Religion? No, thank you

 

“You should never declare your loyalty to any religion if it goes against basic human decency.” Dr. BLR

 

 

As an avowed agnostic, I’ve always wondered how so many people can openly declare their faith. Growing up with a religious mother, I appreciate that she let me find my own path. Of course, I attended her Baptist church as a kid, but she also allowed me to visit the local mosque with my neighborhood friends. The two places of worship are so different, and it wasn't lost on me. 

After letting go of my fear of the unknown, I started seeing things differently. I observed people, their actions, and listened carefully to their words. I also looked into religious institutions and their principles. Nothing made sense. I believe there’s something greater than me, but I think that’s spiritual, not religious. However, some individuals with influence over their followers turned out to be wolves in sheep’s clothing. I don’t take this lightly. I’ve seen it firsthand through friends who assumed this role, only to realize they used religion for profit and exploitation. Initially, I admired them for overcoming personal struggles and embracing faith. But over time, I noticed the savior image they projected and saw that their wealth and possessions had grown a lot. These observations made it easy for me to decide to walk away from organized religion. Still, witnessing societies destroy themselves in the name of religion also contributed to my discontentment. 

I remember many years ago watching a video of James Baldwin, and a particular quote about religion stood out: “I don’t know if white Christians hate Negroes or not, but I know we have a Christian Church that is white and a Christian Church that is Black. I know, as Malcolm X once said, the most segregated hour in American life is high noon on Sunday. That says a lot to me about a Christian nation. It means I can’t trust most white Christians, and I definitely can’t trust the Christian Church.” His words resonated because of the history of Christianity and the African slave trade, whereby the slaves were forced to embrace the religion, which is probably why my mother had a picture of a white Jesus on her bedroom wall. I don’t blame her for that, because that’s what’s been passed down to my family, but I was definitely going to break the cycle. 

One reason I question religion is that more than 10,000 religions are encompassed by the “twelve” classical religions:Baha'i, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism. (Fun fact: I learned that I am one of 1.2 billion people who are either agnostic or unaffiliated.) Why are there so many, and what draws people to them? Additionally, is God the same for everyone, or different for each person? I hadn't asked many people for fear of insulting their beliefs, but I believe the noted German philosopher, Karl Marx, summed it up best with his coined phrase, “Religion is the opiate for the masses.' I’ve often heard that when heinous acts occur, such as the slaughter of Palestinian children at the hands of the Israeli Defense Force, some followers of Christianity respond by claiming, “It is God’s will.” Really? I can’t say how disappointing this response is, but …let me shut up!

For most of my life, I’ve believed that religious people are hypocritical because of the Ten Commandments. A quarter of all practicing religious believers are Christians, many of whom regularly violate some of these commandments. I know this is a harsh statement, but it’s based on what I’ve observed over many years. The refrigerator-style approach of opening the door and taking out what you like has always bothered me. Also, the one commandment that stands out is “Thou shalt not kill.” This should be engraved in stone, yet it is broken nearly every day by those who claim to believe in their God. Am I missing something? 

Historically, people have been killed in the name of religion. Slavery was justified because of the slaveowners' religious beliefs. Wars have been fought over religion. I could go on, so I will. Former Presidents of the United States have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their commitment to peace, but they have also been responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent men, women, and children in the Middle East and Africa. President Barack Obama has appeared in churches, pandering for votes, and expected congregants to believe he was holier than thou. Still, he is a war criminal and supposedly a God-fearing man. Please, make it make sense.  

While I don’t have answers to any questions about religion, I know I became a good person without it. I learned to do this by practicing every day, knowing that my mother, may she rest in peace, was always proud of me and that I never wanted to disappoint her. Additionally, I was someone people looked up to because of my actions in the community, so I couldn’t disappoint them either. As you can see, maybe religion isn’t the be-all and end-all, but simply being a decent person might be the answer.

My stance might upset some, but I hope they’ll reconsider it. I don’t need divine intervention to change my course. I am fully aware that we will all face the same fate, though under different circumstances. I also recognize that no one is more special than the next. We all come from the animal kingdom, and our days are numbered. I accept this and don’t feel the need to ask for anything. I’ve seen truly good people succumb to illness, and no amount of prayer would bring them back, so I told them I loved them and said goodbye. Where they will end up, I don’t know, but I hope their transition went well.

Now, many of you reading this might wonder why I chose to write about something so controversial. I struggled to come up with a simple answer, but that would be the easy way out. So here it is. I wrote about religion because I am frustrated. Watching the number of deaths in Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine, Venezuela, and elsewhere, where innocent civilians are being slaughtered, hurts. I know that many of the deceased were religious people because I heard some of their cries to their respective Gods through social media, but no one answered. I sense they were duped and died expecting a different outcome. Some believed in an afterlife, which is fine, but some also believed in divine intervention based on a promise or something they read in their holy book, but again, nothing happened. 

Additionally, I want to address the pastors of mega-churches and the harm I believe they cause to society. Every weekend, without fail, I come across at least one program focused on religion while browsing channels for something to watch. Channel 4 always features Joel Osteen, who stands before hundreds of dues-paying members, delivering sermons about God's desire for everyone to be prosperous. He dresses sharply and always has a big smile. He is just one of a few pastors running these money-making cult-like organizations. While I believe everyone should be paid fairly for their work, how can any pastor justify a net worth between $50 million and $100 million? I’ll answer that: they shouldn’t while people are struggling. Aren’t they supposed to take a vow of poverty? I know these are outliers, and most churches do practice what they preach by comforting people’s souls. I understand, but some people are so blinded by their faith that they refuse to think rationally — but that’s on them, so I won’t argue. 

I hope people start looking inward and recognize that they don’t need to seek help from others to resolve issues when they can practice their religion at home. I know fellowship is comforting, but there are problems within the church that could cause more issues. When you are the last of your siblings, life looks different from then on. I find solace in talking to the memory of my ancestors, and I know that one day I, too, will be an ancestor, and I am okay with that.