Many Paths, One Destination

I recently had the pleasure of attending a non-denominational church service. The 10am research trip ended up being more enjoyable than I had originally envisioned. Everything got underway with the weekly announcements and some good, clean humor. After brief introductions, everyone in the room began singing along to worship songs that conveniently came with lyrics on the projector.

One particular man seated near me was an incredibly talented singer. But, what captivated me the most about this 60 something senior was the way he sang the words with his entire body, not just his lips. It wasn’t hysterical or overt, just a beautiful depiction of passion. I could tell, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was irrevocably sold to the same ideologies I emphatically oppose.

It made me think about how many people the world over are completely and utterly devoted to something. However, this actuality isn’t exclusive to the fervently religious. Everyone, whether a devout Muslim or unwavering atheist, believes in something.

We are all living the same life; embarking on the same journey. The only difference is our means of transportation. How we get to wherever we are going couldn’t be more diverse.

There are a vast number of possible explanations to consider when contemplating why people believe what they do. Undoubtedly, things such as geographical location, family beliefs and social pressure are immediately considered as culprits. And there is much debate to be had over which are the most prominent and influential factors. But, one thing we can be very sure of is that they are all remarkably subjective.

For example, someone whose entire family has died or been killed could find it near impossible to believe in and submit to a higher power. It would be utterly absurd. They would be plagued with questions as to why they should accept any god who could allow, or even commit, such an atrocity.

However, the exact same person could also transform into an ardent believer as a response to the very same circumstances. They could rationalize the loss they have suffered by choosing to believe in any of the religions which promise to reunite them with the deceased in a place commonly known as heaven. It is truly amazing how a simple alteration in thinking could be responsible for such a drastic change in belief.

Another great example of how people come to their world views is the classic notion of bargaining with God. It’s a fact that life can, and usually does, throw some very challenging curve-balls. And in those unsavory circumstances, humans are typically powerless. But, being proactive and trying to solve a problem is infinitely better than sitting around and waiting for an outcome. So, we resort to negotiating with the bearded guy-in-the-sky.

We offer to make any array of changes to our lifestyle’s (ones that should have been made a very long time ago but) in exchange for his help. It provides a sense of hope and, if the particular situation is sufficiently serious, even serves as a compelling factor towards what we believe.

If he comes through, we will continue to bargain with him and slowly come to the severely subjective conclusion that he’s looking out for us. From that point on, a strong belief in the divine manifests itself.

But, as with the previous example of the unfortunate person whose family is taken away, the outcome could be very different if one small thing is modified in the series of events. If God should happen to have the audacity to ignore or refuse our offers and doesn’t come through for us, we will naturally respond with skepticism to his power, significance and even existence.

Like all the other contributing factors that produce the incredibly diverse beliefs we posses, this one is equally subjective.

Another of these contributing factors that I cannot help but mention is the indoctrination of children. Unlike the others, it is anything but subjective. Indoctrination is a ruthless and concise technique that molds a child’s mind. However, that is a completely different animal that this post cannot address.

While this notion of severe subjectivity serves as ample evidence for uncertainty and skepticism, it is far from the point I am trying to highlight. There is a colossal danger in believing something with unquestionable assurance and blind faith. Such a brand of conviction naturally leads its constituents to believe that they are unquestionably correct and are obligated to inform everyone else of their mistaken ways.

Far from the beauty of acceptance and co-existence, it promotes and fosters the audacious notion of superiority and indirectly encourages patronization.

Our main goal in life shouldn’t be to do whatever we can to get into heaven. Our aspirations should be to create that atmosphere in the world we live in today. Constantly asserting that we, as individuals, possess the ultimate truth and everyone else would be deprived if left unchanged creates the exact opposite of this.

And part of creating a heaven on Earth is accepting that we are all different but equally prone to the subjective factors that we encounter in life. Maybe the final solution to overcoming our differences is learning to cherish them. It is somewhat like the guy in church who sang his heart out to a god I believe couldn’t be further from divinity.

Both he and I entered that church hall, meeting for the first time, from vastly different directions and influences. The only thing that brought us together was a mutual susceptibility to subjectivity.

A Brave New World

This essay is based on Alduous Huxley's book "Brave New World." It tells a story of how the world has become many years into the future and focuses on social issues like power of government, morality and, my personal favorite, religion. It really is a great read and I highly recommend it.

There are many reasons people do the things they do. As humans, we are influences by a vast number of factors. Some of these could include family, social pressure, revenge, love and even fear. But, while all these worldly things are very prominent, there is one idea that trumps them all: God.

