Do we need religion considering the rift it creates among people all around the world?

Yes!

Today, many wars are fought in the name of religion.

Sad, isn’t it?

“Religion is to do right, it is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Religion which should give you hope and salvation is now used by religious fanatics for their own petty needs. Religious fanatics have converted religion into a gory battle ground of flesh and blood.

The tragic scenes of innocent people being massacre makes us cry out in agony whether we need religion at all, doesn’t it?

• In what way is a Hindu greater than a Bhuddist?
• In what way is a Bhuddist greater than a Hindu?
• In what way is a Christian greater than a Muslim?
• In what way is a Muslim greater than a Christian?

You might belong to any religion. It in no way makes you great or less. You have the right to live inspite of the religion you  belong to. And likewise, others have the right to live inspite of the religion they belong to.

Comparing religions kill the very concept it was created for.

Each and every person from any religion is a human being. Everyone’s blood is red. Everyone has a family. Everyone has feelings. Everyone has the right to live in this world believing in his own religion.

Many of my friends who are Hindus go to churches and mosques.

I have many Christian friends who come to my home to enjoy Diwali with me. They invite me for Christmas. So, normal people never make religion a reason to fight amongst themselves. They believe in their faith and respect the religious beliefs of others.

What exactly is religion?

It is the faith and trust you have in a supreme power. It is your belief that there is a divine force above you. You name Him God. You give a name to your religious belief. You might be a Hindu, a Muslim, a Sikh, a Christian according to your faith.

You call your God, Jesus, Krishna, and Allah.

Nothing wrong in it, is there?

You have the right to follow your own religious belief. No one in this world has the right to question your faith. The belief you have in God gives you hope, courage, and will power to live through the turmoils you face in your life journey.

Your religion is your hope. It is your survival kit.

When everything seems lost in your life, the first thing you do is to go down on your knees to pray.

Why?

You feel no one can give you reprieve from your problems, except God. People might desert you, but God would never ever ignore your prayers.

But strangely, religion which should give us solace and comfort has become the reason for many blood ridden wars to decide whose faith is better.

More like children fighting for toys, isn’t it?

But sadly, there is nothing childlike or innocence involved in the war for religion. None whatsoever. The only thing involved in religious wars is inhumanity and barbarism.

“Do we need religion when there seems to be so much fighting going around it?” I asked my brother with anguish.

“Religion is not the reason for the wars we now see. It is the religious fanatics who take up religion as a baton to fulfill their own selfish needs. They brainwash innocent people to fight amongst themselves in the name of religion,” my brother told me.

“Have you ever fought with anyone that your religion is better than your friends\neighbors?” my brother asked me.

“No. I never have. I respect all religions,” I vehemently denied.

“That’s it. Anyone with humanity and decency would know each religion is precious to the concerned person. So, do not blame religion for the bloody wars and inhuman acts of terrorism that has increased all around the world. You should only blame the people who use religion for their selfish benefits” my brother went on.

Yes!

My brother was right. Normal ordinary people like you and me never fight about religion. We all want to live in unity and peace, following our own faith.

Now here comes the inevitable question – Do we need religion?

Do you know religious war is a recent phenomenon?

The ancient wars were fought for territorial expansion or for trade routes. Many historical wars were also wars for supremacy.

Religion is a belief that keeps you connected with God. God is a power that gives you hope when you are down and out in your life.

Every religion lays down morals to be followed in your daily life.

Does these morals tell you to kill people from another faith?

No.

Never.

Can you see how religious fights degrades God in the meanest ever way?

Can this world exist without religion?

Of course, it can.

But it would never be a happy place to live in.

When you face problems in your life, your morale is shaken and shattered. People around you desert you. You search for succor to pacify your grief stricken mind.

Who else can give you solace except God?

You link God to your particular faith. You follow the goodness your religion teaches you. Your life without religion will be a helpless world, as you will have no one to turn to in your times of sorrow or distress.

Is a single religion a solution?

Will one uniform religion throughout the world be a solution to all the religious conflicts you see now?

The world will be a colorless and dull place if there was no diversified religions. You see different cultures because of different religious beliefs. You see varied rituals because of different religions.

When there is one single religion all over the world, you will not know how to live amongst diversities. Only when you live in unity amongst such diversities, you realize many unique qualities you should follow to evolve as a good human being.

You learn tolerance.

You become self- disciplined.

You learn to adjust.

You understand the values of life.

Normal people will tell you how their religion has helped them to overcome many hardships in their life. They feel their religion is a hope that makes them face life in all its toughest.

Normal people feel that religion has taught them to be honest and truthful. So, they practice honesty. Religion teaches them that peace is the solution for all troubles in the world. So, they co-exist peacefully with everyone.

Now, again comes the question.

Do we need religion at all?

You really need religion to be a good person.

It does not mean that you cannot be a good person if you are not religious. But you understand the dos and don’ts of your life much better when a religion preaches you about it.

When the protocol of life is in the form of a religious rule, you will follow it.

No religion tells you to fight. It is a religious fanatic who feel that his particular religion is far superior to others. Nothing wrong in it. But, it becomes all wrong when he destroys others who have different religious faith.

If you observe, normal people co-exist in peace with others.

It is the politicians and other vested groups who brainwash youngsters that it is religious to kill innocent people of different beliefs. These religious fanatic groups are always on the lookout for people who have no family life, no education, and no mental stability. They become easy prey to the cunningness of such religious fanatics.

So, it is unfair to think that religion is the cause for all the mishaps in the world.

When you read the holy books of any religion, they all have one thing in common – love your fellow men. Not one religion professes hatred, bloodshed, and violence. Violence and terrorism are all manmade.

CONCLUSION

Religion is a very personal thing for everyone. It is a hopeful crutch to lean on in your times of need. It is a precious lesson which teaches you all the good aspects of life.

Without my religious belief, I will feel lost. But my religion ends at my home. When I venture out of my home, I am just an ordinary Indian citizen.

So, your religion is your very own personal faith. You must definitely be proud of it. But the pride about  your religious faith should be within yourself. You can never transform your belief into a lethal weapon to destroy people of other religions. Religion was just not made for that.