Religion, relatively speaking

I would never argue with anyone being religious, even if I, in my opinion, find their religiosity lacking in logic at times.

I believe there are certain things that science just can’t explain (yet). Why can’t these gaps be filled by entities such as Abraham, the Buddha, Zoroaster or Lao Tzu? Why couldn’t the Earth be divine, and why shouldn’t humans seek to align themselves with it? I haven’t received any answers that make me want to turn to one belief system or another, but just because I don’t feel strongly enough to believe in any religion wholeheartedly doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be true.

Tricia Anderson (in her Sept. 27 column entitled “Spiritual relativism”) obviously has found something that makes her life complete, and felt the need to share her beliefs with us. I can live with that (and it doesn’t matter if I couldn’t). But there is a reason that religion is often paired and made synonymous with “faith.” You have to have faith in what your religion teaches you, despite the fact the best evidence the religion has is what its holy books and persons tell you and what you feel inside of yourself. You have to believe that you have found, at the very least, an acceptable answer to your unanswered questions.

Some people, by searching, being guided or being raised in a religious household, find a faith that works for them. Others feel that all religions are man-made hoaxes and dismiss them all, which is a perfectly likely possibility. Yet others (myself included) see that there are numerous answers offered, but for one reason or another, can’t dismiss enough of them to settle on any.

And because of the fact that I recognize that religion is a leap of faith, I (and I’m sure many others who don’t devote themselves to a religion) always find it extremely frustrating, if not insulting, when someone says that my position is inferior to theirs by using “facts” that are exclusive to their point of view.

Sure, history can’t disprove Jesus was (the son of) God. History cannot prove whether or not, for example, Vishnu took three steps across the cosmos and created the universe either. Since there are multiple possible answers to the myriad of spiritual questions, it is not good enough for one to not have been disproved – none of the answers have been. For it to be acceptable, it must be proven, and while a holy book is enough it for some, it isn’t for others, and after seeing how religion has been (mis)handled by humans throughout history, can you honestly blame someone for being skeptical?

It must be said, though, the beauty of religious myths lies in the fact that they can neither be proven nor disproved, and hence leave just enough room for your faith if you choose to place it there. But to intimate that I should believe in the existence and divinity of Jesus just because it hasn’t been proven false is just as ridiculous as me choosing not to believe it for no other reason than that there’s no concrete evidence to its veracity.

However, others have already made a choice about Jesus. Jews believe Jesus was a son of God, but no more than any other human being is a son (or daughter) of God, if they believe in him at all. Muslims believe that Jesus was a divinely inspired prophet, but that Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet. Some Buddhists think that Jesus was an incarnation of the Buddha with a message made for Western consumption and the hopes that eventually that his followers would eventually find their way to Buddhism. They, in the words of Anderson, didn’t settle for the lies of spiritual relativism, yet they have made a decision about what is seen by Christians as “the greatest act God ever performed” and have made different conclusions.

I think the most important thing people forget is that there are those who believe just as strongly as they do in a different religion, are just as sure they have the answers, lean on them just as much when they are in a personal crisis, feel that finding their religion has given their life meaning and are just as sure that we should convert. That might not prove the relativity of spirituality or religion, but it sure shows if someone chooses to undertake such a decision, it should not be taken lightly.

On a personal note, I would not be happy worshipping a God I felt punished anyone forever. (No, not even Hitler should be punished forever. Now, being forced to wear a French maid’s dress and having pineapples shoved up his ass for millions of years on end, sure. But not forever.) I would seriously question God’s benevolence if he punished good people simply because they chose the wrong religion to believe in, but not everyone feels that way. (I don’t think Anderson does, and that’s fine.)

But I’ll take that “vague higher power” over how so many religious adherents perceive God any day if it means I can still hope that, if there is some sort of divine being, He understands it is impossible to see such a great entity in only one way.