Religion is not at all the same thing as belief in God. Americans who describe themselves as “spiritual” do not necessarily feel drawn to a religious path. I know many “spiritual” people who view religion with distaste and distrust. Here are some of the reasons they give:
(1) Religion is the historical source of more murder, war and plunder than any other human institution. (2) Religious people act as though they have The Answer. Therefore, they think everybody who has a different view is going to hell. (3) Religious people are constantly being exposed as hypocrites. (4) Religion is a business. (5) Religion is elitist. (6) You don’t need religion to lead a righteous life. (7) Religion is a collection of myths rewritten time and again to reflect the views of people in power. (8) Religions that teach God’s forgiveness allow people to escape responsibility and accountability. (9) Religion is boring. (10) It consists of a lot of ritual and tradition that has no relevance to today. (11) Religious groups hate each other and put each other down. (12) If we’re all children of the same universal divinity, what use is religion? (13) Religion is too influential in politics. (14) Religion has too little influence in politics. (15) Proselytizers are annoying and offensive. (16) Religion tells lies about God. (17) Religion is a way of distracting people from noticing the injustices taking place under our noses. (18) Educated people and those with high intelligence don’t affiliate with one religion. To mention a few.
Recently Brit Hume indicated that Buddhism could not redeem Tiger Woods; only Christianity could do that. This is the sort of statement that turns so many off religion. It indicates a superiority that makes Americans uncomfortable. How can merely believing a certain bunch of ideas result in salvation, while good people who hold other very good ideas end up suffering the torments of eternal damnation?
I watched Brit Hume on TV and saw in his eyes, heard in his voice, the deep faith he has in his denomination of Christianity. A little Googling explained a lot: His faith helped him in the aftermath of his son’s suicide. Although I do not subscribe to Hume’s misrepresentation of Buddhism, and while I am not a Christian, I see in him a kindred spirit. He is a man who has sojourned in the belly of the whale. This has taught him compassion. He wished to share with Tiger Woods the wondrous resource that saved him. I choose to look at the generous, heartfelt impulse that moved him rather than the self-righteous tone of his words. My religious affiliation helped me get to this point, where instead of reacting with knee-jerk criticism because he violated the P.C., I can see beyond to the divine impulse in him. In other words, religion isn’t all bad. Depends on who is looking at it and speaking for it.
Religion is, or should be, about community. People who share a certain heritage/value system/upbringing/spiritual yearning/social need/list of questions about meaning in life/etc. come together for a communal experience. That experience may consist of music, meditation, service, ceremony and so forth; what is important is that it is a shared communal experience. Physicists can explain the difference between individual and communal experience. My understanding of physics is non-existent; however, I do know there is energy–atoms, molecules, quarks and nutrinos. Their behavior in a community situation differs from their behavior when a prayer is made in solitude. The communal energy is so powerful that groups attempt to tap into it during, for example, the world-wide Prayer for Peace at the new year.
But please don’t take my word for it. Check it out yourself. Notice whether being part of a group has a different energy from being by yourself. Then ask yourself what this might have to do with religion.
Please let me know what you find out.
