Religious Norms | What Are They, Characteristics And Examples

We explain what religious norms are and what their main characteristics are. Also, its evolution and examples.

What are religious norms?

Religious norms are rules that define the behavior and habits of practitioners of a theological doctrine (dealing with God and faith) with the aim of achieving a common union among all people .

Each type of religion has its own rules and they are usually unchanged over time because they are usually determined by sacred texts, such as the Bible or the Koran, which show revelations from superior spirits and manifest the will of God.

Religious practitioners who do not follow the norms established by a certain doctrine are considered disobedient and, in more severe cases, sinners. However, today 's theology is being examined and reinterpreted in their rules , based on new knowledge and evolution of societies .

Characteristics of religious norms

Although religious norms vary according to each doctrine, they have the following characteristics in common:

• The origin. They are very old and arise from the revelation of a higher spirit or beliefs about messages and appearances of a divinity.
• The timelessness. They are usually based on ancestral writings considered sacred that narrate revelations of certain sanctities.
• The worship of a higher divinity. All religions share the worship of a unique and supreme being that they designate by different names. Some doctrines tend to worship certain saints, virgins or do not believe in them.
• The ceremonies. are acts and rituals that the faithful must practice, such as initiating a doctrine, worshiping a god, freeing themselves from guilt, placing an order, thanking, among other reasons.
• The codes. Within the same ideology there are usually different rules of behavior for the faithful, which vary according to the context. For example, in some religions, women must have the extremities of the body covered inside the temple or on public roads they must wear their hair covered with a scarf.
• Faith. It is the belief and feeling towards a doctrine, which is manifested based on certain religious norms. This differentiates religious norms from legal norms that do not involve any feelings, but rather that people are obliged to comply with them even if they do not agree with them.

Evolution of religious norms

Each religion influences its culture and also the rest of the world's cultures , both by sharing its ideas and by considering them unacceptable. That is to say, that certain religious norms are parameters of reference of the conducts or legal norms of a society.

However, at present the various social revolutions and the evolution of a humanity that coexists globally, allowed some arbitrary religious traditions and customs established in an arbitrary way to be questioned and reinterpreted. For example, the acceptance of gender diversity before the law and, consequently, before some religious institutions.

Even if a person does not practice a creed or religion, they can coexist and respect the beliefs of another person. The different religions pursue that common interest, in addition to particular interests, such as having more followers in their doctrine.

Examples of religious norms

Some examples of religious norms of various religions are:

• Not lie.
• Wearing a veil or "hijab" to cover the head and chest of Muslim women.
• The prayer or prayer to the higher divinity, both to ask and to thank.
• Do not eat red meat on certain holy days as a symbol of respect for Jesus Christ .
• Do not steal or kill.
• Help others.
• Do not ingest toxic substances that can cloud the mind.
• Do not say profanity or insults to others.
• Baptize children as a ceremony of purification and initiation to Christianity .
• Do not commit impure acts or sins of a sexual nature.

Abubakr Conner

Abubakr Conner brings a diverse skill set to our team, and covers everything from analysis to the culture of food and drink. He Believes: "Education is the most powerful weapon that exists to change the world." .