This article enlists the top 5 reasons why religion is important for mankind along with the impact it has on our daily interactions as well as our natural paradigm.

Religion plays a crucial role in our lives. Since early childhood, we are taught of numerous lessons, values, sayings, etc., the origin of which actually stems from the teachings of religion. So irrespective of whether we choose to believe in the concept of religion or not, our personality and character are greatly shaped by the same on one level or the other. This makes disregarding the notion of religion entirely but an illogical approach towards life. Instead, the fact that our thought processes are significantly influenced by religion makes it all the more imperative to understand how it helps transform us into better individuals.

Before we proceed, we believe it is important to state that time and again, misinterpretations of religious texts have led to severe conflicts, and sometimes even bloodshed. We do not support this extreme and violent side of religion. The idea that one religion is in any way better than others does not seem to have any rational explanation to justify itself, and hence, we do not favor this way of looking at it either.

What we do believe is that each religion has countless beautiful teachings to learn from, and that if we can manage to keep an open mind in this regard, we will undoubtedly advance towards creating a much better world for us to live in. Our communities, and the society as a whole, would thrive and succeed in an unprecedented manner. This article briefly outlines the top 5 reasons why religion is important in a general context, and is not aimed at praising any one particular religion. In case we do end up hurting sentiments of any of our readers, we deeply regret the same, and want you to understand that it was not our intention to do so.

Religion brings people together

This is the first reason why religion is important. There is no greater force on Earth with the power to bring millions and millions of people together other than religion. It’s truly remarkable how this one idea unifies so many intrinsically different individuals, allowing them to believe in something greater than themselves. The fact that such a wide variety of people with vastly varying likes and dislikes, cultural preferences, moral beliefs, etc. are able to follow the defined customs and traditions of their religion as a collective, that too without a trace of resistance, is no less than a miracle.

Imagine the turmoil that the world would evidently be in, if the concept of religion were to disappear from the face of this planet. With everyone struggling to assert their own faith, customs, and traditions on each other, entire civilizations, as we know them, would collapse in a matter of days.

Scientifically speaking, the human species has succeeded in dominating all other life forms solely due to our ability to function and sustain ourselves as incredibly large groups of people. Imagine a scenario wherein we are left on an isolated island along with another less evolved primate. On a one on one basis, we wouldn’t survive for long when competing with the latter for food, water, shelter, etc. This one distinction gives us an unparalleled edge over other animals, and religion has an indispensable role to play in all of this. Without religion, our communities would crumble like houses of cards, and it would all come down to survival of the fittest.

It also provides us with a sense of belongingness. Human beings are an interesting species. It is in our nature to strive to become a part of something bigger than us or some place where we can rightfully belong. And religion gives us just that. Every year, all of us celebrate a diverse collection of religious festivals, spreading joy, love, and goodwill. These festivals act as the perfect medium for getting in touch with our loved ones, sharing invaluable moments and creating priceless memories with them. Such occasions also give us a chance to mend broken relationships, right our wrongs, exchange apologies, experience gratitude, and perform small gestures of kindness for others.

Many people enroll in religious circles and support groups which primarily constitute of like-minded individuals. The members of such groups tend to look after each other in times of need, help each other in severe crisis, and even motivate one another to let go of negative habits like smoking, alcoholism, aggression, self-harm, etc.

Religion provides us with hope

This is the second reason why religion is important. Each religion promotes the notion of a higher power, or God, who exists within and beyond the limits of the physical realm. Subscribing to this belief automatically indicates the existence of our faith in another being, whom we consider to be our divine guardian. Irrespective of the intensity of our faith and devotion towards this divine being, a majority of us tend to fall back and rely upon the mercy and goodwill of the latter in times of unbearable suffering and misery.

It is our faith in God that gives way to perpetual hope in our lives. Otherwise, we would always remain in a state of panic and worry pertaining to our mortal limitations. Subconsciously, we all believe in the truth that there exists an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God across the entire fabric of this multiverse who takes care of us at all times. This inherently pushes us to hope for a better future no matter how many times life beats us down. How else would we find the energy and motivation to get out of bed and work relentlessly day after day, knowing that death is going to be the ultimate end of it all?

As a matter of fact, we are able to function as part of this infinite system with such commendable efficiency because we have learned to put our faith in a being who is much more capable of running our lives than we will ever be. Think about it. Almost all our experiences, successes, failures tend to remain out of our control. We barely direct our actions in a direction that we consider to be the least risky affair, leaving all other factors and parameters, along with the final outcome, at the kindness of our fate. This is the prime example of hope that we derive from the concept of religion.

Religion gives us a sense of purpose

This is the third reason why religion is important. Without a well defined purpose to chase or follow, it would become extremely difficult for us to navigate through the troughs and crests of life. Our actions would suddenly lose all meaning, and depression would soon crawl and sit deep into the core of our mindset.

One of the greatest teachings of any religious text is that all of us are required to indulge in periodic acts of altruism. We gain so much from society on our path to success that it becomes our solemn responsibility to do something for the benefit of the latter as a symbol of gratitude. The highest honor then resides in the noble dream of making this world a better place to live in than we first found it. People who make this the purpose of their lives are the ones who leave a true legacy behind.

For ex. Bill Gates has already amassed an immense fortune in his lifetime. And after having generated more wealth than he knows what to do with, he has been giving back to the society through his renowned Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. And he is just one example. Most accomplished individuals tend to circle back to their responsibility towards society sooner or later. 

