Does religion have a place in modern society?

I wrote this in the latest examination (Promotional Examinations) and I was told that it was a really relevant and well argued essay, so here I've decided to use it as my post for this time. Hope you people find it to be a good read as well.

With the passing of time, many question if religion is still a relevant institution in the modern world. Indeed, in the age of science, many religions have lost their central roe in the lives of people. At times, conflicts have even arisen due to the "irrelevance" of religion. Darwin, in his pursuit of science was forced by the church to stop his support of the theory of evolution which tries to explain how organisms exist as a plethora of species in the world today. Inter-religions conflicts dominate the headlines in these troubled times as well. With such problems prevalent in society, it is truly justified that some may question if religion has or does have a place in modern society.

Religion, even with its flaws, does have its role in society. Religions, in their preaching, teach followers to take on selfless roles in society to benefit the less fortunate. it is under the strong backing of religion that organisations like YMCA Youth For Causes are formed to benefit society, Churches are also known to bring followers on overseas volunteering work, which often aids in the development of rural areas in less developed countries. Locally, a monastery provides free meals for those who are too poor to afford basic necessities. Such acts, though not always limited to those of religious organisations, show that it is indeed important that religion exists in modern society, as the ability of religion to call upon and influence its followers to do good are often something few others are able to do, even for multibillionaires and pop starts who command companies of more than a hundred thousand workers worldwide or fan bases that possibly reach into the millions.

Religion is also able to help individuals survive trying times. Karl Marx once remarked tat religion is the opiate of the masses, and more recently, a book was written with the title "The God Delusion". While these terms often bring with them a negative connotation, it is only right that this "opiate" and "delusion" should be promoted if it is able to strengthen the soul in times of adversity. That is why many patients of terminal illnesses often turn to religion for moral support and a report in the Straits Times mentioned that religious individuals are able to embrace the controversial topic of death with relative ease compared with those who do not have a faith. Thus, whether religion brings tenacity to individuals through seemingly "unglamorous" ways such as "delusions" would be insignificant to the final result of religious individuals being able to out-do their counterparts in mental resilience.

Some may also argue that religion, though a "relic of the past", helps preserve the traditional way of life in societies faced with the fast paced twenty-first century. Much of ancient society revolves around religion, as seen from the church being the highest authority in medieval Europe, after the monarchy. In China, Emperors used to offer lavish gifts and food to the gods, during festive occasions. Thus, by preserving the religions that have made ancient societies the way they were, the preservation of ancient traditions and culture is highly achievable, even without much need for organisations to protect certain sites.

However, the diminishing role of religion is indeed evident in modern society, In the past, religions used to provide an explanation for the unknown from the movement of celestial bodies to the origin of mankind. However, it seems, with the improvements in science and technology, mankind no longer turns to faith for explanations. Now, science has taken over the role of explaining and defining the world. The movement of planets is explained by physics and the origins of man, by evolution. People no longer believe in luck, but statistics. To some, death is no longer associated to the afterlife, but cardiac arrest and brain death. In the age of science, not even religion is able to survive the "cutting edge" of our advancements in this field and has lost its place in society.

Also, in modern times, many individuals, having developed in relatively peaceful times, and with freedom of religion. do not see much benefits in religion in contrast to the "costs" they pay in the form of conformity to heir religion's guidelines on their way of life. Scientists, in particular are most adversely affected. Stem cell testing has always been contested by the church even though scientists promise of a better future in the scene of medicine. With the dilution of cultures, many have also seen religion restricting their choice of spouses. Thus some individuals see religion as irrelevant in modern times as changing times have lead to changes in culture and goals of individuals.

To put all views into context, religion is indeed losing its influence, and thus its place in society. After all, it is already remarkable that any institution is able to survive the changes that accompany the passing of millennia. However, the role of religion is still important in the hearts of many, and though it is expected to lost its role of explaining the unknown some day, it is still relevant as as source of hope and moral guidance in the complexities that define today's state of affairs, and therefore has a place in modern society.