Deviance In Religion

Deviance commonly comes in the form of people who defy societal norms. Bikers, nudists, and even cultists who belong to what we view as a bizarre religion. Sometimes, however, people can take an accepted norm too far and it becomes its own form of deviance. In this instance, the focus will be on positive deviance in the form of the fanatically devout Christian. You’ve probably dealt with a relative who tries to convert anyone who bumps into them and proselytizes in every sentence. These aren’t the people the analysis will focus on, despite their intense devotion, they remain rational people who know when to tone it down. This will be discussing zealots, those who have based their entire life on religion and, in extreme cases, may even be willing to die or kill for their beliefs. To obtain this information I read articles discussing religious zealotry, viewed first hand accounts of these sorts of people, and talked to some family members who personally know individuals they consider “nutty’.
Sometimes it may difficult to exactly recognize the difference between a fanatic and someone who is strongly religious. A zealot may never stop talking about their religion, they will find a way to slip it into each conversation they have. Many are condescending, especially to those who aren’t as devout as them, and even to …show more content…
They may be people who felt powerless as children, so as adults, they turn to a higher power to help them feel significant and safe. For fanatics, just believing is not enough, more has to be done to prove their faith to the world. More concern is directed towards showing other people how devoted they are, rather than being comfortable with their own faith. This explains why they preach, why they cover themselves in symbols of faith, they want the world to know how powerful their faith is, how much they have sacrificed, all to cover up deep feelings of inadequacy and