “surrender”.
- Islam strictly believes in one God
called Allah.
Muhammed – the prophet or messenger
of God. In the year 610 CE, he received
a divine revelations from Allah
Koran – sacred text of Islam. It is the
recitation of Muhammed of the
messages given to him by Allah
Five Pillars Two Main
of Islamic Faith Groups of Islam
1. Shahada 1. Shi’a
2. Salat 2. Sunni
3. Zakat
4. Saun
5. Hajj
4. Hinduism
- The worlds oldest living religion
- Not only compasses religion but
also philosophy and culture
- Belief in different gods
Samsara – cycle of birth-death-rebirth
Moksha – the liberation and ultimate
freedom from samsara.
Hinduism’s gods

Brahma – the creator

Shiva – the destroyer
Vishnu – the preserver
Hinduism’s Sacred Texts
Vedas – body of oral literature that
contain songs and ritual instructions
of the Brahmins.
Upanishads – theological and
philosophical reflection of Vedas
Brahmans – treatises on sacrificial rites
that emphasizes religions.
5. Buddhism
- The third major religion in India
next to Hinduism and Jainism.
- The first international missionary
religion.
Siddhartha Gauturna – a Kshatriyas prince
who became Buddha after receiving
enlightenment.
Four Noble Truths Of Buddha
1. Noble truth of suffering
2. Noble truth of the cause and origin of
suffering
3. Noble truth of the cessation of
suffering
4. Noble truth of the path to the
cessation of the cause of suffering
Buddhism’s Sacred Texts
1. Vinaya Pitaka – rules of the monastic
discipline.
2. Sutta Pitaka – compilation of Buddha's
speeches.
3. Abhidarmma Pitaka – seven lengthy
theoretical interpretations of the
searching of Buddha.
 Separation of the Churches in
the Philippines
Article II Section 6 of the 1987
Constitutions expressly provides:

“The separation of Church and

State shall be inviolable.”
 Section 6.

The Separation of Church and State are

inviolable.
 The government shall not favor any
religion, support them using public funds,
or even established or set up a church.
 The church should not get involved in
political issues or matters.
Establishment of Religion Clause

 The state shall have no official

religion.
 The state cannot set up a church.

 Everyone has freedom to profess

their belief or disbelief in any
religion.
LESSON 8

HEALTH SYSTEM
SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH AND ILLNESS

This merging field within

sociology examines the interaction
between society and health. This
aspects of sociology differ from
medical sociology.
HEALTH SYSTEMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

In the Philippines, there is a

decentralized health delivery system,
and it is headed by the Department of
Health (DOH) as the regulatory
authority. It develops national plan,
technical standards, and healthcare
guidelines for all Filipinos.
 Local Government Units (LGUs) and
private sector agencies act as adjuncts.
There are Centers for Health
Department (CHDs) scattered in
strategic areas of the country. Rural
Health Units (RHUs) exist in every
municipality to improve access to
healthcare.
 CULTRAL CONSTRUCTS OF HEALTH AND
THE FILIPINO ATTRIBTIONS OF ILLNESS
Cultures around the world have
manifold ways of taxonomizing the
various levels of health and an equally
esoteric classification of illness. Hence,
illness and syndromes can be culture
specific as well.
 In Philippines, it has its set of
language to refer to health and illness,
most of which pertains to either the
corporeal body or spirit.

“1.) May nararamdaman ka, 2.)

masama ang pakiramdam, 3.) sakit ng
katawan” are reflection to the nuances
of these categories.
 The first one is sort of
diagnostic in nature;(do you feel
anything?). The second one is
about something happening in
the body, either inside or outside.
The third one pertains to actual
pain.
Specific Syndrome and Attributions
on Illness of Filipinos
 Usog – is a Filipino belief regarding
the discomfort brought about by a
stranger or visitor who is thought to
have an evil eye(masamang
mata) or who brings an evil wind
(masamang hangin) or a hex.
 Bughat (Illonggo term) or binat
(Tagalog term) - is the term used
to refer to the ailments (headache,
chills, body pains, malaise, dizziness,
muscle weakness, and in some it is
blindness) a mother experiences after
giving birth or after suffering from an
abortion or miscarriage if she did not
follow certain rituals after childbirth.
FILIPINO SYSTEMS OF DIAGNOSIS
PREVENTION, HEALING, AND HEALTH
PROMOTION
When it comes to health promotion
and treatment concepts, the Filipino
beliefs are oriented toward protection
of the body in three metaphoric ways
 Flushing

 Heating

 Protecting
 As to flushing, Filipinos thought
that the body can be polluted.
Hence, it must be cleansed of debris
by stimulating physiological events
such as sweating, vomiting,
expelling gas, or having appropriate
volume of menstrual the concepts
of hot and cold bleeding.
 The concept of hot and cold is
included as dichotomy of balance.
So by heating, balance is believed
to be restored.

Protecting is a general
procedure that act as agate
keeping system to guard the body
or covering it.
HEALTH BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS

The balance is noticeably

anchored on the range of “hot” and
“cold” beliefs concerning humoral
balances in the body and dietary
balances includes the following:
1. Rapid shifts from hot to cold can
lead to illness.

2. Warm environment is essential to

maintain optimal health.
3. Cold drinks or food should be
avoided in the morning.

4. An overheated body (as in

childbirth or fever) is vulnerable;
and heated body or muscles can
get “shocked” when cooled
suddenly.
5. A layer of fat (“being stout”) is
preferred to maintain warmth and
protest vital energy.

