BEYOND DIVINE MANDATES: THE CONDITIONAL DYNAMICS OF RELIGIOSITY, SECULAR ETHICS, AND RULE COMPLIANCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/acsr.2026.10Keywords:
Rule Compliance, Sociology of Religion, Secular Ethics, Legal Pluralism, Institutional QualityAbstract
This comprehensive review critically synthesizes empirical evidence from 2001 to 2025 to investigate the highly conditional relationship between religiosity, rule compliance, and societal order. By examining behaviors across familial, organizational, and broader macro-societal strata, the study challenges the pervasive assumption that religious adherence universally guarantees moral and law-abiding conduct. The findings clearly reveal that while intrinsic religiosity effectively deters specific deviances and fosters whistleblowing intentions, hierarchical and fundamentalist religious frameworks frequently normalize systemic corruption and legitimize domestic violence. Crucially, this relationship is not linear; eight distinct variables strictly moderate it, including intrinsic motivation, moral community structures, and the balance between civic and religious identities. Furthermore, contrary to widespread anti-atheist prejudices, evidence consistently demonstrates that robust secular societies achieve exceptional levels of legal compliance and social well-being through consequentialist ethics and highly effective secular surveillance. Ultimately, this research urges legal scholars, sociologists, and policymakers to move beyond simplistic religious paradigms. It instead advocates deliberately prioritizing high-quality secular institutions and inclusive civic governance frameworks to ensure equitable justice and human rights globally.
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