Since I have gotten into college, I have struggled with what I believe about religion. My first semester I had a really difficult religion class that made me question some of my beliefs about the Bible and God. I still pray at times and I want to believe, but I am more in doubt than I had ever been before. So this is why that I can find some relation to Bill Maher’s documentary, Religulous. Part of his journey is about questioning faith and belief. I get that because I can relate to those feelings of doubt and wonder. However, I do not really agree with some of his methods of questioning people about their beliefs. I would never try to press my beliefs on someone else because I don’t think anyone needs to believe specifically what I do.
The people who pressure and push their beliefs/religion on others make me squirm where I sit. I do not like to associate with the people that are pushy about faith, and so my own faith is questioned sometimes. Do I want people to put me in the category with those others that I do not share ideas with about trying to help pagans see the light? If someone doesn’t want to convert, then don’t make them: it’s alienating. Maher could not find what faith feels like in his documentary. I do feel faith but I sometimes wonder if it is real. I don’t go to church, and I haven’t read many of the sections of the Bible. Some people would probably question my right to be a Christian because of these things, but I still feel faith as a guiding force and I still pray to God. And I still have some standards about being a Christian that I have heard preached over and over again: do not judge others, because you have no right; only God does. I don’t approve of the fact that in some religions, gays are denounced and excommunicated. The God I learned about in Sunday school would be appalled. Many homosexuals still want or need the faith and community that religion brings. I feel like it is part of human nature. So why push them away if they just want to worship and celebrate their faith? Who has the right to condemn them, since religion is so much bigger than one person’s opinion? I personally think it is a waste of energy.
I do see some of Maher’s points as making sense. I feel very strongly about the fact that religion is powerful enough to influence destruction; I agree with it even. It scares me that radicals think that religion is an excuse to kill other people, which also makes me angry. I don’t believe in martyrs because I think that makes it okay to believe that religious radicals are martyrs, that they are dying to make the world a better place, which is not true when other people are dying for their sacrifice.
Not all people have the same views and I am not specifically bashing Christians or religion, just trying to make a point that I have some aligning views with Maher’s documentary. I think that in many ways, religion is important to having a good, happy life, and that I need something to believe in to get through the day and get up in the morning.
Dear Kristen,
I know I have been commenting in your every post these days, but that’s becauuse I find your posts very interesting.
Personally, I support your idea that no one should force anyone what one believes in the way that the other person feels uncomfortable. I personally do not accept several ideas mentioned in Hinduism but I still consider myself as a faithful Hindu, and I respect other religions too. Thus, to me religion is like a beauty that depends on the eyes of the beholder; everyone should have their right to perceive religion in the way they want but it is important to respect what others believe too.
That is exactly how I feel!!!
I agree about religion sometimes being judgmental. I also agree with the idea that only god can be the judge of people. It really bothers me when people who consider themselves religious judge other people and their actions. How unreligious is that?