religion

This research examines the functions of new media equipped with artificial intelligence in the field of religion. The main objective of the study is to understand the potential impacts of artificial intelligence on religious beliefs and practices, as well as its role in shaping and reproducing religious concepts. Additionally, it evaluates the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence may create in providing information and answering religious questions.

Methodology of the Research: 

This research is qualitative and was conducted with an analytical and descriptive approach. Data were collected by posing specific questions to artificial intelligence bots related to internet media. This approach helped researchers to study more deeply the impact of artificial intelligence in responding to religious questions and to examine the potential for changes in this area.

The findings of the research indicate that the use of artificial intelligence can significantly impact responses to religious questions and the interpretation of religious texts. Given the rapid advancements in this technology, assessing its capabilities and effects as a widely used tool for addressing religious inquiries and teachings appears to be essential.

The results indicate that the use of artificial intelligence bots can create challenges related to the quality and manner of user interaction with religious information. These interactions involve how users engage with Chatbots and the impact of these interactions on users' critical thinking and their understanding of religious information. The emergence and expansion of artificial intelligence in the field of religion have raised new questions about its role in reproducing and changing religious beliefs. The findings of this research clarify that artificial intelligence can have a significant impact on shaping religious concepts and practices. Accordingly, various scenarios that may arise from the continued integration of this technology into religious practices and beliefs were examined, highlighting that improving responsiveness and enhancing cognitive depth regarding religious concepts through this technology requires sustained continuity and knowledge enhancement in this area.

The aim of this research is to understand how new media can intertwine the multifaceted dimensions and processes of religion and peace within (global) society in the current era. Additionally, it explores how religion can utilize new media to promote peace globally and converge various social and cultural groups.

This article employs existing theoretical and research capacities in religious studies and communication/media studies, utilizing a library-based method and an analytical approach. It seeks to answer research questions through a conceptual triangulation of three theories: "Meaning Mediation," "Geertz's Model; Religion as a Cultural System," and "Lederach's Peacebuilding Pyramid." 

New media can alter the meanings of concepts and, by enhancing knowledge and awareness, create platforms for constructive dialogues, mobilize civil actors, and showcase war victims to garner public support for conflict resolution. Religion, as a cultural resource, can also collaborate with new media to unite religious and secular actors around the theme of peace, overcoming media limitations such as filtering and the dissemination of fake news.

In the current context of media warfare, the seminary can, by establishing interaction with media outlets, serve as the eyes and voice of the Islamic Revolution, disseminating the message of the revolution and the ideology of pure Muhammadan Islam. Therefore, the collaboration and interaction between these two institutions are of great significance in enhancing the cultural and social synergy of society. Accordingly, this study aims to develop interactive policy frameworks for seminaries and national media. Using a meta-synthesis method, the study analyzes findings and suggestions from existing research on this subject, synthesizing data to provide a comprehensive perspective on the scientific and research-oriented approach to the interaction between seminaries and national media. The results indicate that by employing 52 desirable and realistic policies proposed for more effective interaction between seminaries and national media, many existing gaps in disseminating Islamic culture and religious values within society, identifying enemies, avoiding Western culture, promoting religious rituals, managing public opinion, and strengthening religious foundations can be organized and improved.

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of religious background on attitudes toward religion during the COVID-19 crisis. This research employed a descriptive-analytical method of a correlational type. The statistical population consisted of individuals affected by the COVID-19 crisis in Iran, and the sample was selected through convenience sampling. Due to the absence of a standardized questionnaire for measuring attitudes toward religion in the domains of belief, emotion, and behavior, a researcher-made questionnaire with 17 items was utilized. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The findings indicate that religious background influenced attitudes toward religion in the three domains of beliefs, emotions, and behaviors during the COVID-19 crisis. The greatest influence of religious background on attitudes toward religion was observed in the emotional domain (0.404), while the least was in the behavioral domain (0.267). Additionally, the correlation in the belief domain (0.395) was nearly equivalent to the increase in attitude. This finding implies that the increase in behavioral influence does not proportionally match the increase in beliefs and emotions.

