Religion, Why? Pros and Cons for the Modern Spiritualist

When I was born into this world, my family was part Catholic, part Methodist. My mother chose to “enlist” me into the Catholic branch. From the age of naught until twelve, I went to Sunday services, attended school on Saturday, and was even baptized. At that time, I viewed religion and God as boring and distant, something not to be concerned about. I did what my elders told me to do, because my desire was not to be questioned. But as I aged, I did question, until eventually I decided religion was not for me. I became atheist. But the ideas learned through my religious education stayed with me: how to treat one another, what not to do, and most importantly, that there is more to our existence than the physical world. That last one was the most influential for me, and by the age of sixteen, I was firmly in the agnostic category.

        I believed there was more out there, but I had no proof. Today, I call myself spiritual as a way to say Yes, I have proof of the existence of more. No, I don’t believe in a vengeful god. Yes, I agree that we should treat each other with compassion and love. Yes, there is a Source and we all come from there. So while I no longer follow a specific religion, religion did act as a starting point, planting the suggestion in me that I am more than what I see. As someone who does not look favorably on religion, I had to think about this article before I wrote it. I acknowledge that there are pros and cons, but I needed to share my thoughts carefully without sounding as though I am trashing the subject. If I fail to sound neutral, it’s because none of us really are. But I will do my best.

Pros

         The first pro that comes to mind is what I already shared earlier: religion teaches us that there is more to our existence. This is vitally important to the health of a sentient being. We must know we are important, and that our existence makes a difference. Purpose is as crucial as breathing. Religion attempts to reassure us that we are more. Is does not matter whether religion is right or wrong; I am not debating such things in this article. What matters is that it teaches us to have faith. Not hope…faith. And that is the key to everything. All ideas start with faith, even scientific ideas. Without faith, life seems pointless…purposeless. Religion teaches us the importance of faith. Religion also teaches us that we should always be kind to one another. We should love one another. We should help one another. These are core values found in nearly every religion and they contribute to social cohesion; these values allow humanity to work together toward prosperity.

         Religion takes a new human and says, “You are more than your body. Have faith and all will be well.” It gives a starting point for that person’s inevitable question, “Is this all that I am?” And that starting point can lead to a wider view of the world, which leads to new ideas. For many of us, religion is the jumping off point toward pursuit of even more (as it was for me).

Cons

         You know that old tale of one person telling someone else something, and then it is told to someone else, then someone else, until it comes back to the originator completely changed? This is what has happened with religion. Over the course of thousands of years, the original messages of a religion are changed. This is basic human nature. Stories change; characters change, and even real world historical people change, as the words are passed from one generation to another. Changes can even be deliberate, such as when a ruler decides to rewrite a sacred text to suit his rule. These changes obscure religion’s original purpose, and in time, can be twisted into an excuse to do harm, instead of love. This is probably religion’s greatest con: forgotten meaning that leads to violence. Countless deaths and injuries have been done in the name of religion. On the one hand, tolerance and love are taught, while on the other, intolerance and hate are practiced. And it is that intolerance which leads to fighting which leads to terrorism and war.

         Religion seems to push its followers in the wrong direction. Fear is another con, and it is one I am well acquainted with under the Catholic rule. Many people still use the word God. I prefer to use the term Source. I choose this term because I feel that God denotes worship, oppression, and fear. Catholicism teaches people to fear God. And when people are afraid they become defensive. Defensiveness can lead to anger, which can lead to violence. God – or the Source – is not something to be feared. It is something to love and be loved by. Each and every one of us is the Source. Or if you prefer, each and every one of us is God. How can we fear God yet love each other? That is a contradiction. And that is another con: confusion. Many of the words of religion seem to cancel each other. This makes for confusing and biased teachings. And when people are confused, they doubt. And when they doubt, they lose faith. So religion inspires faith, but can also incite mistrust. Stagnation is another con of religion. So many followers take in what is taught and are satisfied with that. They never ask for more. They never consider that there is more. They follow their leaders without question. They cease to learn.

Seeking Spiritualism

            As a seeker of spirituality, we can use religion as a launching platform with a basic set of instructions on how to begin the journey. But we must be careful to not become mired in dogma. Religion is the beginning of wisdom, not the end. We should apply its pros to our search for answers, while being careful to avoid the cons that threaten to restrain us in a self-made prison. In other words, learn to have faith, but use your faith to find the truth. As you seek your own spirituality, use faith as a means, not the end. Our existence is so much more than a set of rules written by humans thousands of years ago. The rules are the roots. They are not the entire tree, and they are certainly not the space beyond the tree.

-Simon Skiles

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