When the radius of a circle increases, its circumference will increase at a faster rate. By the same principle, as human knowledge and understanding grow, we become far more aware of how astoundingly little we actually know. Although our great accomplishments, fueled by the brilliance of mankind and the astounding powers of the magnificent brain that evolution has graced us with, suggest that we have omniscient control over our environment and hold the world to the whims of our manipulation, it is evident that there is much of our world that we have yet to understand – ranging from the mysteries that constitute the phenomenon of life to the intricacies underlying the behavior of minute particles. A myriad of baffling questions exist, haunting the human mind and fueling the study of philosophy as an academic discipline. However, the question that I consider to be of capital importance and relevance in this nebulous realm is the question of religion.
Before expressing any further viewpoint on the matter, I must first emphasize that as religion is indubitably a highly controversial topic in our political and social climate, the opinions I am going to express are done so with full and due respect to the principle of religion itself. As the overwhelming majority of people identify with a particular religious doctrine or believe in a higher power of some form, it is needless to say that religion occupies the lives of many and is an integral to the fabric of our society – and thus deserves the respect that it commands in our society. I personally believe that religion is wonderful for society as it draws people together and is the foundation for many communities that strengthen human cooperation. Although it is within my right to advance my own rationally grounded arguments, I should do so with the utmost respect for others and their faith.
I believe religion exists and is able to thrive because it is a creation of our minds that serves three main purposes – it is a haven from the chaotic world outside, it mollifies the desperate human need for companionship and protection, and it provides a cushion against the ubiquitous trepidation felt by all members of the human race for the inevitable march of death – in other words, it creates answers where they do not exist. I have the confidence to say that it is a creation of the mind because there is truly no evidence that any one religion is correct over the other – or that the principles and ideas espoused by religion (such as the existence of a God or gods) exists in the first place. Although some elements or events of religion can be attested to by historic record, no one can definitively prove that their deity exists. Now, that is not to say that we inherently have the burden of proof – obviously, something can exist yet not offer tangible evidence for its existence – but it is a common principle adopted by our society that it is imprudent to act based on assumptions that are not true beyond a reasonable doubt. With that being said, I will briefly discuss the three key purposes that religion serves and how it does so effectively, thus making it a desirable feature of life for many:
- Religion is a haven or source of respite from the chaotic world outside as it provides guiding principles and dictates a certain type of behavior expected of its adherents. Because humans seek and are attracted to situations or groups of people that they are familiar with or can easily empathize with, it is natural for them to construct a certain set of guiding principles that if adopted by the majority of the members in a given group, will foster a sense of security, predictability, and ultimately comfort. By offering a distinct and lucid set of principles by which all should act, religion effectively sets a standard for society and imposes behavioral guidelines that work together to ensure that everyone can live harmoniously, with shared beliefs and interests.
- Religion assuages the innate need for humans to seek protection and companionship and to know that they are not alone. In times of need, people will often cling to some asset or entity that they believe is a source of respite or an oasis from the chaos without. Most religious doctrines speak of a higher being that cannot be perceived through the senses endowed by the human anatomy but rather cherished through faith. This idea that even in our darkest and most desperate times, we are not alone but rather protected and watched over by a superior power is especially appealing. This element of religion is perhaps the most effective in times of great economic stress or instability – as many turn away from the materialistic aspects of reality and instead seek solace in their faith, even if it is a fabrication of mankind.
- Religion gives us the baseless reassurance that we will continue to exist after our physical bodies die. As the paramount fear in life is death, people often resort to the pretentious notion that they must exist after death. Without recognizing or finding an explanation for how the vast expanse of the universe existed before them and thus could viably exist afterwards, people intrinsically seek the idea that they cannot possibly cease to exist following their death. Despite the fact that science has proven that we are medically just as vulnerable to death as other animals (and in fact are closely related to/evolved from organisms that we would consider inferior beings), our minds cannot grope with the idea that one day, our conscious being will cease to exist. Although the idea that I one day may not exist in any form terrifies me, I am willing to accept it as the most likely scenario. When my body fails to supply the necessary biological substances to allow for continued brain function, or when I ultimately die, I do not believe it likely that my “soul” or consciousness will transcend to a higher level or continue to exist.
I fervently assert that we cannot truly assume that one religion is correct over another – if we entertain the idea that a higher power does exist. In a practical sense, our religion is determined by the state of our birth and the environment that we are born in. We tend to espouse similar beliefs to those of the people and communities that we are surrounded with, and adopt the belief systems characteristic of our culture and region. In addition, if we take a deeper look at the way that religion really functions and the profoundly absurd ideas it often preaches (many of which are ludicrously outdated and irrelevant to the modern era) we can observe a plethora of glaring inconsistencies, blatant contradictions, and otherwise senseless dogma.
According to Occam’s Razor (the principle that when selecting from a competing number of hypotheses, one should select the one that makes the fewest assumptions), I should only assume that no higher power exists, despite the possibility that it is wholly possible that one does. However, on a far more personal level, I am inclined to believe that a higher power does exist. Whether or not this is a vestige of some prior faith or a result of society’s imposing demand that I satisfy some element of my spiritual health so as not to seem so radically detached from the status quo to merit disapproval, I would most identify with agnostics. The possibilities for the existence of such a higher power are effectively limitlessly – and because these possibilities are so numerous and perplexing that they only inspire fear and uncertainty within me, I shall therefore abstain from devoting excessive quantities of mental energy towards them because they are questions beyond my immediate concern – or frankly, my ability to tackle or even comprehend fully. Therefore, it is most prudent to proceed with an open mind, and to give little thought to whether or not a higher power truly exists or if there is really a meaning to life – or if our existence as tremendously insignificant beings in the vast expanse of the universe matters at all.