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The core tenants of Christianity include a few things:

Follower of Jesus Christ

Belief in the Trinity, God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Belief that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, who fulfilled the prophecies required

Belief that Jesus Christ was sacrificed by God for our sins and resurrected 3 days later

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My goal was to understand the benefits and drawbacks religion has on both a personal and societal level.

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There were two divided opinions on the subject of Christianity, more specifically Catholicism, and its benefits. Some of the benefits include:

Being happier on average

"Specifically, almost 1 in 3 frequent religious service attenders say they are ‘very happy,’ while among non-attenders it is about 1 in 5. Conversely, about 15% of frequent religious service attenders say they are ‘not too happy,’ whereas for non-attenders it is 23%” (Cranney, 2024).

Being physically healthier

“In all but two of 19 countries for which data are available, the actively religious are less likely than the unaffiliated to smoke, and, in all but one country, less likely than the inactively religious to do so,” and, “In 11 of the 19 countries, people who attend services at least monthly are less likely than the rest of the population to drink several times a week” (Marshall, 2019)

A push for social cohesion from the Catholic Church

“Catholic social teachings emphasise the necessity of social cohesion, using a moral framework to guide social and economic policy choices. The approach is based on developing an ethical way of looking at the world, in times of continuity and change. It builds from the Gospels, early church teachings, which overcame adversity and hardship from humble beginnings in the Middle East, medieval philosophers such as St. Thomas Aquinas, and papal social encyclicals such as Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum (1891) and Pope Francis’ Laudato Si (2015),” (Desker, 2021).

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Some research suggested a greater negative impact of Catholicism.

Fear of some of the more morbid aspects of devout religious belief

“The master says it's a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it's a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there's anyone in the world who would like us to live .” (McAndrew, 2015).

Stresses and anxieties worsened by cultural expectations

“As I tried to keep up with these rules, I became quickly overwhelmed and anxious. I started getting scared of missing daily Mass or not praying the rosary, worrying that God would be mad at me for letting Him down. The rosary gave me constant anxiety because I worried I hadn’t prayed it well enough” (Brewer, 2022).

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My hypothesis was that religious observance improves life, on both the individual and societal level. There are different components that contribute to happiness, including environmental factors and social structures as well as individual brain chemistry and personal belief which we need to take into account, as well.

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From my participant observations, I found a few perspectives on religion, most surprisingly positive.

Mass

When I attended a mass service at a local Catholic church I felt a sense of connectivity and peace, sharing a spiritual experience with other people.

Helpful structure

Following a structured religion can help you keep your time, morals, beliefs, and standards aligned, creating a guide for life.

Religion can be a guide for raising children and lifestyle

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Here were some of the negatives I found in my participant observations.

Religion can be used to harm and control others, which is something we need to be aware of.

Its important not to force your beliefs or judge others who don't agree with you

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I chose structural functionalism as my theory, as different complex parts of society have distinct rules and standards that bring cohesion in the long run.

For example, we agree, as a society on having a dedicated Sabbath day, Sunday, where we don't expect most people to work or do things for us, creating a standard that helps society function.

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For my theorist I chose Emile Durkheim. His theory of the sacred and profane really resonated with my thesis.

Durkheim’s theory of the sacred and profane is a dichotomy that involves seeing the world split into two distinct segments, seeing everything as either sacred or profane. Essentially, Durkheim explains, having things in our lives that we see as sacred or holy in some way, keeps our focus on things bigger than ourselves and our individual purposes, preventing total selfishness

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Religion can be a source of joy for many people, bringing together communities and bringing comfort to those who need it, as well as providing structure for lifestyles. Ultimately, religion is messy and complex, a tool of love and hate, used to uplift and connect, and divide and constrain. Acknowledging both sides allows us to better understand the human experience, and how religious traditions shape individuals and communities alike.