I am a walking paradox. I live by principles that may suggest a relatively conservative mindset, yet I live whatever squeaky-clean life I lead in the most reckless way possible. I do things that make people question my gender, my age and my sanity (those who know me personally can testify without contest). It's hard for people to believe that I even abide by any rules of existence at all.
Whenever people find out that I don't drink, smoke, do drugs nor believe in premarital sex, AND am working towards being a vegetarian, the first reason they attribute such discipline to is religion. It's quite ironic, since I don't have a religion - in fact, I seem a lot more religious than a lot of friends I do know who do have a religion.
I do build my principles to a certain extent on the basis of the question, "What would God do at a time like this?" But religious context aside, I've also bred myself on instinct, common sense and universal law. That is how I also intend to bring up my future children, if any. I want to give them the privilege of choice when it comes to religion, but even if they decide against it, then at least they'd have a strong enough sense of moral values to fall back on.
I don't deny that religion helps people become the best they can be. I've seen it transform friends and family into amazing beings, full of mental and spiritual clarity. Some of the most remarkable people I've met in my life are the result of what their respective religions nurture them into. But it only happens when a religion is wholeheartedly allowed to influence one's way of living. There are others I've met whom have 'fallen from grace' - people who have turned their back on the religion they've been brought up to embrace. Not giving a rat's arse about going to hell, splashing about joyously inside the melting pot of sin.
But my question here is, aren't human beings built to be strong enough on their own to to understand and practice virtue, regardless of the belief in a God? Perhaps a simpler way of putting it is, do people really need a to have a religion in order to be good people?
4 comments:
We are all walking paradox's, expression of ourselves and representations that seems to be pulled from two vastly different vortex's. But while seeming odd, even strange to grasp in ones mind they do not conflict.
No, God has nothing to do with being good. God and Religion are mere guidelines for those who need a guideline.
When asked whether I believe in God or not, I state that "it does not matter whether God exists or not". Usually leaving the asker in confusion, I elaborate that the existence (and similarly non existence) of a God, heaven, hell etc... should not be the reasons of an individual to be good or bad. One should lead their lives to be good individuals as they see whether a God exists or not. Respecting and being the best you can be for the sake of the self.
If you are a believer and are a good person in the name of God and religion, what would happen to you if I hypothetically proved there was no God? will you stop being good?
- Mental Dribble.
Quick answer: NO. Religions define their own contexts of 'goodness', but are not the only forms of goodness there are out there. Long answer follows.
Man, what a time for a D&M response. Okay firstly, MY context: I believe that spirituality (ie belief in a God or God-like universal power) and religion are two VERY separate things. Religions provide a guide to the path to spirituality, but they don't have a monopoly on it.
Goodness is highly subjective. Of course there are some universal truths: honesty, compassion, love, courage. Religions preach these, but then what to make of some others? Abstinence from various meats? Confessions to prevent damnation? Sacrifices? Worship? Conceptually it may be well-intentioned, but are some of these things relevant today?
And therein lies the problem of religion: it is man-made, and man-managed. Used and abused by mankind, for selfish or selfless reasons. Unfortunately, it is the closest thing we have to a general moral / ethical guide to life (Moral classes in school notwithstanding).
In the end, what matters most is what you stand for. Whether you stand alone or with the backing of millions, matters little - it is the strength of your conviction that makes the difference. For contemporaries heroes as an example, see Martin Luther King. See Mother Theresa. Whether what you stand for is ultimately good or bad, let that be judged by your actions. But let not your actions be affected by others' judgements.
Which then comes to you. Do you know why you stand for the things you do? It may not have to make sense to others, so long as they are a fundamental truths to you. Are they really that important? Does it really matter in your biggest self? Only you can decide that.
Personally, something that has never made sense to me is "no premarital sex". I think that's the greatest gift we have - deriving pleasure from the sheer giving and loving of each other. When done well, it's not just physical bonding - it's emotional bonding, spiritual even. I think sex is too important a part of a relationship to be left until after marriage.
Man, I could go on. It's been too long since I've had all-night talks like these.
dr syndrom,
the problem is that there is a very fine line between what feels 'good', compared to what feels 'right'. if there is no religious guidance then i'd predict that the confusion would escalate, and at which point that an instinctual foundation of morals would kick in is another argument altogether.
thanks for your thoughts, very well worth the pondering.
jo,
it strikes me how you have implied that the outlook on goodness is ever-evolving. i've never seen it that way. thank you.
honestly, i have no explanation as to the way my principles have come about. it never came from home nor friends, media nor education. i'm baffled that my lack of knowledge of the 'how' doesn't trouble me. all i do know is that my reasons have strong logical backing, and that's good enough for me.
to share my views on premarital celibacy, i have chosen that path because i've always seen it as just a bonus in life. i've heard stories about bad sex breaking marriages, but i feel that as long as a relationship is purely built on the non-physical, in my view even spiritual, grounds of love, then i believe that even a sexless marriage may last the ages. (not that i actually preach such a notion but you know what i mean. :P) as pretentious as this may sound, i see my body as a temple that i worship and give respect to. i'm aware of my flaws as a person, and abstinence has been something I have used as a form of protection against one of my weaknesses. in some cases, it gives me power over those who underestimate me as a woman. lastly, i've already come this far, and so far it's been quite foolproof (literally), so I'd might as well keep going. i do admit that it gets easier and yet harder by the year... the conflict of being in the shoes of a virgin is quite an enthralling situation.
thanks for your views, and if you're up for it, one day I'd also like to engage in one of these all-night talks that you speak of.
Mmm.. Here's a sensitive one that I've had endless talks of with endless amounts of people. And those endlessness comes back only to a focus and refocus of my perspective of how we interact as a species.
A long long time ago, I was taught that God exists and God is omnipotent. After much contemplation, I decided that I shall no longer be bounded by the notion of God and will, therefore, be known as an atheist.
These days, I simply do not know what to believe in other than karma. In my island, the existance of God is unproven, yet proven by faith. I choose to believe in a universal truth - Karma, which at the very root, speaks of cause and consequence, actions and reactions.
Am I enlightened? Enlightenment is an opinion. I have mine.
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