Humanity has always pride in division, in the sense of belonging to an affiliation. They argue their divisions' superiority, they protect its values, even protecting it with their lives. They may even lose the sense of humanity in trying to fight for the cause of such divisions.
Have you ever wondered why soldiers fight to the very last ounce of their strength, even to their lives? Have you ever wondered why they will push the agenda of a politician who sits in a big mansion giving orders? Have you ever wondered why individual may argue passionately about their tribes, religion, or anything they align with? Have you ever wondered why religion has always been a topic of debate?
Have you ever wondered why people would kill just to advance their religion, or perhaps just to make you accept such religion?
Well, looking at the issue of division and belonging, it has existed from the inception of the world itself. Spanning from dividing planets, to continents, to countries, to states, to ethnicity, to beliefs, to religion, to even gender identity, humanity has always been a fragmented endeavor, this idea coupled with the strong desire of belonging probes the main question in this essay.
Is Religion a virtue or a vice?
According to Wikipedia, there are over 4,000 to 10,000 religions globally, rookie numbers compared to the insane amount of ideological differences which may exist even within a particular religion. Religion on multiple fronts as been seen as fundamental and essential to human existence. Religion is seen as "a complex system of beliefs, practices, and worldviews that connects humanity to the spiritual, transcendental, or supernatural." It typically features sacred texts, moral codes, and organized communities, providing meaning, purpose, and a framework for how individuals should live and understand the universe.
The main driving force for the continued existence of religion is because it is groomed from the root of uncertainty. Uncertainty about the true purpose of life, uncertainty about the force behind the creation of the earth, uncertainty about the life after death.
Religion just seems to explain questions science and rationality cannot seem to give an explanation to. Religion tends to explain the why are we here question? What are we here to do? What next? or perhaps give meaning to individuals in afflictions.
This particular role of uncertainty coupled with the desire of belonging reinforces the existence of religion.
The Psychology of Belonging
Psychology being an interdisciplinary endeavor as always been burdened with the concept of humanity and its desire of belonging. From Maslow's hierarchy to Baumeister and Leary's need-to-belong hypothesis, the psychological consensus has always maintained that belonging is a prerequisite for human flourishing, not a byproduct of it. Bowlby demonstrated that our earliest attachment bonds shape how we seek connection throughout life, while Tajfel and Turner showed that group identity becomes a vessel for self-concept and meaning.
It is within this psychological framework that religious belonging becomes almost inevitable. Religion answers every dimension of the belonging need simultaneously, offering community, shared identity, attachment to the divine, and moral purpose. Where secular institutions weaken and loneliness deepens, religion endures as humanity's oldest and most complete belonging system.
Religion as a virtue
As earlier examined, religion provides answers to the dimensions of belonging and inclusion which no other social construct can provide. One of the primary motives of the establishment of religion as a concept is communalism, that very idea of being a part of a community of shared interest, shared beliefs, shared spirituality. To drive this point home, imagine a gathering where believers come to worship in oneness, eat together, sharing the same identity.
“The needs for safety, belonging, love relations and for respect can be satisfied only by other people, i.e., only from outside the person. This means considerable dependence on the environment. A person in this dependent position cannot really be said to be governing himself, or in control of his own fate. He must be beholden to the sources of supply of needed gratifications. Their wishes, their whims, their rules and laws govern him and must be appeased lest he jeopardize his sources of supply. He must be, to an extent, “other-directed,” and must be sensitive to other people’s approval, affection and good will. This is the same as saying that he must adapt and adjust by being flexible and responsive and by changing himself to fit the external situation. He is the dependent variable; the environment is the fixed, independent variable.”
― Abraham H. Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being
This quote draws a vivid description into the idea of religion, not only does the people get the idea of belonging, the ideologies of that religion are protected and upheld by persons subjected to the religion. Religion gives much needed directions and purpose to individuals seeking an explanation to their lives.
Just to digress a bit, this concept explains patriotism, the love of one's nation that one would willing lay its life as a compensation for the continued existence of the state. In Africa we have seen a decline in patriotism, why? Because the institutions that make up this political unit has failed the people of providing a sense of belonging.
The next dwells on the dissemination of peace. Religion is believed to promote serenity. Although the idea of peace is a widely contested definition and peace or reasons to advocate for peace still remains one of the virtuous beneficiary of peace. A budha is at absolute oneness with nature through meditation, a christian gains an immeasurable amount of relief when she/he prays, a muslim feels same. It is perhaps this preconceived notion of peace that still facilitate the practice of a religion till today.
So, When does Religion become a vice?
Religion becomes a vice when ideology precedes humanity. Religion becomes a vice when bloosheed is seen as necessary. Religion becomes a vice when the female enders are subjugated to inhumane treatment. Religion becomes a vice when individuals all in the sake of religion are denied their rights. Religion becomes a vice when children are being kidnapped. Religion becomes a vice when countries engage in full blown wars just to advance their cause. Religion becomes a vice when the 21 coptic martyrs were killed. Religion becomes a vice when the Africans preferred sole prayers when they could have gotten the charge of their nation. Religion becomes a vice the prevailing rate of insecurity was advanced by radicals.
In 2015, 21 men knelt on a Libyan beach, the Mediterranean stretching cold before them. They were ordinary men, labourers who had left their Egyptian villages chasing wages, never glory. ISIS had other plans. Dressed in orange, blades at their necks, they were given one final offer, deny Christ and live. They refused. One man among them, a Ghanaian, had not even shared their faith that morning. But watching his companions die whispering the name of Jesus, he made his choice. Their God is my God. Twenty one heads fell. On this religion matter.
Religion becomes a vice when millions of Africans attempt to pray away societal problems which they were suppose to take action in solving. Religion becomes a vice when it creates radical ideologies capable of taking lives. Religion becomes a vice when people empowered by religion thought to themselves of fighting an Holy War .
The Way Forward
The solution is not scrap away religion in its entirety, but to severe it from the ideology advocating the deaths, and subjugation of millions of people. To know the dividing line of what the superior God intended for the lives of the human races and how much of such are achieved. Religion is essential for humanity, but it becomes counterproductive when the virtue becomes the vice. Please, free your mind from the shackles of Religions.
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