The good in religion

This is something I wrote for my personal online journal. I figured it loosely relates to the advent and development of many non-western (as well as western) societies.

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I found an interesting Newsweek article that was discussing the decline of Christianity in America. A huge part of me wanted to say "good riddance!" But, it's always easy for me, along with agnostics, atheists, etc. to decry Christianity (and other organized religions) as a means to brainwash and control folks - not to mention the grounds for wars, outright discrimination, etc. However, I think it's well worth taking a look at some of the more positive lights of religion.

Unlike some of my friends - particularly those in the GLBT community - I have never been directly persecuted for my sexuality. Of course, it helps that I can count the number of times I've gone to church on one hand. And, it helps that my sexuality was never a subject of conversation during any of these times. When I think of church in my life, I think of the wonderful old ladies that never fail to say a kind "hello" with a bright smile on their face on a Sunday morning - all while embracing me in a tight, genuine hug. I think of this powerful force in the room whenever a praise choir sings - a force so strong that it can uplift ordinary people to spontaneously exclaim "Hallelujah!" and affirm the inspirational sermon of the day. I think of the comfort that I have when God and I have a nice chat about life during a moment of prayer. To me, church was always an inviting place to which I unfortunately never gave up enough of my time. Sunday mornings at an uplifting church mass sure beats the hell out of a wasted Sunday morning sleeping in.

When discussing the general subject of religion in a cross-cultural context, it seems like all we ever talk about is the bad. A common theme is that religion is a form of control by the elite and those they seek to enslave. Sure, religion is an institution of control. But, during times long ago when the world was seen as a chaotic and uncertain place, religion provided the sense of structure and certainty that people needed at the time. Much like monarchies, dictatorships, etc. Now that mankind is much more confident and comfortable of his place in the world, it is no surprise at all that religion has kind of fallen lower on our list of priorities.

But, does that mean that religion no longer has a role to play in the lives of human beings in the 21st Century? I don't think so. The very basis of any religion is not necessary the sense of control exerted onto its followers. It is the feeling of hope. Hope is a powerful force. Hope helped build this great country from nothing during times of hardship and despair. Hope propelled a black guy with a few good ideas to the highest office in the land. In the darkest hours of our history, mankind has looked for this hope to lead the way to a better and brighter tomorrow. It is this sense of hope that is the common denominator that fuels any religion.

In today's philosophical and moral debates, it is easy to tempt yourself with using religion as a weapon to divide people. While folks get caught up in the semantics and details of who their God is, what makes their God so fucking great, etc., people lose sight that these details don't matter. What truly matters is that each of us has our own path to make sense of this world to make something great of ourselves. If you believe in an invisible man in the clouds surrounded by angels, that's awesome. If you believe that God exists in the trees and the creatures around us, that's great. If you believe that God is some sort of mass delusion crafted by a bunch of nitwits in power, then that's also great. The only things that matter to me are that your religion and philosophy provide the following: happiness, sense of purpose that propels you to help others, and open-mindedness. That last requirement is rather tricky to come by, it seems, but it's a crucial element in preventing folks from committing murders and suicides in the name of their god(s).

Religion is a substrate of humanity that hasn't existed for thousands of years for nothing. Religion provides the fuel for which people can strive to be someone better than they already are. It empowers folks. It provides a commonality that forms the basis for diverse communities. Looked at in a positive light, religion is something that should not be feared. With the right leadership and the right state of mind to use it, religion can be something that propels mankind forward to achieve something that is greater than the sum of its parts. Religion represents a powerful force at the very heart of every individual that, when used for good, can bring people together in jubilation, but can also, when used for bad, be used to tear people apart and destroy them.