The relationship between religion and poverty has long captivated sociological researchers; yet the answers offered remain inconclusive and resist simple generalizations. Sociological findings indicate that religion can both facilitate social and economic changes that benefit the poor and perpetuate social and economic inequalities that negatively impact their lives. On the positive side, religion often provides essential structural support to the impoverished, helping them navigate their daily challenges. This support includes various goods and services offered by religious institutions and individuals. However, religion can also uphold and even exacerbate class divisions and inequalities, which contradict the values espoused by many religious traditions. For instance, religion may maintain the status quo by legitimizing social inequalities, reflecting societal power dynamics within religious contexts, or reinforcing behaviors and ideologies that control the poor (Rogers & Konieczny, 2018). When examining Iranian society, a critical issue to explore was the relationship between poverty and religion. Given the diversity of followers of major world religions like Islam whose class compositions encompass a wide range of social strata, we could frame a research question: To what extent are poverty and religion related within Iranian society? Is there evidence of systematic covariation between poverty and religion at the empirical level in this context?

This study employed a Durkheimian methodological approach to explanatory sociology. From Durkheim’s perspective, both the explanandum and the explanans should reflect characteristics of collective units or social systems. This implies that even when individual-level data is utilized to measure sociological concepts, the primary aim is to aggregate individual information to describe communities or social systems. In technical terms, the unit of analysis in sociological research is consistently collective units or social systems even if the unit of observation is at the individual level. To empirically test the main hypothesis of this study, we designated the unit of analysis as "province", representing a macro-social unit within Iran. Given this choice, the study employed a within-country comparative method, utilizing collective data to quantitatively compare the provinces of Iran. In summary, the "unit of analysis" was defined as the "province", while the "level of analysis" was set at the national level of "Iran". Secondary data from the most recent census in Iran were used for the final analysis.

This research paper presented an empirical examination of the relationship between poverty and religion at the macro-sociological level, focusing on the provinces of Iran as the unit of analysis. A review of the literature on the sociology of religion revealed that studies exploring the connection between poverty and religion were often guided by "deprivation theory". This theory posits that poverty has a positive impact on individuals' religious commitment.From a systemic perspective, the implication of this theoretical framework suggests that as one moves across social systems—specifically from provinces with lower poverty rates to those with higher poverty rates—levels of religious commitment are expected to rise. However, it is important to note that changes in the unit of analysis can yield new insights. In this study, we evaluated the empirical validity of the hypothesis derived from deprivation theory using a within-country comparative method, specifically employing "province" as the unit of analysis. To validate this theory, we tested the hypothesis against secondary data from 31 provinces of Iran, assessing the degree to which the predictions of deprivation theory aligned with empirical evidence. The findings from this analysis indicated that, after controlling for the effects of social development and economic inequality, poverty continued to exert a statistically significant positive effect on religious commitment.This finding aligned with the predictions of deprivation theory in the sociology of religion, suggesting confirmatory support for the theory. Thus, we concluded that there was a significant relationship between poverty and religious commitment in Iran, reinforcing the relevance of deprivation theory in understanding this dynamic.

The present article is derived from a research, which was conducted with the aim of investigating the sociological study of citizens' attitudes towards Afghan immigrants in the city of Shiraz. This research is a descriptive-survey type of study. The statistical population of the current research was formed by the citizens of Shiraz in 2023. The sampling method in this research was a simple random sampling method. The tool used in this research is a researcher-made questionnaire with 26 questions to evaluate the attitude of Shirazi citizens towards Afghan immigrants in Iran. The researchers in this article seek to answer this question: Is there a significant relationship between the level of literacy, ethnicity, type of religion (Shia and Sunni), economic status, citizens' sense of security and their attitude towards Afghan immigrants? The statistical results of Pearson's correlation test using spss software show that there is a significant relationship (significant correlation) between literacy level, ethnicity, type of religion (Shia and Sunni), economic status and sense of security of citizens and their attitude towards immigrants. There is an Afghani.

Ninian Smart studies religion with a phenomenological approach and makes fundamental distinctions between classical phenomenology and modern phenomenology in religious research. He played an important role in expanding the studies of the philosophy of religion outside the domain of Christian theology and tried to deal with religion and its functions with a more comprehensive approach. Modern phenomenology deals with the life of religious worlds and tries to understand and analyze the real approaches to life, religion, its social, cultural and historical role instead of just studying religion abstractly. In this article, in addition to explaining the foundations of modern phenomenology, we want to show the importance of an intellectual break from the dominance of Christian theology in religious studies and explain the place of such a method of studying religion in societies. He opposes essentialism in religious studies and its necessity; also, he opposes the approach of delivering religions and experiences to a single religion with Christian experience. We want to first describe the phenomenology of religion, then state the main differences between its two types, and finally reveal the importance of Smart's method in the philosophy of new religion and criticize Smart's understanding of the definition of religion.

