I’m not a fan of religion

Here’s why

Aug 29, 2024

Our beloved teacher needs us! She’s donated to the temple all her life and now, in retirement, she doesn’t have enough to live on. If you’re able and willing, please consider transferring money to this account to support her. Every little helps!

I read the message twice to make sure I’m not hallucinating the words, and scan the replies flooding my high school group chat: Of course I’ll help, I’ve transferred X amount! Let me know how else we can contribute! Bless her beautiful soul! What a good person she is!

It’s an unfortunate situation and I feel for my former teacher. But “good” isn’t the word I’d use to describe her.

Try “brainwashed by religion.”

My problem with religion

In the extremely unlikely event it’s not abundantly clear to you by now, thinking is a life skill I value.

There are many things wrong with religion, but the aspect I take issue with the most is that it turns too many of its believers into unthinking automatons.

I must pray every day. I must donate to the temple every month. I must confess my sins every year.

All because these are the acts of a “religious” person, because the monk/priest/[insert religious figure] says they must, because their religious parents taught them to.

To be clear, I have no problem with the religious acts themselves, so long as they’re not destructive and practitioners have thoroughly considered the pros and cons:

I’m aware God won’t solve my problems, but praying calms my mind so I like to do it before bed.
The temple is in financial difficulties. It is my place of worship so I’ll give what I can afford monthly, and no more.
Confession doesn’t erase all my wrongs, but it motivates me to be better so I do it once a year.

I’ll wager, however, that the majority of people who consider themselves religious aren’t conducting a cost-benefit analysis each time they commit a routine religious act. Not necessarily because they’re unthinking in all domains of life—though they may be—but because no sane religion encourages its followers to question the very practices ensuring its survival.

How is praying going to get you that promotion at work? How are you benefiting from feeding our monks? Are you *sure* you want to donate $10,000?

And so we end up in a situation where a bunch of students (not me) are bailing out a broke, retired teacher and praising her—what a good person—in the process.

If this isn’t f*cked up, I don’t know what is.

Religion, by the way, is not the only evil in this story. Culture, education, media, upbringing—there’s plenty of blame to go around when it comes to the abundance of mindless acts plaguing the world today.

But religion, I’d argue, is one of the most dangerous culprits. Religion is sacrosanct. Questioning it is disrespectful, blasphemous, not to be tolerated.

It’d be a small miracle if I didn’t lose subscribers from this post.

My religion

My life mission is to encourage everyone to question their beliefs. Religion is all about believing and not questioning.

Does this make us utterly incompatible? Forever doomed to fight in opposite corners in the ring of life?

Maybe. But indulge me for a minute.

Imagine a religion whose core beliefs are:

You should take responsibility for everything that happens in your life.
You should care about things other than yourself.
You should have clear boundaries and enforce them.
You should take care of your body and mind.
You should question your values and beliefs.

Followers of this religion live strictly by these five core beliefs. There is no divine figure nor religious authority. No rituals to perform. No mandated gatherings. No judgement for leaving.

Imagine that. A religion of self-aware, self-questioning, self-bettering individuals. A religion actively working to prevent its followers from doing stupid shit like giving away their life savings.

Now this is the kind of religion I can get behind. In fact, it is my religion.

Just me, and my five core beliefs. Until the day they no longer serve me.

Then it’s onto the next religion. And the next. Always thinking, always choosing.

Will you join me?

What do you think?

What would the world look like if more religions asked nothing of their believers, not even to believe? I, for one, would like to see. But enough daydreaming.

What is your religion?

Not in the sense of are you Buddhist or Christian or else, but what do you believe? Please hit “reply” or leave a comment—I read every response and I’d love to hear from you. If you want, share this post with a person who’s religious and thoughtful.