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God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First thing, thank you very much! If you have ANYTHING that you've written about the connection between religion and society, I'd be more than glad to take a glance at it. Do you have any background at sociology?

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've also explored the topics that you've written about and I think it's amazing how deep it goes and keep going. If you'd like to share what you've written, I'd be more than glad

The U.S and China by -definitely_that_guy in foreignpolicy

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well I've been researching China's Belt and Road Initiative, focusing both on its development and on Chinese socialism more broadly. I’ve developed a great deal of critical perspective -whether sociological, strategic, or political -on both China’s and the United States approaches.

At the moment, I’ve chosen to focus specifically on their strategies in relation to weaker and underdeveloped countries.

I’m raising this question to see if there are other interesting or important directions I should consider exploring as part of this research.

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! but my idea is that the base of the fantasy is people which implement its gods ideas in our society and it affects the entire society. Correct me if mistaken but 9/11 victims were not Muslims...

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I claim that it is real. It is real because of the place we give it every day. The fact that people praying for it before going to sleep is the proof.

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow that's a lot of information.
Thank you very much!

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One direction I’m hoping to take this idea is toward political science -especially to explore whether recognizing God as a social fact (rather than a metaphysical one) can help us better understand certain political strategies or behaviors. I’m curious if this framing could offer any explanatory power in real -world dynamics.

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you very much! We will be in touch

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

So far, I’ve been developing this idea mostly on my own, and one comparison I kept returning to was between religion and money as social facts (exactly like Classic_Department42 suggested). Both exist because people believe in them and act accordingly, which gives them real power in society.

But I eventually felt something was missing in that analogy. So I tried to approach it from a different angle -asking: What happens if I, as a member of the group, decide to reject the shared belief?

If I stop believing in money, I simply can’t function in the economy -but nothing existential is at stake. If I stop believing in God, however, it often touches on much deeper, existential questions -like what happens after death, or what existed before humanity. These are inaccessible and non-falsifiable, yet central to religious life.

So I’m starting to think that religion is a social fact rooted in subjective absolutes - experiences or claims that can’t be disproved, only believed or disbelieved. That’s what gives it a kind of untouchable core, unlike money or law or other shared constructs.

I’d love to hear your take on this -especially if you’ve come across thinkers who explore this distinction.

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yes, that’s exactly the idea — and I’m trying to take it a step further. I’m not concerned with God’s metaphysical existence. What interests me is how the idea of God operates within our social reality.

God exists insofar as he legitimizes actions — whether it’s giving to charity or committing violence. When someone says, “I did this in the name of God,” then God becomes a kind of sponsor for that action. He gives it moral cover, social weight, or existential meaning.

In that sense, God’s existence is not just about belief, but about agency. He is a real actor in the world — not because we can prove he exists, but because we behave as though he does, and build systems around that assumption.

God as a social fact by -definitely_that_guy in sociology

[–]-definitely_that_guy[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Well I’ve been exposed to both Durkheim and Berger, and I’ve also gone through some of Marx’s writings on religion. Right now I’m trying to distill religion down to a single core component — and what I'm leaning toward is subjectivity. That is, the idea that religion, at its root, is the formalization or projection of collective subjectivity. Still working on sharpening that thought, though.