The Nature of Religion
Hello, I am lungfish. Welcome to my article on religion. It takes a courageous mind to study this! Please decide for yourself whether I am right or not.
There is no issue more contentious than religion, and for this reason it is the most discussed topic online. It has also been discussed throughout history and in every culture. It is the most important topic that exists. I will try to discuss it respectfully.
I have no certification in this subject, but I have studied it a great deal. I have been both atheist and Christian. I have been Protestant and Catholic.
Many people regard religion as the source of all morality. They think there can be no objective right or wrong without it.
People are also concerned with the honor of their ancestors. It seems disrespectful to abandon their beliefs.
People also believe that religion is their only source of hope. Without it, the world seems bleak and intolerable.
I believe that the truth is the most important thing. So we should judge religion first and foremost on whether or not it is true.
Religion is a sort of mythology. The events that occur within it are not a historical record. It is an inspirational story.
People find meaning and hope in following religion. They find comfort and purpose in communing with its deity. It gives them rules so that they can more easily know what to do. Many devote their lives to trying to understand and follow these rules.
The rules of religion are quite strict. They require behaving in ways that do not come naturally to us. This is a major source of difficulty for the faithful.
The rules have changed a bit over time. It can be hard to know exactly what the rules are. Sometimes the rules seem contradictory.
Many suffer because of rules regarding abstinence. However, there is a rule even more difficult than that: the rule to be kind.
Kindness does not come naturally to people. Religion seeks to humble us. When we are humbled, we lose our pride. We begin to desire approval. We behave nicely, even to those who treat us poorly.
We allow people to treat us poorly. We give them our coat. We pray for their well-being. We hope that they change.
I think we should not allow people to treat us poorly. We should criticize those who do.
It is natural to desire a powerful friend. No one could be more powerful than the creator of the universe.
This friend can solve our problems if he desires. We need only ask him. If we atone and do penance and keep his commandments, he will grant us our wish.
This friend knows our true heart. The other people we interact with don't understand us. He alone understands us. He is the only company we need.
I believe that he hears us. We will all be exposed at the end of time. Everyone will see us for what we really are. Then he will defend us.
Sometimes he speaks to me, though I don't know if it's really him.
It promises eternity and unity. It promises joy.
To believe in these things and then to lose them feels like losing everything.
It promises the salvation of mankind.
Even if the story is imaginary, it opens a pathway of thinking which is hard to close. A mustard seed remains. Even if it's not precisely as the prophets say, we hope there is something. Something even better than what they say.
Some say evil doesn't exist, but I know it does.
Religion promises to vanquish evil. What could be more appealing? Justice at last. Everyone should yearn for this. Even if we can't have it, we should want it. We should hope for it.
I've often thought, "There but for the grace of God go I." Now, I am the sort of creature others can be grateful they are not.
My fixation on truth is an obsession. It goes beyond just religion. I cannot accept the lies of either side.
Why does everyone lie? What is the psychology behind it? Shouldn't it be natural for people to love truth? It turns out that people are afraid of truth.
To love truth is to inflict suffering upon yourself. It can inflict suffering on others, if you share it. Often, it is best to keep your mouth shut.
I spend my time with my unconscious. It creates dreamlike states. It knows me fully. It is so very interesting.
I know now that I must be mad. Everyone is somewhat mad. Some are more mad than others. I can't stop being mad, but I can recognize that I am mad.
The philosophers have some advice. They tend to disagree with one another. Some of them create religion. Others tear it apart.
Just men with thoughts. Just like the prophets. The prophets say that their unconscious speaks to them. They believe this may be God. Maybe it is.
If so, God is at war with himself. He tells his prophets different things.
Ultimately we will decide which prophet, or which philosopher, we like the most. Even then, we will continue to favor our own view.
This God of the bible is a terrible man. There is nothing redeeming in him. Nothing to admire in his followers.
His morals are the worst part. He teaches submission. He is abusive. It is impossible to be moral and religious.
I spend time in hostility to religion. I fight them. I am frustrated by our species. I have no place amongst people. I prefer to be alone.
I tried to give the benefit of the doubt. I went to church. I sang. I prayed. I fasted. I read scriptures. I listened to music. I watched great films. I enjoyed feast days. I defended them. Yet I could never shake it. I had disrespected truth.
I can't do that anymore. So I endure what is left in life. To engage with others is to engage with this. My thoughts are kinder to me.
One day I will stop thinking. I enjoy thinking. I will not be able to miss it. I will think until I am no longer able to.
I remember the beauty of the cathedral. The small churches also had special charm. The old and the new. Irrespective of faction. Beauty is beauty. The wholesome feeling. The friendly people in quiet contemplation. The sharing of a positive vision. The power of communion.
Perhaps superficial, but nonetheless: The organ. The altar. The choir. The incense. The vestments. The candles. The windows. The sheer scale. The quaintness.
To confess was to regain the soul. To escape punishment. To be liberated. To have another chance. We'll do it right this time, I'm sure of it!
I have this unreasonable faith that things could still turn out better. All evidence points to the contrary. A person needs some hope, if only for the positive sensation it gives.