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Religion In Today's Society

When early man first walked the earth he was awed by the power of nature. Volcanos, hurricanes and earthquakes were and still are very impressive displays of the power of nature. Today, modern science can explain these events. Early man, however, had not developed science and therefore explained these events the only way he knew how, by using religion.

Early man believed that there were powerful forces in the universe that were the cause of rain, sunlight, plant growth, and other natural events. Eventually these beliefs gave rise to the belief in spirits and gods that could be angered or soothed. Man performed religious rituals and ceremonies to appeal to these spirits. In doing this man explained the unexplainable and it gave him a feeling of control over nature.

Today, much of nature has been explained by science. Yet, despite the ever accumulating knowledge of science, people still hold on to their religious beliefs. Despite the lack of convincing evidence religious believers still assert that there is a god that created the universe and that cares about each and every individual. This is because religion has so much to offer us. It sets moral standards for us to live by, it gives us a purpose in life and it assures us of everlasting life. All you have to do is believe and have faith.

Faith is the key component to any religion. Since religion is primarily unempirical it is impossible to prove or disprove any assertions being made. The scientific method only works on things that can be observed by the senses. Therefore, faith is religions only alternative. It is a shortcut to truth. In the Christian Bible faith is defined as "Belief in things unseen, yet hoped for. "Faith" is generally defined by scientists and philosophers as "Firm belief in something for which there is no convincing evidence." Faith is a way of substituting emotion for evidence. Many people feel that if they believe something strong enough it will be true. In reality, however, our belief or disbelief in an assertion has no effect on the truth or falsity of it. For example, at one time everybody believed that the eart was flat. This does not change the fact that the earth is round.

Another important aspect of religion is scriptures. Scriptures are writings, usually ancient, that are held sacred. Scriptures are usually believed to have been inspired by the supernatural. Since the validity of the scriptures cannot be determined, those who believe their assertions do so on faith. Some people believe so strongly in scriptures that they will risk their lives expressing their beliefs. An example of this are certain pentacostal churches that handle poisonous snakes and drink poison to test their faith. A Christian denomination called Christian Scientists reject any medical intervention. Some religions reject scientific evidence because it contradicts what is written in their scriptures. Many Christian churches teach that evolution is a myth and that the story of creation in the Bible is fact. There is no evidence to support the assertion that God created all species separate other than a story written by desert nomads over two thousand years ago. Yet these churches reject a scientific theory that is based on and supported by much empirical evidence.

In the world of today, with all the modern technology that mankind has created and with the accuracy with which scientists have been able to explain and predict nature, it is hard to believe that religion has been able to survive. I think that the only thing that has kept religion alive is mans strong desire to have a purpose in life and his fears of dying. I feel that religion was an acceptable method of explaining nature before science was developed, but in the modern world it has no place. My feelings about religion are best described by a quote by David Hume: "A wise man proportions his beliefs to the evidence."

- Paul J (5/9/89)