Whether ancient scriptures or modern times, religious texts have been used over the years to determine what is right or wrong in societies, the way laws are set, and how people live. The Bible, Quran, Torah, Bhagavad Gita, or Tripitaka—these spiritual books not only provide guidance on the spiritual level, but they also shape culture, morals, and even government.
But what is it precisely that religious texts do to influence our daily choices, statutes and pragmatic morality as a group? Let’s explore.
The Moral Compass in Words
The central feature of each significant religion is associated with a rule-book of good life taught by that religion. And the guide is in religious writings.
These texts:
- Promote good values such as honesty, compassion, patience, and justice.
- Recount values that are perennial and geographically independent.
- Tell reasons, instructing one more on human behaviour.
As an illustration, the Ten Commandments in the Bible, the approach of the Buddha, or the Dharma in Hinduism all help shape the internal guide of morals for those who follow.
In most cases, cultural norms and expectations on what is considered to be right or wrong are formed even by those who do not honour a specific religion, but their values are still shaped based on the writings present in these texts.
The Roots of Law and Justice
A lot of contemporary laws trace their origins to religious laws. The violation of the law by theft, murder, perjury or adultery, which are often viewed as universal moral regulations, goes back to ancient religious texts.
For instance:
- The precept of justice as applied in Islamic law (Sharia) is based on the Quran.
- Jewish Halakha regulates the civil as well as religious conduct, which is stipulated by the Torah and the Talmud.
- The Hindu law is traditionally grounded in the Manusmriti with descriptions of duties and ethical conduct in society.
To this day, in other countries, there are laws encapsulating these early religious bases, whether these are directly stated in the law or through cultural embedding.
Daily Life and Cultural Traditions
The impact of religious texts spreads much further than the spheres of morality and even law, it structures daily routine, celebrations, nutrition, dressing and family customs. Be it dietary codes such as kosher and halal, prayer habits and religious practices and observances, the religious dogma is involved even with the minutest sections of life.
To a lot of people, these books provide order and a sense in a world of change. They act as a religious anchor, both on the individual and community level.
Final Thoughts
The religious books are not the old books found on the dusty shelves. They are sources of wisdom that are alive and still shaping our beliefs, our system of justice and how we live our lives. They have firmly ingrained their impact into the fabric of societies all over the world to help people decide in their lives, to influence people to think more profoundly and to provide a moral guideline in different generations.
Wish to know how sacred books shape our society? See the UEF article on religious texts to gain more insight.
