Abstract

The article examines the integrative and disintegrative functions of religion in the context of its influence on the processes of social and personal development. The theoretical aspect covers the research of scientists who analyzed religion as a social institution capable of uniting or dividing people depending on specific conditions and goals. The practical aspect is reflected in studies dedicated to specific social, cultural and political processes related to the activity of religions in Kazakhstan.

The main purpose of the research is to analyze the role of religion in the processes of strengthening social ties and fragmentation of society, as well as to evaluate its place and influence in modern Kazakh society. Research tasks: theoretical analysis of the role of religion in social integration and disintegration; determination of the place of religious traditions of Kazakhstan in the formation of national identity and intercultural ties; proposal of ways of effective management of the influence of religion on public life.

In the main part of the article, a reference is made to the research of Stausberg, who analyzed Western theories of religion. Four key questions underlying these theories are considered: particularities of religion, its origin, functions and structure. Stausberg offers an empirical approach to analyzing the functions of religion and tries to describe its structure through standard elements. Another feature of Western theories is their evolutionary argument, according to which "religion is not a cultural phenomenon, but a psychic mechanism" and arises in the human brain as a "by-product".

Factors contributing to the strengthening of unity in society and exacerbation of social conflicts are considered in the article based on the phenomenology of religion. The authors of the article, relying on the work of scientists who studied the religious situation in Kazakhstan, consider the importance of religious organizations in social and cultural processes. In addition, the influence of religious beliefs on national identity, the influence of religious pluralism on intercultural relations, and the causes of conflicts on religious grounds are revealed.

The results of the study show the dual role of religion in Kazakh society: on the one hand, it contributes to the strengthening of national unity and the preservation of spiritual values, on the other hand, it can create religious differences and the risk of radicalization. The author suggests developing a complex of scientific and legal measures to increase the positive influence of religion and minimize its destructive consequences.

This study analyzes the influence of religious factors on the stability of society in modern Kazakhstan and contributes to a deeper understanding of the social functions of religion.

Key words: religious theories, religion, society, Kazakhstan, culture, tradition, ,religious climate, pseudo-Islam.