Religion Thrives On The Fear Of Death
Religion caters to the most basal of our anxieties, mortality, causing it to be eternal.
From religiousness and secularity to agnosticism to atheism and mindfulness, I share the lessons of my journey. In all my own evolution of thought, I still respect people with varied beliefs that I encounter in different walks of life.
My Religious Beginnings
Growing up, my family wasn’t exactly pious in any strict sense of the word. My grandmother was a ritualistically religious lady with whose beliefs my father was always at odds. My father himself was an opportunistically religious man whose actions advocated piety during moments of uncertainty. My mother was more philosophical, conflating religion with karma and her advice highlighted the need for good karma in one’s actions.
As creatures of habit and instinct, it is not surprising that most of us have ritualistic and opportunistic religious traits!
I also grew up with exposure to Carnatic music and vedas, which is generally taken as symbolizing Hinduism, especially that of being a Brahmin. No matter how much I distance myself from traditional music and indulge in popular music, I would return to Carnatic music for peace and tranquility.
Despite having spent twelve years at a Christian school, it wasn’t until college that I was exposed to Christianity in deeper ways. A group of students would seek out people in their weakest moments, instilling strength via belief in Christ. Students who were new to the English medium of instruction and a co-ed environment were intimidated by the louder convent educated girls and the rowdy boys. Jesus was going to help these girls get stronger, prepare them for better grades and give them the mental fortitude necessary to deal with the rest of the world.
My limited exposure to Islam started with a Muslim friend in college who, at the time, seemed more secular than Muslim. More than a decade later, I visited his house in Queens and noticed that he was more Muslim than before. I chalked that up to life’s progressions.
I entered my 20s with a muffled idea of religion. I spent my life as a part ritualistic part opportunistic temple going Hindu. Later on, marrying a Catholic solidified my conflation of rituals and religious beliefs.
The Transformation
And then it happened. The engineer in me found it harder and harder to fit logic and religion together…
When I first realized that rituals and Carnatic music have more to do with culture than religion, I started realizing that there is nothing fundamentally religious in me whatsoever. I started calling myself an agnostic and stuck with that definition for several years.
Until it happened again!
By calling myself an agnostic, I was admitting that I’m not bold enough to confront what I really felt about religion.
Finally, I was comfortable admitting that I am an atheist.
Religion’s Grasp On Humanity
Every day, atheists live amidst exceptionally intelligent and logical people who believe in Gods of some kind. No American President could get away with advocating atheism. Most celebrities couldn’t get away with atheism!
Religion is the only concept that has lived on for millennia without being adapted to the advances in human society!
So, what makes religion eternal and everlasting? How can anything possibly have such a strong grasp on humanity for millennia?
By playing on humanity’s worst fears — mortality — religion thrives as a crucial tool to bring peace and tranquility.
As humans, we fear death, especially of our loved ones. During moments of helplessness, we have been taught that prayers are the only path to making miracles happen or putting our loved ones in a better place. I can imagine agnostics and even some atheists praying for miracles in those circumstances!
By extension, we then tend to turn to prayers for any of life’s uncertainties that come our way!
The Impact Of The God Delusion
There may have been a point in time when using fear of God as way to bring order, civility and even healthy living made sense. But at the moment, the impact of religion on humanity is catastrophic!
The abuse of religion is now singlehandedly responsible for causing massive rifts among people and heinous crimes!
While the original goals of religion may have been noble, we have used religion to construct certain walls around us. In the name of religion, we wash our sins by surrendering them to an invisible power, thereby continuing the cycle of sinning and claiming redemption.
We have moved forward in most other dimensions of life. We use modern medicine. We use modern food techniques. We use modern modes of communication. Yet, in the dimension of religion, we haven’t evolved at all!
Now more than ever, it is so important for humanity to come together and set aside differences.
There are really two possible solutions for getting beyond religion and bringing unity — secularity and atheism.
This is already happening in certain parts of the world. More of it needs to happen for world peace.
If Not Religion, Then What?
People use religion as a coping mechanism in life. Loss of loved ones. Depression. Failed relationships. Physical ailments. The list is endless. For all those who cope using religion, taking it away would prove disastrous!
It turns out that the alternative to religion that can help with coping is mindfulness.
When we start employing mindfulness, we evolve to a new state of self control!
Mindfulness is about focusing our awareness on the present moment. Done right, it can be therapeutic. When I reflect back, I now know that the reason Carnatic music or vedas bring me peace of mind is because of the mindfulness it inevitably brings.
Finding an activity that can channel us into mindfulness will make it possible to escape the crutches of religion!
I don’t spend nearly as much time practicing mindfulness as I should. I suffer through the ups and downs of life and ride my share of emotional rollercoasters.
But I know my paths to mindfulness and that’s more than a good beginning!
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