This article, titled "The Future of Media Management in Light of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and New Media on Religion," has been written to address a novel topic. Given the significant advancements in the field of artificial intelligence and new media technologies, the role and impact of these two factors on religion and media management are of high importance. This research aims to achieve effective and useful results for individuals and organizations involved in media management by addressing the mentioned issues.Research

The research employs a qualitative method using future scenario writing to explore the impact of artificial intelligence and new media on religion and the future of media management. Discussing its challenges will also assist media managers in finding the best strategies for utilizing artificial intelligence and new media in media management, thereby contributing to knowledge development in this area.

Based on the findings, with the rapid and increasing growth of technology in the near future, it seems we will witness an interdependence and influence among media. In other words, we will observe the impact and utilization of this technology (artificial intelligence) in most information sources and communication channels for transmitting various types of messages (both religious and non-religious) to target audiences through different media channels.

Ultimately, this article aims to provide guidance for future media managers by examining and referencing the applications or functions of artificial intelligence across various media industries, while also suggesting recommendations for other researchers.

This article aims to examine whether, in the process of the mediatization of religion, the media plays a leading and determining role, transforming religion according to its own nature, or vice versa.

This qualitative study is conducted through library research. To this end, it will explore and compare two significant theories in media studies: technological determinism and social-religious determinism, paving the way for conclusions.

This research defends the claim that a deterministic argument regarding the relationship between religion and media is valid, asserting that it is the media that has a determining role. Finally, we will examine existing alternatives to the theory of the mediatization of religion.

A new analysis of Yervard's theory indicates that contrary to popular belief, determinism still functions and plays an important role in the relationship between media and religion.

The aim of this article is to examine and measure the position of religion and its relationship with artificial intelligence within the framework of new media, and to investigate the connection between the potential capacities of religion and artificial intelligence technology in new media contexts.

This article adopts a research approach and is conducted using documentary-library methods and descriptive-analytical techniques.

Today, internet platforms, AI-based algorithms, and various religious sources such as sacred texts, sermons, and worship materials activate according to individual preferences and beliefs. Technologies like virtual reality (metaverse) enable individuals to participate in virtual pilgrimages, religious ceremonies, and public worship, creating a new environment for the utilization of new media sciences in service of religious followers in the digital age.

The relationship between the position of religion and artificial intelligence in the context of new media can lead to a healthy and fruitful use for followers and those concerned with the fields of religion and media. Additionally, defined artificial intelligence in various media tools can be utilized for various religious practices and rituals. It is essential to leverage new opportunities in today's world to enhance the position of religion and to confront challenges in a correct, specialized, and scientific manner.

Childbearing and fertility are fundamental elements in effecting demographic changes in countries, drawing significant attention in the areas of macro management, politics, security, and social issues.

This study was conducted using a meta-analysis method, and after collecting information through library research, data analysis was performed.

The results indicate that media attacks promoting non-divine lifestyle models, such as encouraging girls and women towards singleness and individualism, materialism, and the normalization of low fertility, are the primary factors in the cultural conflict between religious values and various media actions. This includes the devaluation of motherhood and the replacement of children with pets, all of which contradict religious teachings and Islamic culture.

While the essence of religion is to establish the framework and rituals of life, Islam, as the most complete religion, encompasses a system of pathways to achieve happiness.

This article aims to examine the characteristics of the topic of "Islamophobia.

The approach to this issue involves evaluating the performance of major media outlets regarding Islamophobia by referring to studies conducted in this field. Additionally, it seeks to outline ways to counter this discourse through the dialogue and interaction between cultures and civilizations.

The findings indicate that the characteristics of the virtual space, including the formation based on two-way and horizontal interactions and the possibility of dialogue, allow for discussions and expressions of opinions about the reality of Islam, differing from the frameworks of media affiliated with colonial powers. Therefore, it can confront and challenge the Islamophobic discourse propagated by these powers. One example of this is the Gaza conflict, where the virtual space was able to somewhat counter the Islamophobic discourse. Thus, it can be concluded that the solution to combating Islamophobia and moving beyond it lies in "dialogue in virtual space.

