Religion: What Do You Think?

Out of the blue came a request to write something very short on religion.  The request was not much more specific than that.  “Sure,” I thought, “I can write a few words on religion!”  I know that it sometimes is much more difficult to write a few words than to wax eloquent about a topic such as “religion.”

The other part of the request that was funny was that I see teenagers as one target audience.  “Of course,” I thought, “I am an expert on teenagers, their psychological and spiritual development.  After all, a few words should do it!”  After that, I think I will solve the American budget crisis and eradicate the national debt!

So where does one start when you are going to write a few words on religion?  One thing I do not assume is that most people would define religion in the same way.  I have a hunch there are many different definitions floating in the air out there.  Often that is where trouble begins; you don’t have a “correct” understanding of religion and I make some judgment.  Of course, you can do that to me, too.

However, it is just as tricky not to define religion.  If we don’t do that, then we probably are assuming I know what you think religion is.  And I probably would guess you think religion is the same thing I think it is.  After all, what I think religion is must be true! 

So let me begin with my definition of religion.  Religion is one way human beings make meaning of their lives.  To say that suggests there are other ways to make meaning in life.  I assume it is possible to be an atheist and have a meaningful life.  Religion is not necessary in my understanding (and clearly this is one place religious folks could differ with me).  And when I say “make meaning in life,” I see religion as one way to make sense out of human experience.  Meaning is a way of seeing some order, pattern, and coherence to what happens to me and to you.

I will use stories, symbols, and images from a religious tradition to structure my religion.  In my case I employ the Christian story.  That includes God who is creative.  It narrates a story about Jesus as the model human being.  There are various symbols like the cross to communicate details of the larger story.  But this is where it can get tricky.

I am reticent, however, to make religion simply a matter of “believing the stuff or not.”  Let me add a couple other things.  One healthy aspect of discussing about religion is to say questions are ok.  Questions allow exploration.  Questions allow people  (teenagers and otherwise) to talk freely about life experience.  As I was growing up and even during my teenage years, I don’t remember anyone telling me (or suggesting) that questions were ok.  Perhaps, I first heard that in college.  Before that, the message I picked up was simply to “believe that stuff.”  That’s what made you religious.

Questions do allow exploration.  Many of us have life experiences that do not necessarily make sense.  Life does not always have any coherence.  I am convinced people “make meaning,” rather than finding it in a book somewhere.  Christianity and, specifically, Quakerism have given me a solid foundation.  But I needed to be able to ask questions and tailor my religion to my life.

And this leads me to my last point.  While religion does offer answers, it is appropriate for religion to have room to grow.  Unless we are dead, there is more of life to be lived.  Who knows what yet will happen.  Hopefully, our religion is spacious enough to allow for new experiences and complexities that will come.  I have dealt with some significant issues in life, but there certainly are some life experiences I have not yet encountered.  The most predictable one, for example, is dying. 

So I want a personal religion that has room for growth.  Personally, I need a religion that is big enough to account for all those religious people out there who don’t claim their religion is Christian.  In saying that, I know there are other religious people who would disagree with me.  And that brings us full circle.  If you disagree with me, then we likely are defining religion in different ways.

So that is what I think about religion.  It would be fun to have a bunch of folks in a room and ask, “What do you think?”  That would be fun, but I also realize it would be a bit shortsighted.  After all, religion probably is also more than simply what I believe.  It also has to do with how I live---how I act. 

In my religion it does not matter much if one somehow is not loving.  Love is not so much a belief as it is an action.  I could believe in love and not be loving.  Indeed, that might even be more important.

That’s what I think about religion.  What do you think?