What Religion should I follow? Thinking aloud

Story by Uchechukwu Onwuzuruoha (@uchemedia)

A good definition of religion would be the practice of spiritual beliefs, or a group of people who share similar spiritual beliefs; or even just the ritual observance of faith. In my definition, religion is the difference between how things are meant to be, and how things be. In our world today, religion has encompassed so many blunders and fallacies which have made it lose almost all of the distinctive features of its intended definition and concepts.

There are many different religions today; all of which have a decent amount of old age in them. I do not bear a grudge against religion, nor do I resent people who wish to observe and manifest their spirituality. However, what I find bewildering is the many numerous sects within religion, the constantly evolving splits, and the varyingly different groups found within every religion. If religion be a group of people who wish to express similar beliefs, could it be that after a certain period of time, they no longer wish to express those beliefs?

Perhaps they attain a certain height of exceptional spirituality that give them insight on the ideal values and norms a religion should possess and so they venture to change it, or perhaps the answer lies in the simple philosophy that the only thing constant in life is change? Or do people become religious just to feel a sense of belonging, and when they no longer feel the connection, they tend to alter it to suit their needs?

I do not have the answers to these questions, and if I did, I would be in the eyes of other men, another philosopher on the face of the earth, preaching and yearning to be heard. Although, I have received no formal theological education, I have learned for ages now, that religion is not a matter of facts, but meanings. Every religion has the basic ideology of doing ‘good’ and not engaging in ‘evil’. However, the problem arises in defining the concept of good and evil. Is good, simply loving your neighbor as you love yourself? Is it simply cherishing one’s heritage and tradition? Is it simply having respect for authority? Is it just living ethically and ritualistically? Or is it a compilation of all these values into one ideal value?

The various religions in existence today would beg to differ. Even more differing are the sects within same religions. Whereas Theravada Buddhists stress the need to help oneself, Mahayana Buddhists on the other hand, emphasize that one does not seek salvation through enlightenment for himself alone, but for others as well. Tibetan Buddhists stress the importance of rituals, symbols and chants as an aid to meditation, while Zen Buddhists are geared towards the ideology of embracing the quiet of the world so one can focus.

Now, one cannot begin to talk about the differences between sects within a religion without talking about Christianity. One would assume that from the name Christianity, it should emphasize everything “Christ-like”, but Christianity within itself differs from the following of the commandments in the Old Testament, to the interpretation of the Book of Revelations. Whereas, Catholics emphasize on the role of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus as highly significant in the Christian religion, Anglicans overlook the role of the Virgin Mary and focus on the concept of an individualistic interpretation of the Bible, whilst retaining a significant amount of Catholic tradition. Catholics,

Methodists focus more on the physical aspect of Christianity whilst blending it with certain aspects of the holies like observing the Holy Communion, Eucharist and Baptism. Pentecostals, on the other hand, cannot overemphasize the importance of “mystic spiritualism”, and the need for miracles; thus portraying Christianity as a magically powerful religion.

Simple people like me, just want to know the truth. So we ask questions as to what’s real, Perhaps, it is not in our place to ask these questions, and maybe we should just accept what we have been taught by our fathers. But there is an old saying that goes “There is no religion higher than truth”. And there is a hunger that is inherent in humans; a thirst for knowledge and answers. As far as religion goes, that thirst will never be quenched.

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