Question

"functionalists argue that religion serves the function of social control and support for the government. religion helps maintain social control by conferring __________ on the norms and laws of a society."

Answer 1

Religion helps maintain social control by conferring supernatural legitimacy on the norms and laws of a society. This means that Functionalists think that religion by itself garners no legitimacy, but instead serves as a means of control and harnesses control by providing supernatural backing to laws and governances.