From the discussions, it can be concluded that the internet and virtual space provide a medium that, due to its interactive nature and two-way communications, facilitates dialogue much more than other media. Consequently, Muslims, as individuals exposed to negative propaganda and Islamophobia in mainstream media, can utilize two-way dialogues through these media to present a more realistic representation of themselves and depict the true face of Islam to other people around the world.

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the predictive role of internal and external religious orientations in students' resilience. To achieve this goal, 320 students were selected from among all male and female students of Farhangian University using multi-stage cluster random sampling method. The necessary data were collected using the questionnaire of religious orientation (internal and external) of Allport and Ross and the adult resilience scale of Hamedal, Freiburg, Martinusen and Rosening. The data of this research were analyzed using the Pearson correlation statistical method and multiple regression analysis simultaneously.The findings showed that internal religious orientations have a positive significant relationship with all dimensions of resilience (individual competence, social competence, family cohesion, social resources and individual structure); However, external religious orientation negatively predicted resilience only after family cohesion, and other dimensions of resilience had no significant relationship with students' external religious orientation. The results and its implications were discussed based on the theoretical background.

Religion continues to be a vital human institution, adapting and thriving despite significant changes in its social roles. Contrary to classical sociological predictions of religious decline, the latter half of the 20th century saw a resurgence of faith, especially in Western Europe and America. For example, Protestantism in the United States has experienced considerable growth, with a multitude of denominations emerging. Projections indicate that by 2025, Christianity and Islam will have approximately 2.7 billion and 1.97 billion adherents, respectively, with Islam recognized as the fastest-growing religion worldwide, boasting a growth rate of 1.84% from 2000 to 2013. While institutional religion may be diminishing in Western societies, personal and private expressions of spirituality are on the rise. Research suggests that perceived hypocrisy within religious communities can lead to disbelief and apostasy. However, theories of secularization have not fully captured the complexities of this transformation. In contrast, Islam is experiencing growth in many societies although the nature of this expansion remains largely unexplored. In Iran, generational shifts in religious beliefs and practices—shaped by globalization and modernity—have created a notable divergence between the values of youth and those of their parents. This study aimed to examine the religious experiences and interpretations of young people from religious families, particularly within the context of Yazd.

This study conducted in 2023 in Yazd City employed qualitative research to explore the religiosity of the educated generation born in the 1990s. Utilizing thematic analysis based on the 6-phase framework developed by Braun and Clarke (2006), the research involved semi-structured interviews with 15 young adults aged 24 to 32, all from religious families. Participants were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling to ensure a diverse representation of educational backgrounds and social statuses. Interviews took place in university settings and cafes, lasting between 20 to 30 minutes each, and were recorded for subsequent analysis.The researchers transcribed the interviews, identified key concepts, and generated initial codes. These codes were linked to develop sub-themes, which were then refined into main themes. The final analysis adhered to ethical considerations, ensuring participant confidentiality throughout the process. To validate the findings, the study applied the criteria established by Lincoln and Guba (1985), focusing on credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Member checks were performed by re-interviewing 5 participants to assess the accuracy of the findings. This study aimed to investigate the differences in religiosity between this educated generation and their parents with particular emphasis on the experiences of women, who had encountered unique challenges within religious families.

The study highlighted that participants faced significant religious conflicts with their families, primarily stemming from the traditional values upheld by the older generation and the shifting perspectives of the younger generation. This generational tension is particularly pronounced in religious families, where established beliefs clash with the emerging secular and humanistic values of youth. These conflicts often arise in the context of rapid societal changes, especially the transition from traditional to modern society, where digital technologies and social media play a pivotal role. The generational gap is further widened by differences in beliefs, values, and lifestyles, leading to misunderstandings and strained relationships between parents and their children.The study identified 4 key themes: generational transformation, value chaos, religious dissent, and dynamics of resistance and acceptance. The individual and social experiences of the younger generation significantly diverged from those of their parents, resulting in a broader generational shift. This transformation was influenced by the transition to modern society, where digital and technological advancements created new opportunities and challenges, fueling everyday conflicts and misunderstandings between generations.Additionally, the study emphasized the role of social status in generational conflict. Young people were increasingly striving for material success and social recognition, which starkly contrasted with the focus of older generation on traditional and religious values. This shift had led to a disconnection between the generations, with younger individuals often feeling misunderstood and unsupported by their parents, particularly regarding their views on religion and lifestyle choices.Participants in the study frequently expressed frustration with their parents' inability to understand or accept their evolving values and perspectives. The findings also indicated that younger individuals were more adaptable and less reliant on traditional structures, often turning to new media for information and social interaction, which further distanced them from their parents.In conclusion, while the younger generation was shifting toward more secular and individualistic values, the older generation struggled to adapt to these changes. Over time, some parents might begin to accept their children's new beliefs, but this process was often slow and met with resistance. The study underscored the importance of dialogue and understanding between generations to bridge the gap and foster mutual respect and acceptance.

