Essay About Western Society And Own Cultures

Essay, Pages 1 (1218 words)

Latest Update: October 5, 2021

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Religion And SpiritualitySociety
- Social Institution
  - Marriage

MarriageJoin now to read essay MarriageMarriage is a universal, meaning that no matter where you would go in the world there is marriage. However the meaning of marriage might be different and they way it is done but it still exists all over the world. The peoples marriage that I will be looking at with the one I know of my own cultures is that of the Ju/hoansi. The Ju/hoansi are indigenous people who live in Southern part of Africa and have a totally different way of living and surviving from our culture. For one, culture and religion in the western society is separated so there are many adaptations and variations unlike with the Ju/hoansi whose religion and culture are not separated and cannot be distinguished. The economic systems also play a big part in the marriage process and why it is so.

There are many similarities and differences in the Ju/hoansi marriage with the one I observed of my own family and culture. One major difference is how marriage is viewed by both cultures. The Ju/hoansi believe marriage is a major part of life and starts to prepare the marriage of someone from birth. As stated by Lee, “Traditionally, the search for a marriage partner for a girl or boy usually begins soon after a child is born.” (Lee, 77). In the society of the Ju/hoansi they live as Hunter-gatherers finding what they need to live day in and day out supporting their families. Their traditions and rituals are who they are. It is unlike here in western society where we distinguish between religious beliefs, cultural background and ethnicity. There are no such things as them in the lives of the Ju/hoansi. It is a way of life that has been with them since the beginning of the culture. In the beliefs of my culture marriage is a big step in life but not everyone goes through it and not at the same time period in their lives. Therefore in my culture people decide for themselves who they want to marry and be with and that could take sometime. However it is an important change in life in both cultures but serve different meanings within. Whereas with the Ju/hoansi marriage is “arranged by the parents and may involve a decade or more of gift exchange before the children are actually wed.” (Lee, 77). Within the Ju/hoansi girls typically get married between the ages of 12 and 16 and the boys are usually between 18 and 25. These are young ages too be getting married from my cultures point of view especially the girl, but to the Ju/hoansi the age of the girl is when she is able to have babies and start a family and that is what it is about and important because the survival of them relies on it.

In our society marriage is both a cultural tradition and a religious one at the same time. It is intermingled and adapted to fit our lifestyle and needs. The religion that I was brought up in was Catholicism. Marriage is a little more complex when talking about it in religious terms. It is one of the seven sacraments and is a value to the whole Christian community. Marriage is not only seen as two people just living together, it is a reminder of Gods presence in all human relationships. It symbolizes an achievement that both people have come to understand that of Gods meaning and teachings. Through that knowledge and discipline that those two people have practiced, they are ready to show and share the message with each other, the community and most importantly the family that they create together. However marriage is not exactly like that in the everyday sense, especially in western culture.

Within my culture there is religion, because church and state are separated. Looking at it in this perspective it shows that culture is viewed as more important and bigger than religion. Living in todays society it is hard to stay focused on the meaning of marriage from a religious standpoint and not fall into the trap of what marriage is seen as to the rest of society, as two people living together to support a family and to create a name that will live on after them. There are many distractions in a capitalist society that allow religious beliefs to fall to the back burner; especially money which I believe causes the majority of problems. Unlike in other societies where their economic systems are different and

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded by the Apostles, a Christian organization that was composed of the Twelve Apostles. The Apostles were members of the Church of Christ and the church’s purpose was to be one that reflected their religious beliefs. In its core mission of worship and organization Church and State existed to uphold family, the basic values that lead the individual to live a life of self-sacrifice.
Although the LDS Church had a strong mission and culture at its core, in fact Church and State were still a powerful force to be reckoned with. The LDS Church was established in the late 1800’s, after the Church was organized by Martin Harris. During the late 1800’s Church and State became more and more prominent and in fact became a powerful force in the American South and the world. While the Mormon Church served a specific purpose in the world, it was more than a small institution and was more to provide a personal experience, like an event for a family or a celebration with a particular group or organization. As these actions developed Church and State became more and more national and political.
The LDS Church also was very strong in many facets, and the church provided leadership functions and financial assistance to those who needed it. However, because of Church and State’s strong membership the LDS Church still felt threatened in the South due to the Mormon influence not being available in other North America. In October of 2010 when the Mormon Church merged with the Council of Fifty for the Second Coming and LDS Church had its founding document laid in the Salt Lake City archives with the word “Mormon” and that same same day the Church was officially formally dissolved.
The LDS Church also has a long history of activism to stop the mass deaths that occurred in the U.S. when Mormons were forced to live in areas controlled by polygamists. In early 2010 the Church became active in opposing the United States House of Representatives moving the National Defense Authorization Act into force. This move resulted in the lifting of the ban on military housing and the banning of foreign and military personnel from the United States as well as the end of the ban regarding US military personnel stationed in the U.S..
There also are several other actions undertaken by the Church and people in the United States that are not taken up by many outside groups and organizations (including the Church).
In addition to helping the Church overcome many of its biggest problems many Latter-day Saints still take pride in the teachings of the Church
and are active in the Mormon Church. They are in many ways united and proud.

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