How is religion a force of conservation?

Very interesting question. Some social scientists believe
that religion is a force of conservation because it gives a specific people a blueprint
or plan to follow and on which to base their lives which emerges from a specific
historical time period. Because of this, they argue, following the "blueprint" or code
of conduct will make it difficult for these people to move with the times and adapt and
show flexibility to changing circumstances. A classic case would be Islam, that some
critics would argue is still trapped in a previous century because of its harsh
legislation and rules. However, it is important to note that the same criticism has been
levelled at Christianity and every other major
religion.

Religions therefore present us with a set of
rules and laws that must be followed. They demand obedience or threaten some form of
eternal punishment. Yet because of this they lack flexibility and responsiveness to a
rapidly changing world with very different circumstances from when these religions
began. You also might like to think about the way that the conservative political forces
in America are often religious, trying to maintain and preserve social institutions such
as "the family" being based around a heterosexual marriage, rather than any different,
more modern interpretations of "family."