The view that religion, as a source of moral guidance and social support, can function to prevent or protect individuals, especially children, and adolescents, from a range of deviant and delinquent behaviors is largely (but not completely) born out in sociocultural scholarship. In nations with strong religious identities such as the USA, there is a normative expectation that adolescents who identify with a religion are less likely to engage in deviant behavior than those who claim no religion.
Given these recent statistics:
What do you think might happen to levels of deviance in society if religions did not exist? Why?
Part 2 (300-400 words)
Have you ever done anything considered deviant by society?
Were you caught? If so, what were the consequences?
How did your deviance affect those closest to you?
What lesson did you learn from your deviant act?
Keeping in mind that you would never get caught, describe – either from a real-life situation or one you make up (indicate if so) – an act of deviance that would be totally out of control and over the top!!!
What would the deviant scenario consist of?
How would you plan it out?
Would you do it alone, or involve others? If so, who? and why?
If you were to confide in an authority figure about the essence of your master plan, how would you justify it?
