Religious beliefs, meanings, and symbols

Choose from one of two options:

Option 1: Drawing on at least 3 of the Learning Resources, write a main post about how and/or why people develop beliefs and give meaning to their lives, whether through religion or through non-religion.  

Option 2: Drawing at least 3 of the Learning Resources, write a main post about how religions (as well as atheism) can contribute to people's social attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

Note: Be sure to cite the Learning Resources that you use in this post and list your references at the end, using APA style.

Learning Resources:

Mini-lecture, https://soundcloud.com/sociology_lectures/week-3-lecture-maurermp3

READ: 

Pew Research Center. (2015, Nov. 3). Pew religious landscape survey, Chapter 1: Importance of religion and religious beliefs. Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/2015/11/03/chapter-1-importance-of-religion-and-religious-beliefs/

READ: 

Pew Research Center. ( 2016, April 12). Religion in everyday life. Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/2016/04/12/religion-in-everyday-life/

READ:

Alper, B. (2018, Aug. 8). Why America's 'nones' don't identify with religion. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/08/08/why-americas-nones-dont-identify-with-a-religion/

WATCH: 

Anderson, J., & Cammisa, R. (Producers), & Cammisa, R. (Director). (2011). God is the Bigger Elvis [Motion picture]. United States: HBO. Retrieved from  http://gloria.tv/?media=284857&language=KiaLEJq2fBR

Also available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfwTSZzjh8E

READ: 

Smith, J. M. (2011, Summer). Becoming an Atheist in America: Constructing Identity and Meaning from the Rejection of Theism. Sociology of Religion,72(2), 215-237. doi:10.1093/socrel/srq082    Permalink:http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=61782493&site=eds-live&scope=site      

READ :

Ecklund, E. H., & K. Schultz. (2011, Dec.). Atheists and agnostics negotiate family and religion. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 50(4), 728-743.  

READ :

Reiss, S. (2000). Why people turn to religion: A motivational analysis. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 39, 47-52.