Many would argue that Religion in society acts as a way of controlling people, especially in societies where religion is classed as the law, for example in Afghanistan where religion ruled the county. Religion strongly links with PAnopticism in this sense as Most religions believe that God is watching everyone, This links to the idea of
"omnipresent and omniscient power" as within a panopticon building, there is always someone watching. Within the building the inmates cannot see each other but can always see the guards who watch all the inmates to make sure they are behaving correctly, this in return makes the images behave better as they believe that they are always being views and therefore improve their behaviour in order to seek reward. However the guards in the watching tower were not always visible, but the fact that the tower remains remind the inmates of the behaviour expected from them. Therefore the idea of being constantly viewed within panoptic and religious institutions is seen as a form of control, Foucault argues "Visibility is a trap" meaning if someone is always being viewed can always be caught doing something wrong, if all their actions are detectable then they can always be scrutinised. This means that those being watched become more and more award of the fact that they are being watched and this effects their conscience decisions and behaviour more so that if they were not being surveyed.
Another theory within religion which backs up the idea that religion is a form of Panopticism is "The ten Commandments" which set down a specific set of rules which apply to those who follow Christianity or Judaism, a give regulation and order to everyday life. Foucault argues that these rules are ' strict divisions not laws transgressed, but the penetration of regulation into everyday life'. He follows this by adding that the thought of punishment from breaking these rules leads to individuals within society becoming 'Docile bodies', as they become self correcting, self obedient and self correcting bodies, who don't argue or break societies rules and regulations,.
Individuals are controlled and follow others instead of questioning their actions and behavour. Confess your sins' is one of the rules, this gives those within religious society the option to be honest about their mistakes and wrong actions, this in turn increases religious control again as it leads the individual on to believe that if they confess they will be rewarded by being accepted back into the community. Whereas if they do not accept their mistakes and allow others to forgive them they would not be accepted back in as their actions have not reflected gods views or the churches teachings.
Within Foucault's theories he speaks about the real life events of the plague, He applies these events to Panopticism ' The following, according to an order published at the end of the seventeenth century, were measures to be taken when the plague appeared in a town'. He describes a more political view on the plague and the ultimate control perceived by many as ' The plague stricken town, transversed throughout with hierarchy, surveillance, observation, writing; the town immobilised by the functioning of an extensive power that bears in a distinct way over all individual bodies - this is the utopia of the governed city' he argued that religious releaser wanted the plague as they needed social control and in order to get it they needed new disciplinary measures "in order to see perfect disciplines functioning, rulers dreamt of the state of plague.". He also looks into the 'Festival'aspect of the plague and goes on to write about it, 'Suspended laws, lifted prohibitions, the frenzy of passing time, bodies mingling together without respect, individuals unmasked, abandoning their statuary identity and the figure under which they had been recognised'.
In Conclusion it is correct to say that to a certain extent religion links directly to Panopticism, as it creates society norms and behaviour which creates and maintains social order, as religion has created rules which society abides by it creates functioning behaviour from not only those who believe that god is watching them but it also creates behavioural boundaries for those who are in no way religious.
Individuals are controlled and follow others instead of questioning their actions and behavour. Confess your sins' is one of the rules, this gives those within religious society the option to be honest about their mistakes and wrong actions, this in turn increases religious control again as it leads the individual on to believe that if they confess they will be rewarded by being accepted back into the community. Whereas if they do not accept their mistakes and allow others to forgive them they would not be accepted back in as their actions have not reflected gods views or the churches teachings.
Within Foucault's theories he speaks about the real life events of the plague, He applies these events to Panopticism ' The following, according to an order published at the end of the seventeenth century, were measures to be taken when the plague appeared in a town'. He describes a more political view on the plague and the ultimate control perceived by many as ' The plague stricken town, transversed throughout with hierarchy, surveillance, observation, writing; the town immobilised by the functioning of an extensive power that bears in a distinct way over all individual bodies - this is the utopia of the governed city' he argued that religious releaser wanted the plague as they needed social control and in order to get it they needed new disciplinary measures "in order to see perfect disciplines functioning, rulers dreamt of the state of plague.". He also looks into the 'Festival'aspect of the plague and goes on to write about it, 'Suspended laws, lifted prohibitions, the frenzy of passing time, bodies mingling together without respect, individuals unmasked, abandoning their statuary identity and the figure under which they had been recognised'.
In Conclusion it is correct to say that to a certain extent religion links directly to Panopticism, as it creates society norms and behaviour which creates and maintains social order, as religion has created rules which society abides by it creates functioning behaviour from not only those who believe that god is watching them but it also creates behavioural boundaries for those who are in no way religious.
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