This is not to say that all these individuals are driven by the teachings of religion alone. But the concept of altruism has been significantly popularized by many religious leaders over a span of several centuries. And to think that religion has nothing to do with people’s inclination towards doing good for others would be an inaccurate statement. Because believe it or not, religion has its roots seated deep into our lives. And one way or the other, it tends to affect how we think, act, and behave. The influence may be not self-evident, but nevertheless, it exists.

Religion also serves as a means for attaining spiritual enlightenment. It is a popular belief that we have taken birth on this planet so that we can get to know about our true form of existence. Many spiritual leaders have stressed on the fact that we are spiritual beings on a human journey and not the other way around. This one statement can become a game changer for anyone who wishes to know as to where exactly do we come from, to what end are we headed, and why are we here after all? For some, it can even become the sole purpose of their lives. There are millions, if not billions, of spiritual enthusiasts in this world who are actively engaged in trying to find the true meaning, purpose, and form of our existence.

Religion keeps our actions in check

This is the fourth reason why religion is important. The law of karma has been mentioned in all religions in one way or the other. What it essentially says is this: do unto others what you would have others do unto you, or in layman’s terms, what goes around, comes around. This universal law serves as the general rule of thumb in all aspects of life. Karma can be thought of as an incredibly detailed record of one’s deeds kept by our majestic cosmos. The cosmos then seeks  to reciprocate our actions in kind, depending upon the nature of our deeds. To know more about accumulating good karma, read our publication titled “5 Easy Ways to Generate Good Karma“.

Refraining from negative actions is just as important as indulging in positive ones. Each religion talks about a set of rules that all its followers are required to abide by without fail. These commandments largely talk about the various sins that we as responsible human beings should have a strict policy against. Sins like murder, infidelity, abuse, deceit, etc. have been strongly condemned in all sacred texts.

If we all decided to firmly follow these rules, with the intention of doing right by others, this world would witness peace and harmony like never before. At the same time, not all rules and regulations may apply in all situations. It is always better to screen our actions so that we don’t end up hurting those around us. Remember, the higher agenda is to do right by others, and not become slaves to our own habits. In our opinion, these rules serve an important purpose, however, they should be considered as more of principles and guidelines for improving the quality of our lives as well as the society as a whole.

For ex. It is good to be honest. It is good to avoid lying as much as possible. However, if speaking a blunt truth has the potential to cause extreme pain and suffering to someone you love, then perhaps choosing an alternate course of action would prove to be a better idea in the moment. Similarly, if you find yourself in a situation wherein a person is trying to outrage your modesty, then maybe causing physical harm to the latter would be your only option to save yourself.

The concept of religion requires us to place our trust in a higher power, and completely surrender to its will. When we do this, we subconsciously admit that there exists a being we consider to be of much greater value and importance than ourselves. This leads to the development of humility as a virtue. Other virtues like compassion, empathy, gratitude, patience, philanthropy, etc. are diligently taught in all religions. Development of these moral values makes us better individuals, and eliminates negative emotions like greed, selfishness, jealousy, aggression, etc.

Religion is a way of life

This is the fifth reason why religion is important. Following the teachings of our respective religions can enhance our lives on all tangible and intangible fronts. From providing us with a cultural identity and a sense of belongingness, to laying down a strong foundation for our path to spiritual enlightenment, religion can very well be considered as a way of life. The teachings of religion have been put in place to not only benefits us, but also those around. The entire idea is committed to the upliftment of human society. Everything we say, do, or don’t do, has the potential to make or break nations. And religion, when propagated in the right manner, can strengthen our stance like never before.

All good values that we are taught since childhood are directly or indirectly related to religion. Our values in turn help build a strong character, and our character directly impacts the kind of relationships we enjoy with our near and dear ones. Nurturing good relationships keeps our spirits lifted high even in challenging times because we have people who love and support us no matter what. This also leads to good mental health and well being. Our values also define our performance at work. People with good ethics tend to work with the highest devotion, and produce extraordinary results. This further leads to financial stability and growth, thereby enabling us to take good care of our families.

Please note, this is not to say that people who aren’t religious tend to struggle with relationships or financial growth. Or that people who are religious do not have to struggle at all. Life is much more complex than that. There are infinite factors at play that influence our experiences and how we handle them. In fact, challenges will always be there. That’s how we grow and learn to succeed. But subscribing to religion to a healthy degree can significantly aid us in overcoming these challenges. And when we say “healthy degree”, we mean to the extent you feel comfortable with, and the people around you aren’t negatively affected by your practice. All meaning of religion is lost when we end up hurting others because of it.

Moving on, religion promotes the importance of maintaining good physical health. It also promotes purging out negative and unwanted emotions like greed, jealousy, etc. As stated earlier, religion talks at great length about charity and goodwill, peace and harmony, universal growth and progress. The list goes on and on. What we’re trying to say here is that religion can prove to be a great tool for helping us lead happy lives filled with prosperity and abundance, fulfil all our commitments and responsibilities towards our families as well as the society, and in the end, embrace our deaths without any remorse or regrets.

Conclusion

Religion plays a crucial role in shaping this world. Regardless of whether we choose to believe in religion or not, it tends to have a strong impact on our lives in one way or the other. That being said, understanding its basic concept and ideology, and subsequently subscribing to its teachings can revamp the quality of our lives physically, mentally, emotionally, as well as spiritually. From bringing like-minded individuals together, to giving us hope, to becoming a guiding light in all our endeavours, religion can do a lot for us when adopted in the right manner. Share this article if you think there’s someone in your circle of impact who can benefit from reading this.

Resources

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