(For G11 to 12)

Schools Division of Parañaque City

Humanities and Social Sciences
Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems
1st Semester
1st Quarter
Week Three
Positive and Negative Effects of Religion

Name:___________________________________Grade & Section:_____________

Teacher:________________________________________Date:________________

Learning Competencies (Essential Competencies)

Analyze the influences of religion to culture and society

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to;
1. understand the positive and negative effects of Religion
2. analyze examples and scenarios of the effects or Religion
3. justify how religions can have positive and negative effects in society

Let’s Recall (Review)

True or False
Direction: Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement is false on the space
provided for each number.
______1. Abrahamic religions are the oldest living religions today
______2. Dharmic religions originate from the subcontinent of China
______3. Taoic religion was influenced heavily by China’s history of governance
______4. The largest religions in the world today are Abrahamic
______5. Hinduism and Buddhism are very similar to one another
 Let’s Understand (Study the Concept)
Belief System, Worldview, Religion, and Spirituality
(Based on CrashCourse Jan 9, 2018 Religion: Crash Course Sociology #39, Michael Mdowell, Ph.D and Nathan Robert
Brown, Copyright@2009, World Religions at your Fingertips, James Swindal, Faith and Reason, Internet Encyclopedia of
Philosophy https://www.iep.utm.edu/faith-re/)

Attempting to discover the exact origins of religion is practically an impossible

task. This is because it predates history yet the evidences we have show it is a
universal phenomenon. Religion popped up at myriads of civilizations on different
sides of the planet with varying degrees of similarities. This makes it undeniable that
religion has been affecting humanity for the most of its existence. It has influenced
societies, both big and small, and allowed them to rise and fall. It is a standard of
ideals that both unite and divide nations. It is a concept that can both revolutionize
and impede change. It is a factor that affects the lives of billions of people with
multitudes of perspectives whether it is good or bad. In this chapter of our module, we
are going to talk about the positive and negative effects of religion. Layout ideas in
favor and against religion, comprehend them, and reflect to your life until now and
how it has affected you.

affirms social hierarchy

encourages moral values. Karl Marx argued that, in a society
Around 400 BCE Plato recorded an religion favoured those in power. Many
exchange between Socrates and societies and religions throughout
Euthyphyro wherein Socrates asked if history suggest predestination. This is
goodness is loved by the gods by it a concept that states people’s fates are
being good, or if goodness is good by predetermined which is impactful when
being loved by the gods. Questions considering social class. It can enforce
about the morality of religion have people born in wealth and power by
always been hotly debated but one justifying it is the will of the God or gods
thing is certain, and that is these two that they are there. As an example, until
are always intertwined. This is mostly the end of WWII, Japan believed that
due to the capacity of religion to their emperor was divine and it was
ascertain what is right and wrong. This their destiny to be victorious in the war.
in turn allows a system to either This also plays a factor with delegating
reward or punish behaviour depending inferior roles to the lower classes.
on how society sees fit.
 causes discrimination
promotes solidarity and social
harmony When Edward Burnett Tylor proposed
Animism as a means of identifying that
Social harmony can be a by-product of
even indigenous cultures have
the ethics and morality enforced by
religions, he was met with much
religion. Usually, in religion, those who
criticism. This was because during his
are given authority are held in high
time, many believed that religion is a
esteem as being representative of
formality only the civilized truly have.
morals and ethics. This in turns fosters
His suggestion that the current religion
solidarity, or unity between
of his time, most prominently
individuals of common interest, among
Christianity, was at its core similar to
its adherents. Culture formed from the
indigenous religions by hunter
various traditions, rites and rituals
gatherers, offended a lot of people.
grants people a sense of belonging by
being part of a community Beyond racial superiority, we also have
to talk about gender and sex. Artistic
Emile Durkheim emphasized the
depictions of God in the renaissance
importance of religion in terms to its
always depict him as an old man.
function in society by creating social
cohesion. Fairness, morality, charity, Women are banned for certain high
and justice are a lot easier to impart positions in both Christianity and Islam,
when people are united under a the two largest religions in the world. In
shared symbol, norms and values. For the Genesis, the texts can easily be
example, Christians and especially interpreted that Eve was created from
Jews place Moses’ Ten Adam for Adam. This hints that there is
Commandments in high regard. Not gender bias that favours men over
only does it encourage moral values, women by some religions. It is
but it also applies to the secular laws important to consider however that not
that theft and murder should be all religions have distinct gender biases.
punished. Religion makes following It just so happen that the most
these rules have more meaning, and prominent ones do. Countries that have
therefore makes consequences more the most difficulty of accepting LGBTs
discouraging due to divine affinities. communities are often religious.

