Conclusions
Religion is an organized system of beliefs and practices. The modern word religion comes from the Latin word religio. Religio was understood as an individual virtue of worship, never a doctrine or practice. The modern concept of “religion” as a set of beliefs or doctrine is a 17th century invention. It was in the 19th century the terms” Buddhism”, “Hinduism”, “Taoism” and “Confucianism” first emerged.
We do not usually choose our religion, we are born into it. We practice one religion or the other depending on the time and place of our births. We all like our own religion and believe that our God or gods, our Scriptures are only the true ones.
Most people believe that our religion gives us our morals and without religion there will be chaos. But scholars have found that morals have existed in earlier societies before the advent of religion. People treated each other in a mutually beneficial way. They did not kill each other without reasons. They helped their fellowmen in need. Religion helps but we do not need religion to live an ethical life. Religion supports morality mainly by myths and taboos. Myths and taboos of a society or culture tend to influence the behaviors of its members. The institution of government, marriage, property rights, dietary laws, rest in some measures upon religious sanctions.
The existence of Supreme Creator God has not been proven yet. Most scientists and many religious scholars believe that the universe was not created in six days and is billions of years old and not one thousand years old as the Bible says. The life on earth was not created by god but has evolved from one cell organism.
The concept of god is an invention of human being. God exists in our mind. Religion is based on faith and without faith there is no religion. There have been heretics (people who don’t believe in existing order) in all religions throughout history. Many of them have been persecuted and lost their lives. To Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, all the Sikhs were heretics. Shias in general are seen as heretics by the Sunnis. There have been atheists (non-believers in god) from the beginning of religion. Atheistic school of philosophy ( Charvakas)) was there in India going back 600 BCE. Now, about 15 to 20% of population of some countries consider themselves to be atheists.
It is not that important whether you believe or not, in god, heaven, hell, after life. But it is important that you try to be a good person every day. A saying by Lao Tzu summarizes the core principle of a religion:
“The way of Heaven has no favorites;
It is always with good man”.
I will end with a story from the Jewish Talmud. Once a gentile (non-believer) came before the Jewish Rabbi and sage Hillel (110 BCE-10 CE) and said to him: “I will convert to Judaism on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah (Jewish Bible) while I stand on one foot”. Hillel converted him saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it (Babylonian Talmud).
I whole heartedly agree with Hillel. Whether you believe in a God or a holy scripture is not that important just treat your fellow men right, as you like to be treated.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto
- The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Thomas Nelson Inc.Nashville,TN,1982
- Sahu Saheb, Religious Thoughts, Scriptures and Quotations. West Desmoines, Iowa, 1996.
