| religion, as an ideology, is a product by the development of human society. Today, religion, as a key social role, play a great role of the social development, whether in the western world or in the Eastern world. we must observe the religious phenomenon and its social function mechanism from the view of historical point to discuss the social function of religion in contemporary China. We can find something from the horizontal perspective of history, which there are different between the Western and the Oriental on the interpretation and understanding of the soure of religion. of different; each generation historical figures have different understanding on the religious and social functions from historical point of view. We must understand the religion and its social function on the background of contemporary China. At the same time, religious and the operation mechanism of social function haved illustrated fully the inevitability and chronicity of social function of religious. The current Chinese scholars have a varied of views on the understanding of social functions of religion, there are three main arguments. The "theory of religion as opium"-the judgment on Marx’s religious social function; The judgment on whether Confucianism is a religion;the judgment on " ontology of global religious". The three argument make its due contribution on understanding religion and its social function in China. At the same time, we should not lump together for the function of religions in the contemporary society. The coin have two sides, religion also have two sides. There are not only a certain positive side but also some negative effect to social development In the religious phenomenon that existed thousands of years history. China is a socialist country, which advocated the policy of freedom of religious belief. In China, Thee are not only the existence of a large number of orthodox religion, such as Buddhism, Taoism and so on, but also a large number of folk belicf. They, as a huge religious organization, play a positive role on political, economic, cultural, social and other aspects in China. |
