From Values to Religion

Abstract

Each individual is guided by values that determine his behaviour. A recurrent distinction concerns the difference between applied values and final values, therefore between values concerning individual practices and values which represent real goals to achieve. The discussion tends to slip onto a juxtaposition of universal values and universal rights, which is to say between human values and human rights. It is not always easy to discern secular values from religious values. The main issue regards those who hold religious and secular values. If religious values are presumably conserved by churches, denominations, confessional organizations, for secular values the State is usually considered to be the main holder. Global values and local values can be in conflict, especially when the same individual has to play a number of different rules. And it must be considered that today migration context in Europe presents different communities with different values.