drives social change triggers conflicts

Martin Luther King’s civil rights The most famous example of religion
movements wouldn’t have been as triggering conflicts and wars is
successful if he weren’t a Baptists undeniably the crusades. Humans have
minister. He received a lot of support a natural desire to establish what they
from his church which allowed his believe in, and many times in history,
peaceful protest to continually gain they do this even at the cost of war.
support from the masses. In fact, Even in modern times, civil wars are
Mahatma Gandhi, one his inspirations, being fought in the name of religions
 such as the war in Syria. An important
was also religiously and spiritually evaluation is that for both these two
rooted as he welcomed the ideologies examples, it is not by the doctrine of the
of other religions that promotes peace. religion that conflict arose but mostly
Achieving social change, especially for because of territorial and political
the scale Gandhi and King dispute however it is religion that rallied
accomplished, is intimidating. the most people to choose war.
However, religion played a key role in
their successes.
hinders scientific developments
mitigates fear of the unknown Eratosthenes, Copernicus and Galileo
were all incredibly intelligent minds of
Most of the primal religions got
their time who in one method or another
developed to what they were today as
shared strong evidences that say the
explanations for everyday
earth is round. Within the timeline of
phenomenon. The ancient Greeks
more than 1700 years these three men
explained lightning and earthquakes
existed, they were all consistently
as the fury of Zeus and Poseidon
shunned by religious governing bodies
respectively. Though these stories
of their society. Of course today, it is
exist only in myths now, at a period of
accepted as a fact that the earth is a
time, these were the best examples
spheroid. It is important to note thought
people have for explaining what they
that religion does not directly oppose
did not know. The rise of their
science. In some instances, religion
civilization was guided by their belief
actually aids it. The Gregorian calendar
system and the same can be said
was invented by the Catholics and is
even today. Humans naturally fear the
widely considered to be one of the most
unknown but religion is able to evoke
accurate calendars ever designed
something grand and sacred that
which is still being used today. Religion
allows people to cope better.
is well known for preserving cultures
and traditions hence it can be adamant
provides positive goals in life
to progress, especially scientific ones.
Religion, at its purest form is an
attempt to embody goodness upon a
person. Cynical perspectives will say restrains the use of reason
that it only do this through social Faith healing is the term used when an
control by conditioning and forcing individual is healed via miracles or
good behaviours through positive mystic means. If unsuccessful, this can
reinforcements or punishment. be even deadly for the patient. People
However it is much more than that. can be religious to the point that they
Every one of us has a desire to be lose their sense of reason or logic. Too
happy, but it is only truly good if we much faith can blind people and they
achieve happiness without stepping on might even justify ideas or actions that
others. Religion has the power to are bad. People like this are called
motivate people to become a better extremists. A tragic example of this is
person. The concept of redemption is with suicide bombers not just being
a common motif for most religions. A filled with ideologies that killing
great example of this is how religion is themselves is fine, but taking others
known to be a great support for with them.
recovering addicts.
 Let’s Apply

Direction: Imagine yourself in the following situations. Analyze who are

affected by it by writing (I) for individuals, (F) for families, and (C) for
communities on the second column under Scope. Afterwards, on the third
column, write (P) if it is a positive effect, and (N) if it is a negative effect of
religion.
Situations Scope P or N?
Joel found a lost wallet with four thousand pesos while he was 1. 2.
on his way to school. There’s no ID inside so he thought it is
fine for him to keep it. After all, whoever lost this wallet must
be irresponsible right? He thought this way until he saw a
picture of Jesus Christ inside the wallet which made him feel
guilty. Because of this, he decided to bring the wallet to the
police station for lost and found.
Jake and Rosa have been dating for four years and are now 3. 4.
planning to get married. Their families were excited until they
revealed they have different religions. They thought this wasn’t
going to be an issue, but it created an argument between their
parents. Jake’s dad insisted that Rosa should convert to their
religion. Rosa’s mom was angry to hear this and pressured
Jake to convert instead since he’s the groom. In the end
neither the two families could agree so they did not give their
blessings to the couple.
In order to work, Dexter moved in a neighbourhood filled with 5. 6.
Chinese residents. Although he has lived in this place for many
years, he never felt fully comfortable being around them. He
still smiles and waves whenever they greet him. One day, he
was caught under a vicious rain and accidentally dropped the
keys to his house. Unable to get in, he was drenched.
Thankfully, one of his neighbours, named Shen, welcomed him
into their home until the rain disappeared. While staying there,
they ended up talking about a lot of stuff. One of the topics
they had was about a Chinese symbol that his neighbour
explained represents Confucianism. Being a protestant he was
curious so they traded information to one another. Dexter was
delighted to realize that there’s a lot of values shared between
their religions. He became great friends with Shen after this
and gained more friends in their neighbourhood because of it.
Hogun is a famous mixed martial artist. He is considered the 7. 8.
best in the world for never having lost any of his matches.
Before every fight, he is always seen praying. This garnered a
lot of admiration from his fans especially his home country
which is also generally religious. At that time as well, the
implementation of same-sex marriage is being debated. Hogun
was interviewed about the matter, and he honestly answered
that he is against it. A lot of people got angry about his answer.
But even worse, his fans and the media used his words as an
excuse in order to insult and ridicule the LGBT community. In
the end, Hogun felt guilty because he realized his belief was
being used to promote hate among people in his country.
 Let’s Analyze
Direction: Read each scenario carefully and write (+) if it is a positive effect,
or (---) if it is a negative effect of religion on the second column. Afterwards,
analyze what kind of effect is being described from the box below for each
scenario by writing only the letters on the space provided on the third column.

