Religion, for Durkheim, was not "imaginary", although he did deprive it of what many believers find essential. Religion is very real; it is an expression of society itself, and indeed, there is no society that does not have religion. We perceive as individuals a force greater than ourselves, which is our social life, and give that perception a supernatural face. We then express ourselves religiously in groups, which for Durkheim makes the symbolic power greater. Religion is an expression of our collective consciousness, which is the fusion of all of our individual consciousnesses, which then creates a reality of its own.
Religion, for Durkheim, was not "imaginary", although he did deprive it of what many believers find essential. Religion is very real; it is an expression of society itself, and indeed there is no society that does not have religion. We perceive as individuals a force greater than ourselves, which is our social life, and give that perception a supernatural face. We then express ou,rselves religiously in groups, which for Durkheim makes the symbolic power greater. Religion is an expression of our collective consciousness which is the fus,ion of all of our individual consciousn,esses which then creates a reality of its own.