Introduction
Every religion stresses certain moral values though some of these values differ across religions. Religion is most commonly known for helping individuals strike a balance in life. Religion always provides a guideline on how to do what is right to avoid negative consequences. In most instances, religion is inculcated in an individual’s life through their parents, which explains why most individuals opt to stick to their parent’s religion which is what their parents introduced them to. Religion is also a way of giving meaning to the life of an individual, especially where individuals are not in a position to interpret certain life occurrences. I agree with Lim and Robert, who argue that individuals who are religious have more life satisfaction and better social identity and network. Furthermore, I agree with Mitchell, who argues that religious people are distinctive in what they do. Based on my readings about the topic, I conclude that religion is an important aspect of an individual’s life.
Background Information
Research carried out by Mitchell among highly religious Americans expressed high levels of satisfaction with family life, facts that I agree with. According to Mitchel, it remained the case regardless of other situations, such as the presence of children and marital status (Mitchell 120). When comparing different religions, Christians were found to have more life satisfaction compared to other faiths. This satisfaction came as a result of having answers to life questions, embracing equality, gaining a sense of importance, having a sense of community, and following certain moral codes. It was also evident that individuals with high religious affiliations confessed to being happier. Within the Christian settings, those who were highly affiliated with a religion were seen to be happier than those who had little affiliation. By looking into volunteering acts, highly religious individuals were found to do more volunteering. The highly religious individuals volunteered either through institutions or houses of worship. It was also discovered that most of the volunteers did so through institutions than through houses of worship, which indicates that the act of giving was voluntary and not an act committed out of feeling compelled.
Mitchell states that there is very little connection between religion and good health, making religion almost insignificant in that aspect. According to research, both religious and no religious individuals almost equally report their dissatisfaction with their health status (Mitchell 120). There was also no major difference in exercising between those who were religious and those who were not. However, there was a slight deviation with highly religious individuals reporting higher levels of happiness and satisfaction. Both religious and non-religious were also found to have almost equal measures of responsibility in terms of recycling materials to reduce waste. These results remained the same even after aspects such as age, education, and income were kept under control.
Cherniak et al shows a close link between religion and mental health. Most of the aspects of religion have been seen to avert the likelihood of having individuals getting stressed up or getting into depression. These aspects provide the individuals with a safe away from fear and where they can get their desired amounts of freedom (Cherniak 127). I agree that individuals with secure attachments with their God have less likelihood of suffering from mental health. In Judaism, the case was the same regardless of the claims that Judaism is more behavioral than relational. The same case among Muslims claimed that their relationships with Allah were less personal. Most Christians admitted to the fact that they treated their relationship with their God as very personal. Researchers have also highlighted that over time a number of individuals are unhappy with the participation of religious groups and leaders in politics. From surveys, the highest percentage of individuals believe that it was wrong for churches to take part in politics.
In research carried out at a Belgian nursing home, for example, it was found that patients who suffered mental health issues were deemed to have lesser attachments to their religion which led to insecure attachments with their God (Lim and Robert 920). Another study among American graduates showed that students who had difficulty in their spiritual journeys developed insecure attachments with God gradually. Over time, however, it was noticed that having insecure attachments later caused the individuals to have more stable mental health. These effects, however, were found to be beyond interpersonal attachments. Most researchers depicted a higher level of consciousness, self-esteem, optimism, and resilience. Prayer interventions were found to be corrective experiences that, over time, led to better mental health experiences.
It has been a concern that there is an increasing lack of respect for religion, religious groups, and members of the clergy in the US. It has been associated with the growing number of individuals who are not affiliated with religion in any way. A good percentage in America still believes that religion does them good than harm. An even bigger percentage believe that religion is important to maintain morality in society (Mitchell 126). The state of religion in America is characterized by a declining concern about religion in the younger generation, with fewer from these generations taking religion seriously. Researchers have argued that religion is gradually losing its influence since most churches are trying to re-invent themselves to be cool instead of working to retain their authenticity. Due to these facts, I disagree with the claims against religion since most of them come from a lack of a deeper understanding of what religion is.
