Religion

Religion is the practice of a spiritual belief or faith and the act to worship those beliefs. Going to church is religious and it can be the same with having food on the table is being religious. Why are so many people religious? A functionalist would suggest that people tend to be religious because it sets up a system of norms and regulations to follow, keeping society whole, pointing everyone in the "right" direction, or doing things that are the norms. When Emile Durkheim studied totemism, the practice of worshiping a unique totem pole, he explained that "the totem is a sacred symbol and is the object of worship." Like a church being the symbol of worshiping God, food is the object of worship. People set up tables, preparing to eat dinner because it is the norm. By having the affirmation of what is normal, people stayed religious because of it.

Reference: http://www.markedbyteachers.com/gcse/sociology/functionalist-perspective-on-religion.html