EFFECTS
A. affirms social hierarchy F. mitigates fear of the unknown
B. causes discrimination G. promotes solidarity and social harmony
C. drives social change H. provides positive goals in life
D. encourages moral values I. restrains the use of reason
E. hinders scientific developments J. triggers conflict

Scenario + or --- Effect

Secular laws such as punishment against murder and 1. 2.
theft can also be traced from religious law.
The Indian caste systems urges its people to accept 3. 4.
their ways of life, either they are born high class or in
poverty.
Research about evolution that can help restore 5. 6.
endangered species can’t be funded due to
oppositions of the church
A mother, unsure about the safety of her son who is a 7. 8.
doctor in the middle of an epidemic, is comforted by
praying for his safety.
Religion played a key role in the abolishment of 9. 10.
martial law in the Philippines by opting for a peaceful
protest
A girl with brain damaged can’t get proper medical 11. 12.
treatment due to her parents believing she is being
possessed by a devil.
A community helping out one of their church mates 13. 14.
who has cancer by gathering donations and helping
her recover
A prisoner ends up appreciating the bible started to 15. 16.
change his ways by being good and urged fellow
inmates to do the same
A student being bullied by his classmates for being a 17. 18.
Muslim and disdain from his parents by him
expressing feminine behavior.
Israel and Palestine causing deadly territorial dispute 19. 20.
with one another motivated by apparent religious
inheritance from their ancestors
 Let’s Create
Goal: To write an engaging article for photos provided to you by your
newspaper publisher who happens to be your teacher.

Role: You are an honest journalist for a featured article about photos taken
that expresses the negative effects of religion. You must write about two
things: First, you must write what the negative effect of religion the photo
shows and why it happens. Second, you must write what positive effect of
religion can solve the problem and how can it help solve the negative effect.
For each of these, you only have spaces on the newspaper to write at least
2 sentences but not exceeding 4.

Audience: Your audience are your readers who are anticipating your content
by accessing it through your group chat classroom messenger. They are
comprised of your teacher and your classmates.

Situation: Inaccuracies and biases about news on religions. Most of the news
today are either too much in favour or too much against the subject.

Product Performance: After your work is checked by your publisher, you will
post your articles to your group chat classroom messenger to share fair
perspectives about the photos you were given.

Standard: Your performance as an honest journalist will be based on the

rubrics below. Read it carefully.
Character Sketch Rubric
Excellent Good Decent Score
Standard
(5) (3) (1)
The journalist was The journalist was The journalist was
able to write a total able to write a total only able to write 2 or
Completeness
of 4 entries about the of 3 entries about less entries about the
photos. the photos photos
The journalist was The journalist was The journalist was
able to write 4 able to write 3 able to write 2 or less
Organization
entries be between entries be between entries be between
2-4 sentences long. 2-4 sentences long. 2-4 sentences long.
The Journalist was The Journalist was The Journalist was
able to write correct able to write correct able to write correct
Correctness
information for 4 information for 3 information for 2 or
entries entries less entries
Total
 Anti-gay protest in San Francisco
Entry 1: Negative effect that causes
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Entry 2: Positive effect that can help
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Arab revolt in Palestine

ENTRY 3:Negative effect that causes
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Entry 4: Positive effect that can help

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
 Let’s Try (Evaluation)
Multiple Choice
Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on the blank.

__________1. Which of the following is a concept that states people’s fates are
predetermined and that whatever class they have is due to God’s will?

A. Animism C. Predestination
B. Extremist D. Solidarity

__________2. Which of the following best characterize behaviour where religion and
faith are taken too far and use it to justify harming others?