Whether we acknowledge his existence or not, God influences many things people do. From grieving for the loss of a loved one to asking why we are even in this world; our creator is a big factor. Religion is historically the main way humans have responded to his possible existence.

This institution, conceived many years ago, has been almost as great an influence as God himself. It has sometimes played a positive role but, unfortunately, has also been very detrimental to humanity. Even in “Brave New World,” a civilization supposedly devoid from all aspects of traditional religion, we can see this phenomenon in action.

As we analyze Religion and the immense role it has played in human history, we first come across the inherently good things it has done. The first thing that always comes to mind is charity. Current news Medias never cease to report stories of astonishing generosity around the globe by religious organizations. The next positive effect of religion on our current world is the ability it grants us to be moral beings. The many rules and laws that most religions adhere to certainly make sure its followers stay in line.

However, quite possibly the most powerful thing the institution of religion offers is a sense of comfort. Whether that is a false sense, based on lies and deceit, or the one and only truth is up for debate, but no one can deny the reassurance that is felt when we ‘know’ everything about our universe and where we will go after we die.

Nevertheless, all of these things (and the other smaller pieces of evidence for the good religion does) can be achieved without the existence of an institutionalized creed that is believed by the masses.

On the surface of the story “Brave New World,” we believe we are dealing with a society without any religion at all. But, while that is true as far as traditional religion is concerned, the reality is slightly different. In their pursuit of a pure world without varying beliefs and religions, the people of the World State ended up creating a ‘faith’ of their own. At the head of this idea was Henry Ford, commonly thought of as a God by the people of “Brave New World.”

Some of the negatives of ‘religion’ in the World State are very easy to notice. The first is the obvious lack of morality. This notion is highlighted by their sexual promiscuity and many drug induced orgies. The next noticeable negative of the world religion is how the idea of family is perceived. The people of the World State are utterly disgusted by the mere mention of words such as ‘mother’ or ‘father.’

However, a less noticeable but arguably far more harmful aspect of religion in the Brave New World is the fact that it promotes a sheer lack of thinking, questioning, doubting and searching. Constituents of the World State are to believe what they are told and, if they should question the ludicrous way they live, they are exiled to islands with other deviants who dared to actually think for themselves. This idea paints an ominous picture of how we behave today with regard to religion, despite it being far less apparent.

The benefits of religion in the “Brave New World” are also apparent, despite coming at a hefty price. They include the sense of security that comes from a complete dominance from governing bodies. This could consist of not having to worry about getting an education, paying for food, getting a job or even finding a companion to share you’re life with. The World State takes care of these things for its citizens so they need not worry about the pursuit of happiness because the system provides it for them.

Religion in our world today has been the culprit of many evils. Many apologists argue that it is the faulty humans that adhere to these religions that are to blame, but that is too easy of an explanation for the crimes that blind faith has committed to humanity. A quick perusal of the history of the world in relation to the institution of religion summons up countless images and stories.

Immediately, such atrocities like the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Apartheid and the rivalry in Ireland between different sects of Christianity that has caused so much bloodshed come to mind. More recently, about 3000 thousand American citizens felt the full force of religious extremism on September 11^th, 2001. A number of terrorists, armed with planes and a treacherous belief that they were doing God’s work, took it upon themselves to launch an attack on America.

The rest, as they say, is history. But if we do not finally learn from it, we will continually be doomed to fall victim to the evils that only organized religion can instigate.

People do many things for many reasons. God has, unfortunately, fallen victim to our need for an excuse to take action. Religion, in whatever form it presents itself, is responsible for the acts of terrorism in our world to the creation of an intrusive and cold system in the “Brave New World.” But, its dangers reach further than the reckless disregard for human life.

The idea, bread by religion, that we should believe something without question and on faith alone is equally as dangerous as the Crusades or the Inquisition. It cultivates and promotes a notion of ignorance that will only slow humanity down, both in areas of scientific discovery and social stability. Anyone or anything that tells you it is acceptable to shut off the voice of reason in your head so that you can retain a certain belief is inherently wrong and hazardous.

Religion in our world and the notion of religion in the “Brave New World” are two different things. But, despite their variations, they are ominously similar too. Alduous Huxley was trying to warn us of this in what he wrote. In one quote, found in chapter 17 where Mustapha Mond and John the savage are debating, the substance known as soma is brought up. This drug is used to regulate the unfortunate people of the World State by restoring their ‘happiness’ whenever needed. It reads as follows:

“Christianity without tears-that’s what soma is.”