Why Should a Person be Religious?

The question as to why an individual should give any credence to such a proposition is under heavy scrutiny in the Western world. Compelled by pushing the envelope of modernism to new and uncharted frontiers, what really seems to be happening is a constant rehashing of the same message; rejection of traditional thought. And not without cause, for newness and innovation seem to be the light at the end of the tunnel of a despair borne out of social unrest, anome, injustice, and vicious intolerance of intolerance itself.

Notwithstanding the complexity of navigating and making sense out of domestic and global affairs, a simple answer lies at the kernel of the human experience; the existence of the soul is enough reason in and of itself for the consideration and pursuit of religiosity. The human experience attests to the existence of this element, entity, force, thing, we call a soul. Essentially and seemingly independent of the affairs that govern the external world of event and counter-event lies a quietly screaming voice deep inside that begs to be recognized and expressed.

Despite the importance of such things, the first and foremost consideration relevant to religiosity is not concern with proofs of Divine revelation, arguing that religion improves society, or even demonstrating that God exists. The primary consideration for the validity of religion is the existence of the soul. The mind is given expression in intellectual verification and activity. The heart is given expression in providing love and compassion to other individuals and to the self. The body is given expression in physical activity, nutrition, rest, and shelter. It is the simple yet profound realization that nowhere else can the soul be given expression than in the realm of religion. Religious formulation and sensitivity is the very environment where the soul is allowed to exercise itself, it is the only platform of spiritual activity. These other operating systems do not support spiritual software.

For the sake of clarity and for the focal point of this post, I am not associating the word religion with any particular one, although I do have a choice when it comes to religion. It is my point only that religion itself, without getting into particulars, is a necessary element in the lives of modern human beings.

And the cynic might say that the soul is a byproduct of neurological and biological functions. It is the mirage that occurs at the cross section of a several mechanisms; the instinct to survive, physical orientation in a three dimensional world, the ability to perceive the future and other intangibles, and social constructs. The previously mentioned cannot answer for the overwhelming inundation with the soul's omnipresence in personal experience. Neither in isolation nor combined can they produce the experience of the soul's attendance in all that we do.

The most convincing is social construct. Anybody with children knows how aptly a parent can create realities for his child. And yet simple observation of a child reveals that a deeply real inner world exists within him. A parent can only hope to affect and influence this inner sanctum, but he has no way of creating it. It comes with the territory of life, it is an immutable element of existence that owes nothing to the parent's nurturing and acculturation.

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