A. Extremist C. Spirituality
B. Gender Bias D. Solidarity

__________3. Prior to the Iranian revolution of 1979, women were a lot more liberal
with their fashion. After that however, they were required to wear more conservatively.
What phenomenon does this hint at?

A. Animism C. Social harmony

B. Gender Bias D. Solidarity

__________4. Which of the following is NOT a positive effect of religion?

A. affirms social hierarchy

B. encourages moral values
C. provides positive goals in life
D. mitigates fear of the unknown

___________5. Which of the following is NOT a negative effect of religion?

A. triggers conflict
B. drives social change
C. causes discrimination
D. restrains the use of reason

___________6. Aaron is addicted to playing online computer games and it made his
personality rude and hateful. After going to his school retreat, he had a reflection to
change his personality for the better. Which of the following best describes this effect
of religion to him?

A. drives social change

B. encourages moral values
C. provides positive goals in life
D. promotes solidarity and social harmony

___________7. Thousands of elephants are killed each day for their tusks to create
ivory. Ivory is a very valuable material for creating patrons and saint statues and is
usually traded by illegal means. What kind of effect explains how religion contributes
to this illegal wildlife trade?

A. restrains the use of reason

B. mitigates fear of the unknown
C. hinders scientific developments
D. promotes solidarity and social harmony

__________8. Identify all of the scenarios below that show religion encourages moral
values.

I. Janna was taught by the Quran to be kind to the poor.

II. Leon believes God is watching him so he brought a lost wallet to the police
III. People arguing about beliefs because of too much faith to their own religions
IV. Golden rule of treating others the same way you want to be treated & vice versa

A. I & II C. I, II, & III

B. II & III D. I, II, & IV

__________9. Identify all of the scenarios below that should be considered positive
effects of religion.

I. Being taught to be kind to others by the church

II. Mormons enjoying a game of basketball after their mass
III. Arguing with Muslims about how their women are dressed
IV. Thinking that Hindus are stupid for believing in reincarnation

A. I & II C. I, II, & III

B. II & III D. I, II, & IV

__________10. Identify all of the scenarios below that should be considered negative
effects of religion.

I. Israel creating walls to barricade Palestinians

II. Taoist teaching how to live their lives without stress
III. A lesbian couple being hated by their family of Christians
IV. Not drinking alcohol because it’s not allowed by the religion

A. I & III C. III & IV

B. II & IV D. I, III, & IV

Prepared by:

Paul John C. Ong

Humanities and Social Sciences
Paranaque National High School-Main
(For G11 to 12)

Schools Division of Parañaque City

Humanities and Social Sciences
Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems
1st Quarter
1st Grading
Week Three
Positive and Negative Effects of Religion

Name:___________________________________Grade & Section:_____________

Teacher:________________________________________Date:________________

Let’s Recall (Review) 8.

1. 9.
10.
2.
11.
3. 12.
4. 13.
5. 14.
15.
Let’s Apply 16
1. 17.
2. 18.
3. 19.
4. 20.
5.
6. Let’s Try (Evaluation)
7. Multiple Choice
8. 1.
2.
Let’s Analyze 3.
1. 4.
2. 5.
3. 6.
4. 7.
5. 8.
6. 9.
7. 10.
 Anti-gay protest in San Francisco
Entry 1: Negative effect that causes
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Entry 2: Positive effect that can help
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Arab revolt in Palestine

ENTRY 3:Negative effect that causes
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Entry 4: Positive effect that can help

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Sources:
CrashCourse Jan 9, 2018 Religion: Crash Course Sociology #39 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgb-3e8CWA

Ryan McKay and Harvey Whitehouse March, 2015 Psychological Bulletin

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345965/

James Swindal, Faith and Reason, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://www.iep.utm.edu/faith-re/

Karl Thompson August 9, 2018 Religion and Social Change, reviesocology,

https://revisesociology.com/2018/08/09/religion-and-social-
change/#:~:text=Most%20obviously%2C%20religion%20provides%20a,the%20death%20of%20individual%20mem
bers.&text=According%20to%20Marx%20religious%20beliefs,out%20of%20poverty%20and%20suffering.

Justice Emilio Angeles Jul 17, 2018 Gancayco Memorial High School SHS,
https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-3-positive-and-negative-effects-of-religion

Michael Mdowell, Ph.D and Nathan Robert Brown, Copyright@2009, World Religions at your Fingertips

Wikimedia Commons

Image credit to Jenny Mealing, June 27, 2010 Anti-gay protest, San Francisco Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anti_gay_San_Francisco.jpg

Public Domain: The Extraction of the Stone of Madness, a painting by Hieronymus Bosch depicting trepanation
(c.1488–1516)

Free content: hanini 1936, hanini.org 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine against the British
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palest_against_british.gif