Are Culture and Religion really the same thing? A common mystery to most of us. Here in Zimbabwe there is an annoying trend that involves bundling up Religion and Culture. I still don’t know if it’s a Zimbo thing or whatever! Up to this day many people define traditional beliefs as a Religion. Be rest assured that after our little chat the confusion will be gone!
Attitude, Customs and Beliefs are what make up Culture. In layman’s language it simply refers to the values or habits that are shared and are common to a particular society or group of people. So, if you are attached to an organization, and let’s say its attitude is based on ‘hard work and consistency’ that can be referred to as an Organizational Culture. You get me right? The aspects have to be specific to a society or group of people.
There are many things that constitute a Culture you know?! Even thoughts, ideas and knowledge define ones’ Culture.
Now Culture is also transmitted in the elements of the people of a society through Language, Gender, Marital practices, and expressed in forms such as Music, Dance, Rituals, Religion, Shelter and Clothing.
Here you have to understand carefully, remove all the thoughts about your crush or that hot girl’s b**ty from your mind because this information requires a clear mind.
Ok, unlike Culture, Religion is wholly associated with God and it is not manmade like Culture. In basic terms it is the collections of Beliefs, Myths, and World views that are related and have origins and meaning. Each religion has its own narratives and symbols. My sixth sense tells me you are wondering about the narratives and symbols part, right? Lemme give you a common example everybody knows, Christians right, c’mon who doesn’t, they use the Bible and the cross symbol, that’s what I meant, as simple as that!
So here is the trick, Religion can be classified as a Culture since they are beliefs of a group of people (society) but still they are two different things with different connotations. Which explains where the common misunderstanding of the two comes from.
Culture can change with the passage of time and in practical form unlike Religion which has fixed narratives like the Bible and the Koran which cannot be changed or rewritten. So in essence two or more different Religions can share the same knowledge, habits, customs and thoughts for instance Muslims and Christians, however one Religion cannot have different Cultures.
In any case it looks as if there is no great chasm between Religion and Culture from the perspective of their structure. The structural similarity may well be a function of the reality, but it is important to know what differentiates the two.
You can read a follow up article that delves into Religions prevalent in Zimbabwe, which unveils the truths and dismisses the misconceptions here.
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