6. Heat and cooling relate to quality

and balance of air in the body.
7. Sudden changes in weather
patterns, cool breezes, exposure
in evening hours to low
temperature, intense heat
immediately after a lengthy rain,
and vapors rising from the soil all
may upset the body balance.
FILIPINO THEORIES OF ILLNESS

Physical and mental health and

illness are viewed holistically as an
equilibrium model.
1. Mystical causes are often
associated with beliefs in sol loss
and that sleep related to the
wandering of the sol out of the
body known as bangungungot
after a heavy meal may result in
death.
2. Personalistic causes may be
attributed to social punishment
or retribution by supernatural
beings such as an evil spirit,
witch, or mangkukulam.
3. Naturalistic causes include a
range of factors from nature
events (thunder, lightning, drafts,
etc.), excessive stress,
incompatible food and drugs,
infection, or familial susceptibility.
4. Bacterial/viral causes: There is an
increasing number of people who
are already swayed by the power
of science.
CULTURAL HEALTH ACTORS
Just like in the biomedical world, the
hierarchy of healers and specialists in
the Philippine folk medicine can be
categorized as some sort of specialists
in their own right. For example:

 Thealbularyo may be seen as the

“general practitioner”.
 The albularyo is
knowledgeable about folkloric
modalities and is sally especially
versed in the use of medicinal
herbs.
 The hilot refers both to the
manghihilot and nagpapaanak.
The manghihilot specializes in
techniques and treatments
applicable to sprains, fractures,
and musculoskeletal conditions.
LESSON 9

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL

STRATIFICATION
SOCIAL INEQUALITY: THE HEART
OF SOCIOLOGY

Patterns of unequal access to

social resources are commonly
called social inequality. Social
inequality reflects innate differences
between individuals for example
their varying abilities and effort.
 Someone may be endowed with
exceptional intelligence or talent or
may have worked very hard to
achieved their wealth and status.
They can be observed in the four
corners of our social world. Hence
this phenomenon is also referred to
as social stratification.
Range and Domains of Social
Capital

Actual

Symbolic
 The aura of being “natural” makes
social inequality impervious to violent
criticism, at least as far as sociology is
concerned. The contribution of the
discipline is to give a face, a name, and
methodical ways to deal with it in its
manifold appearances.
According to sociologists, its
invisibility cloaks are due to its social
constructedness.
 This means that society
dictates what should be
considered important or not and
through the process of
socialization led members to
believe that such is the ways of
nature.
THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL DESIRABLES

Any rational individual in a human

community will always aspire for things
that bestow wealth, power, and
prestige. Unfortunately, the ability of
individuals to realize such aspirations is
severely constrained by situations
where one is born into.
 People are born with different
characteristics, called as ascribed
traits. They are born with particular sex
and ethnicity and assigned to a social
class. One is born into a particular
religious and political milieu. One of
course also inherits a particular physical
appearance.
 Some traits are difficult to alter
and change. While others can be
changed as one progresses toward
adult life, and earn the ability to
make decisions and choices.
Hence, some ascribed traits
eventually yield to achieved traits
 The manner by which one can
have the ability to be in control of
one’s life to achieved social
desirables like wealth, power, and
prestige is a measure of one is able
to transcend the limitations provided
the circumstances within which one
is born.
SOCIAL DISIRABLES: AVAILABILITY
AND ACCESSIBILITY
Anequalities among people
are anchored on the presence of
social desirabilities, which are
defined as resources considered
valuable by societies.
 These resources may be
tangible or intangible. The
different sociological camps
may focus on any of these
resources as the basis of their
theoretical perspective on social
inequality.
 The recognition of the existence
of these social desirables is what
brings together the sociological
camps. However, what makes them
different is how they see these
resources in relation to their
availability and how they can be
accessed by members of society.
FOCUS OF CAPITAL AND
INEQUALITIES

In every society, some people

have a greater share of valued and
resources (money, property,
education, health, and power) than
others.
 These social resources can be
divided into three forms of capital-
economic capital in the form of
material assets and incomes:
cultural capital such as educational
qualifications and status;
and social capital in form of
networks of contacts and social
associations or specifically social
knowledge and connections that
enable people to accomplish their
goals and extend their influence.
SOCIAL MOBILITY AND INEQALITY

Social mobility has been largely

seen as the ability of someone to go
up the social ladder or to break
loose from the confines of a
marginalized group.
 Social mobility is defined as
movement of individuals, families,
households, or other categories of
people within or between layers or
tiers in an open system of social
stratification.
Types of Social Mobility

 Absolute social mobility happens

when people end p in a different
layers of stratification from that of
their parents.
 Relativesocial mobility refers to the
differences in probability of
attaining a certain outcome,
regardless of overall structural
changes.
Social Inequality

Social inequality is a desirable

attributed in a democratic and
civilized society.
 Sources of inequality in the
access to social, political, and
symbolic capital.

 Social
capital refers to the ability of
a collective to act together to
pursue a common goal.
 Politicalcapital refers to trust ,
goodwill, and influence possessed
by a political actor, such as
politician, to mobilize support
toward a preferred policy
outcome.
 Symbolic capital refers to the
resources that one is possessed
which is a function of honor,
prestige or recognition, or any
other trait that one values within a
culture.
Global Inequality
Inequality does not exist only in
societies and states, but also among
states. This leads to a situation of
global inequality, where poorer and
less powerful states end p being
controlled and influenced by the
richer and more powerful states.
 Global inequality can also be
manifested through the operations
of transnational corporations and
organizations that operate on a
global scale. Many of these
corporations are as powerful, or not
even more powerful than individuals
states.
THANK YOU!
GROUP 5
BLANCA MAE M. MONTOJO
MARIA SOPHIA MANGARIN
ROSE PEARL MADERA
FLORADEL MESANA
BLESSIE MAESTRE
ANGELIE GARCIA
STEVEN SILVERIO
RYNAN MAABA
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY,
AND POLITICS (UCSP)

MRS. JEZELLE GRACE BERANO

Subject Teacher