One of the most intuitive evolutions in the world was the creation of religion. Early civilizations saw things in their everyday lives that they couldn’t explain, so in order to add meaning to these things and satisfy the mysteries of their worlds, they created gods, goddesses, spirits and other such fixtures.
In the way of the Greeks and the Romans, their gods and goddesses were tied to specific physical and intangible objects, and thus meaning was assigned to such things as the sun, animals, intelligence and romance.
In the way of the Christians, Muslims and the Jews, a single God was responsible for all things, and through the many stories of the Bible, Quran and Torah, many physical anomalies and intangible concepts were given life and meaning.
There are as many religions as there are cultures, and these various faiths and beliefs have stood the test of time for a reason.
Religion is important for a variety of reasons, but the most important reason is this: religion offers people a means of escape; it acts, in a lot of ways, like a safety net.
If someone is feeling down and out, or is having a rough day, there is always someone–or something–for them to turn to.
This is why religion and having faith are so important. In these fast-paced and quickly-changing times, religion should not be shoved to the wayside. Having faith is an excellent way of getting through the rough times–times of unemployment, personal hardship, loss and other such obstacles.
Of course, those who choose not to affiliate with any religion will never be obligated to find peace in faith, but it is important for those who have faith to not forget it–faith is an integral part in the formation of a person.
Religion is a beautiful thing, really. Its nature is not discriminatory, and is thus not prejudice to race or sex or origin. Anyone of any background can find peace in any faith, even if some consider the practice of that faith by individuals of certain origin to be taboo (for example,: a person of Caucasian origin practicing a Native American-based faith).
For students of Christian background, checking out the Uprising club is sure to be a worthwhile excursion, as members of the Uprising club take part in weekly Bible study.
Students of other religious affiliations should feel encouraged to create their own clubs or private meet ups to discuss issues and other topics related to their faiths. Discussion of faith is important to understanding its intricacies and metaphors.
In these tough times, students of religious affiliation should not forget their faiths, and instead, embrace them more tightly.
Faith will never fail.
By: Abby Ray