DEBATE: What would the world be without religion?

Religion is our regulator There is the golden rule in life, ‘treat your neighbour as you would want them to treat you’ – that is one of religion’s teachings and only religion (not any otherconstitution) holds people accountable to that. The biggest reason that society needs religion is to regulate behaviour. Religion is what makes many people take an extra step to being better people. Better people for themselves and for others around them. ‘Life is a rollercoaster’ many say. That means that life is full of ups and downs, a lot of uncertainties and suffering and sometimes, this goes on for a long time. It’s usually only religion that can comfort such a person with the hope that they aren’t forgotten by God and that as long as they keep and follow his commandments, they have a special place in heaven forever. I would really like to visit more often the sick in hospitals (who aren’t necessarily my relatives or close friends). I realised that the last three times, I went to visit these people, pray with them and carry some basic needs for them, I was with the youth at my church. For Muslims, giving alms to the poor is also key because it gives the message that “service to humanity is service to God.” The youth of today haven’t stopped shocking their parents with the things they do but a young man or woman that grows up serving the church or studying the Quran, among others, is more likely to behave better than one that knows nothing about worship. Religion has shaped the youth into disciplined citizens of society. We’ve all heard or read about the strict laws and forms of punishment in Saudi Arabia enforced by the Sharia Law. According to BillionBibles Organisation, The Sharia law is the law of Islam. Sharia (also spelled Shariah or Shari’a) law is cast from the actions and words of Muhammad (Peace be with him), which are called “Sunnah,” and the Quran that he authored. In this law, someone’s hand is cut off for theft, adulterous women are stoned to death and today, the level of such crimes is very low. People can leave their shops open and go to pray and no one will attempt to steal anything. Women respect their marriages and so do men. Even though there is the unfair side to the Sharia law, it has done a lot of good. A religious person works with confidence and passion knowing that everything they do is a reflection of Jesus Christ in them. With this mindset, someone is bound to be a better person and with many more people like this, the world will be a better place, with religion as the central element of human life. patrick.buchana@newtimes.co.rw Humanity surpasses religion For decades the debate about the importance of religion in our world has taken various twists and turns that if not carefully handled, it can lead us back to the years of the crusades when millions were killed in the name of religion and many more are still being killed. We have seen terrorism acts made in the name of religion. As a friend once said, “Islam isn’t terrorism but again, most if not all terrorists identify with the Muslim religion.” My point here is not about Islam but about atrocities that are committed in the name of Islam. Religion has never been an instigator of good behaviour; actually it has done more bad than good. Humanity has been destroyed all in the name of religion. Cartoons of high profile religious leaders cause mass demonstrations and people get killed in the process. We end up losing out on spiritual experiences which have nothing to do with religion and dwell so much on religious doctrines. Steve Jobs said, “The juice goes out of Christianity when it becomes too based on faith rather than on living like Jesus or seeing the world as Jesus saw it,” he continued, “I think different religions are different doors to the same house. Sometimes I think the house exists, and sometimes I don’t. It’s the great mystery.” And I concur; these different doors can come in the form of joy, humility, kindness, love, compassion, justice and morality among other things. These principles don’t subscribe to any religion, they are not taught when we are being indoctrinated with verses of the bible. These are basic principles that determine what kind of legacy an individual leaves behind. With or without religion, good people will do bad things and bad people will do good things or even worse things. Religion is a tool that is used to control people’s minds and their way of thinking. It is sad that we have since failed to move away from these simple concepts. As youngsters, way before the age of indoctrination, children know what is right and wrong behaviour. When we practice religion in the most extreme form, which is usually the norm, we are likely never to survive because it asserts itself to be the only path at the exclusion of all others. It’s by design: “We’re right and everyone else is wrong.” This is when people decide to look for answers elsewhere; in science but religion also discourages that. Maybe we believe Albert Einstein’s saying, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind?” Maybe! But at what point do we combine the two? Isn’t this where we risk clashing with the extremists? How about living life to the fullest? Play hard, work hard, love hard. Live for now instead of hoping for the hereafter and make every day count by contributing to the advancement of life and humanity, however small the contribution maybe. dean.karemera@newtimes.co.rw

Lifestyle

DEBATE: What would the world be without religion?