Three Purposes of
Religion
Even though I consider myself a
scholar and a scientist, religion still plays an important role in my life.
Often however, there is an underlying message within popular culture that
belief in God is of less importance for the intellectually endowed. Atheist critics’
mock religious devotion as something that is comical or dangerous, arguing that
followers are unquestioning sycophants blindly led into false or at best
irrelevant claims. Religion therefore has become relegated to the private
sphere.
In answering these critics I
therefore present my conviction that, far from being irrelevant, religion serves
three purposes. I further argue that these are uniquely present within
religion, that although each may appear as components of human philosophy and
ethics, that apart from a religious framework, these components themselves
become ineffective, irrelevant and potentially dangerous.
The first purpose of religion is
that it fosters humility. This becomes obvious for me when I walk along a
tree-lined path. I hear and see birds, flowers and trees in all their beauty
and glory. Surely there must be something else out there—a Creator, if you
will—of whom humans are not necessarily the only thing of value. However
recognizing that we are not the center of the universe, without a belief in
God, can lead, to either narcissism, where one asserts their importance, or
nihilism where nothing is deemed valuable.
This
leads to the second purpose of religion, the belief that because something
bigger is in charge we are not “left to decide things on our own.” In other
words, the bigness of God triggers a type of humility leading not into despair,
but instead by placing my problems within this larger context, I
have hope that these concerns will also be addressed. Religion states that we
are not alone, and that God works like a guide, giving directions that help us
through the vastness of life.
But
not just any type of guide, but a personal and concerned guide tailor-made for
our concerns and frustrations. Thus religion does not, as the critics allege,
merely offer antiquated moral sayings that are either contradictory or
inappropriate. Instead it is more like a spotlight that brightens the path
allowing for safer travel through life’s difficulties.
The third purpose of religion is in
teaching interconnectedness. Religion does not just show how small we are in
the midst of the wide world (humility), nor how to guide through this vast
terrain (guidance) but it also teaches us to share with others, by advocating
that we are all a part of this creation and are all therefore, logically,
connected. The goal then becomes not nihilism or narcissism but
communitarianism. The idea is that because there is a God, we are not to be
selfish or unkind, but instead helpful and supportive for others are small like
us and in need of guidance. I am sure
that there is more that can be expanded, but I feel that these three
characteristics simplify the necessity of religion and show that even though
one is a scholar and a scientist, I can still recognize the importance of
religious participation.
