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RULES OF RELIGION

© Su Epstein

The role of religion is actually very significant in the study of deviance. It is not so much an issue of a particular religious doctrine, as it is understanding the norms that are currently accepted within conventional religion. In this context there are two paths in the connection between deviance and religion. One path is the norms of culture that are formulated from religious or spiritual belief. For example for a long time, tattoos were considered deviant on the basis of religious norms. By obtaining a tattoo, it was argued the body was “damaged.” This notion came from a religious belief that the body is scared. The norm of not harming the body was religiously based; tattooing was a violation of that norm. Another path that connects religion and deviance is the examination of the norms for religious beliefs, in other words the norms about what religion is and means. These are norms that when violated result in what can be termed religious deviants.

Religious deviants include alternative religions and cults that go against the acceptable beliefs of what constitutes religion. As with all deviance, simply going against the established norms does not make the group dangerous or problematic in any way. Alternative religions simply are different from mainstream rules about what religion means.

In order to understand all the groups that are considered deviant in a religious context, we must first decipher religious norms or the rules of religion. Not looking at specifics of particular groups or denominations, but by looking generally at accepted religious groups in contemporary society some basic rules can be assembled that apply to all.

There is a song I heard on the radio recently in which the chorus sang, “God is a man.” How do they know this? Still, general surveys of the United States population report that over 70% envision their deity as male. Regardless of specifics and denominational details, the religious norms of the United States follow the Judeo-Christian tradition. This includes the perception that god is a man.

For contemporary accepted religions, there are many common factors that are viewed as acceptable norms. One religious rule is that the group be organized and structured, with defined persons in leadership roles and defined purposes for existence. We expect “real” religions to have someone in charge. We want a physical structure that serves as a home for the organization. We believe it should have a list of members and people within the organization should know whom those members include.

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