The distinguishing feature of Paul Radin's research approach with other ethnologists is the observance of the principle of neutrality as much as possible and the self-conscious removal of the researcher from his historical background in order to achieve the originality of the research on primitive peoples. During his studies and experiences, Radin came to the general opinion that the history, individuality and psychological and social facts of these peoples should be taken into account by ethnologists and he found the broad commonalities of the perceptual nature of primitive and progressive societies. Not only did he not consider all primitive people to have a pre-rational and low mind, but he also stated that in all societies, whether primitive or advanced, there are people with the essence of philosophizing and thinking, who are able to meet their needs and their material or spiritual needs benefit from their inner creativity and lead the common and practical people of the society to accept and believe in these capabilities. In Paul Radin's ethnological research, the primitive people of a society composed of practical and thoughtful people are introduced with different levels of independence of individual truth to attraction to social realities. Therefore, Radin removes himself from expressing and developing specific theories to describe the nature of primitive societies, and despite his eloquent attempts to identify them by focusing on their history and individuality and using analytical psychology, he always leaves open the parentheses of his explanations.

This article seeks the possibility of governance development by resorting to the concept of "Al Faragh Zone" in order to analyze the scope of connection between religion and politics in public policy making. "Al Faragh Zone" is the area where public policies flow and produce a specific logic for social communication and interactions. Acceptance of "Al-Faragh Zone" means accepting the flow of this logic on public policies. This logic makes collective action and social cooperation possible regardless of Islamic values, although it is generally possible to extend these values to its own domain. Using the literature that has been produced about collective action, this article argues that the neglect of the logic built in human communication has caused public policies in Iran to tend towards a trend that is unrevised from the theory of "Religion Continuity". and politics" to use and/or abuse these relationships and these policies. In practice, this phenomenon has caused "Al-Faragh area" to become an area for non-professional expansion of "religion and politics" into the public domain. "Continuity of religion and politics" has provided a superficial cover for the justification of policies, while basically it has another function for the legitimacy of the government and not the legitimacy of micro-level policies. The operational separation of the field of the "religion and politics" theory from the al-Faragh area expands the government's involvement in public policy-making and the scope of participatory governance, freedom and public responsibility in public policies.

The main purpose of this article was to critically investigate the book "Holy Ignorance: When Religion and Culture Part Ways” written by Olivier Roy. Specifically, this research tried to examine the conflict or coexistence of religion and culture through the analyses of the author of the book, and discover the impact of ideological positions on the text. To this end, using the critical discourse analysis method by Fairclough (1989), this research analyzed and criticized the content of this book within three stages of description, interpretation and explanation. The findings showed that the key idea of ​​this work is to introduce religious fundamentalism in the world as a result of the disconnection of the links between cultural and religious signs. However, the book goes wrong in identifying and explaining the relationship between religion and culture and has proposed the convergence of these two based on evidences which are on the contrary, at least in the case of Islam. Moreover, the author's interpretation of Islamic fundamentalism is vague and insufficient and implies a false justification of the political identity of Islam in the contemporary era.

Cultural security is one of the important indicators of security in the present era for all countries, especially for the country of Iran with its rich Iranian and Islamic culture. Considering the importance of religion and holding religious ceremonies in Iranian society, the question arises as to whether greater participation in religious centers can lead to the promotion of youth cultural security. The aim of this investigationis to study the association between participation in religious communities and cultural security among residents in Sari city. Using multi-stage cluster sampling method 400 participants randomly selected and answered to the questionnaire. The results show between participation in religious communities and the different dimensions of cultural security such as Iranian and religious identity, commitment to family, religious, social and cultural values there is a significant positive correlation; findings also show that correlation with social values is stronger than other dimensions.The results show between participation in religious communities and the different dimensions of cultural security such as Iranian and religious identity, commitment to family, religious, social and cultural values there is a significant positive correlation; findings also show that correlation with social values is stronger than other dimensions. This means that with increased participation in religious communities, participant's cultural security increases.