Arguments for Religion
Suffering is an inevitable part of a human being’s life but is more bearable with religion. Through knowledge from religion, individuals get empowered to answer these questions, which are generally difficult to answer. Suffering can be very confusing since it is difficult to explain why one thing happens to one individual and not to another. In such instances, religion through religious beliefs offers an explanation. Suffering is seen as a necessity in one’s life which acts as preparation for greater achievements in life (Gecewicz 59). Religion also comes with ways of making loss meaningful to an individual through the belief in mysterious powers. Religious people believe that the future can only be better because certain happenings did or did not happen. However, these explanations might not be well understood by all individuals; they give room for suffering individuals to bear the sorrow and frustration that comes with it. In other cases, the reasons for suffering are spotted in misdeeds causing individuals to look forward to adhering to the set-out guidelines in the future.
Religions are also important in that it causes individual to have an inclination toward social welfare. While many tend to think that religions are only meant for self, on the contrary, it is meant to bring a greater good to the individuals in a community whether or not they subscribe to the specific religion. One of the ways this happens is by helping the needy. Religion has also been involved in serving humanity through opening charitable institutions (Cherniak 130). These include schools, rest houses, and hospitals. Research has shown that all religions have their own ways of participating in charitable work and advocate for enthusiasm towards the same. It is through these acts that a sense of community and belonging in an individual is triggered. It makes it hard for individuals to feel that they are all alone and helpless, especially when they are in need. These could happen through simple acts of companionship such as sharing a meal even where no one is needy.
Religion helps individuals in a society to have some form of social control. How individuals behave is largely informed by their religious beliefs if they have any religious affiliation. Individuals, if not presented with some form of control, can become overly destructive to themselves and other members of society. Hence, it is the model through which individuals have guidelines to lead healthy and prosperous lives. Since religious beliefs are shared among many individuals, it also makes it easier for an individual to interact with other community members (Gecewicz 59). These beliefs are even more important to younger generations since they inform them about society’s discipline, making them part of the well socialized members of society. Largely following religious beliefs also earns individuals some form of respect and acceptability in society.
Religion is one of the best ways through which individuals get to acknowledge their self-importance. Among Christians, for example, the bile insists severally on the importance of human beings and their superiority compared to animals and plants. Individuals, in this case, can have an enhanced sense of self-worth and gain a better understanding and sense of willpower (Lim and Robert 380). Individuals also receive motivation in knowing that their worldly failures are less significant and that they always have a chance to do better, which gives them hope for better days. That way, individuals are always encouraged to play their part in life and society without easily getting discouraged. It also helps individuals have some form of motivation that enables them to overcome hopelessness and disappointments. Truly religious people are less likely to suffer from consequences such as nervous breakdowns and suicides resulting from frustration and desperation.
Religions strongly hold against acts of discrimination based on gender, race, and ethnicity. Instead, all religions regard human beings as God’s creation and speak highly of them regardless of their appearance, where they come from, and social affiliations. According to religion, all human beings are equal in God’s eye, and God treats them like so. With no man being superior to the other, then it becomes easier to create a sense of brotherhood among individuals, which is important for everyday life (Lim and Robert 317). The lack of a sense of brotherhood in today’s society is seen as a result of the negligence of religious belief or some level of ignorance on what religion dictates about the same.
Through religion, individuals are better informed on superstitious beliefs that are self-destructive. Without proper religious teachings, individuals are exposed to unhealthy teachings which pollute the human brain (Sander 257). There may also exist ideological vacuums that leave individuals in dilemmas since it is never clear what direction they should take. Religious teachings help to identify superstitious beliefs and destructive ideas. It then gives man a form of credibility and a point of reference doing away with the forms of irrationality that have been witnessed among intellectuals.
Arguments against Religion
Individuals have also argued that religions can be more damaging than beneficial do so mainly because they do not have a deeper understanding of religion and in other situations due to unmet expectations. One of the reasons highlighted is that religion believes that what happens to us is not really important since we can always overcome it through faith. While that may be true, it also tends to have individuals take their life lightly, especially where there is a promise of eternal life, which is common in several religions (Cherniak 127). As a result, individuals take life casually such that even at the point they are grieving due to the loss of life, they want to treat it as an unreal occurrence and believe that it is only a mere occurrence since in the near future, they would be rejoined with the people whose loss they are grieving. Unlike religious people, atheists live in a world with a greater level of freedom since they are not worried about the negative consequences of their mistakes emphasized in religion. These consequences cause individuals to live extra cautious because they are afraid of the negative outcomes and miss out on the reality and freedom of life. Religious individuals are excessively restricted on what they can do.
Individuals against religion claim that religions seem to know too much than is reasonable. Most religions claim to have all life answers. They have the notion that there is only one good way to live. However, the way to live is not clear since different religions seem to have different ideologies on how they do things (Middleton et al 390). There are also a lot of claims about life and death, yet most of these arguments are based on faith and not actual experiences. One example is that no one has evidence about eternal life or what happens after death, yet many are attached to the ideology. Through this ideology, religion also contradicts facts presented in science to some extent.
Religious books have also been found to be difficult to understand. Most of these books were written many years ago and had to be translated to the languages people use today for better understanding. Reliance on translations causes many to doubt the authenticity of the books since they doubt the probability of having the books accurately translated (Sander 255). Through the translations, it is also possible that some meanings in the book must have been lost, with others being misinterpreted and hence becoming misleading.
Religion is dynamic and serves several purposes. In his attempt to define religion, Andrew makes it clear that there can never be a specific definition since religion is so dynamic and profound. He points out that religion has common aspects such as the belief in the supernatural, the concept of sacred and profane, and moral codes. Through the many aspects of religion, it is clear that religion presents a moral good in the life of individuals. Moral codes act as sources of unity among individuals (Andrew). They also help individuals to avoid habits that would be harmful to them and others. Religion also evidently addresses societal needs, such as the need to view each other as equal regardless of the differences in lifestyles and monetary worth. Through religion, individuals have a way to realize their purpose and lead more fulfilling lives. The collective organization brought in by religion remains important in giving individuals a sense of belonging in their religious community.
According to the explanations given by the School of Life, I strongly feel that religion came from the need for individuals to have answers to life questions which, so far, religion has done. It is through religion that individuals escape terror and remain hopeful. There has also been a need for having the poor treated with dignity among religions, resulting in offering help to them instead of viewing them as unworthy (The School of Life). As a religious person, I can also attest that the world would have a harder time stating what is acceptable and what is unacceptable without religion. Most of the moral codes stem from and are controlled by religion. From these moral codes, it becomes possible to achieve a sense of order. The belief in the supernatural makes it clear to individuals that there is a force beyond them that deserves to be obeyed. Critically thinking, scientific explanations such as evolution has loopholes in that it does not explain why evolution is no longer ongoing. Finally, religion cultivates faith which is necessary for big achievements among individuals.
Conclusion
I have always held the view that religion is important in life, and through this essay, this belief has been magnified. It has also brought to my attention that religion and science seem to be two competing aspects, with each being used differently to try and prove why it offers better explanations about life than the other. However, most explanations from science do not comprehensively explain the initial source of life and the reasons for certain life happenings. Science also does not directly inform positive occurrences in society. That notwithstanding, it is evident that religion over the years has been significant in ensuring that individuals within society commit to acts that bring about a greater good. There is, however, a need for more research especially looking into the benefits that non-religious individuals enjoy compared to religious individuals, since there seems to be a gap in the same.
Works Cited
Andrew, Mark. What is Religion? Religionforbreakfast. (2016, January 12). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5KHDR8jdbA
Cherniak, Aaron D., et al. “Attachment theory and religion.” Current Opinion in Psychology 40 (2021): 126-130.
Fagan, P. F. (2006). Why religion matters even more: The impact of religious practice on social stability. Backgrounder, 1992, 1-19.
Gecewicz, C., et al. “Americans have positive views about religion’s role in society, but want it out of politics.” Pew Research Center: Washington, DC, USA (2019): 1-57.
Lim, Chaeyoon, and Robert D. Putnam. “Religion, social networks, and life satisfaction.” American sociological review 75.6 (2010): 914-933.
Middleton, Michael K., Samantha Senda-Cook, and Danielle Endres. “Articulating rhetorical field methods: Challenges and tensions.” Western Journal of Communication 75.4 (2011): 386-406.
Mitchell, Travis. “Religion in Everyday Life.” (2016).
Sander, William. “Religion, religiosity, and happiness.” Review of religious research 59.2 (2017): 251-262.
The School of Life. HISTORY OF IDEAS-Religion. (2015, September 4). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge071m9bGeY
write