touchy subject matter

I believe in God. I don’t particularly know why I do, I just know that I do believe that there is a supreme being. I do not, however, believe in religion.

Ignorance of religious faiths isn’t something I’m guilty of. My parents dutifully sent me to Sunday school and even a religious high school. I learned of other faiths from close friends, and even accompanied them to their places of worship, listening to their sermons, speeches and lectures. My father avidly followed interfaith debates, and heard them too. I have read verses from most all holy books, in their various interpretations. I know of religions. I just don’t believe in them.

My lack of faith in religion doesn’t mean that I think all religions are wrong. I agree with certain parts of all religions. They aren’t all bad. If they were, there would be a lot less faithful followers around the world today. All religions overlap. Be good to your parents, don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal, serve others etc etc…those are rules and guidelines found in most every religious tome and creed. I like that overlap. I agree with that overlap, with the basic humanity driven rules. Treat others as you would like to be treated. That is what I live by.

The reasons I say that I don’t believe in religion are: firstly, I cannot commit entirely to the commands and obligations of a certain faith; secondly, I find the conflicting and numerous details of religion tiresome, and lastly I cannot willingly enter into a state where people are differentiated and separated because of their beliefs.

My first reason has a simple logic behind it: “all or nothing.” In other words, why half ass it? You cant say I’m part Christian, part Muslim; you have to pick one. Once you choose a faith to follow, you can’t follow only certain parts of a religion. You can’t say “I’ll celebrate Christmas, but not Easter.” I, myself, cannot say that I am a member of a religion without following it out to the letter. I’d be a liar if I said I was a Jew and never observed the Sabbath, if I said i was a Catholic and never participated in lent, if i said i was a Muslim and never did my five daily prayers. It would be a farce, playing pretend, untrue.

The logic behind the second reason is also quite simple. All religions are basically the same. All that differs are the minuscule details that I find (no offense intended on this) insignificant. One detail is the messenger, the other is the status of Jesus, another which day of the week is holy, one more is where to worship, one more is when to fast, one more detail is where and how to give your charity. Details! All of that is just detail! I cannot be bothered to sort thru all those details. Why are these details so important if the core and bulk of any faith is virtually the same?

The third reason that I am a bit apathetic to religion goes back to my belief in God. I cannot believe that God wants to separate people into groups that use his name to wage war and create oppression and genocide. The Crusades to spread Christianity, the Wars waged to spread Islam, the enslavement of the Hebrews…all were undertaken in the name of religion and God. I’m not exactly down with that.

Live and let live is more my speed. As long as someone’s beliefs aren’t hurting anyone, I have no issue. However, because of those three reasons i refrain from choosing one specific faith to follow and live by. What’s so wrong with taking the basic humanitarian side of all faiths and running with it? I have friends and even a boyfriend who incessantly tries to proselytize and indoctrinate me into ANY faith. They just cannot understand why i don’t particularly want to follow any religion. This may be because they are of eastern culture, and don’t understand the concept of minding their own business. They don’t understand how i can believe in God, and yet have no leanings whatsoever in terms of religion.

My response was only: Which came first, God or religion?

After which ensued a lengthy debate on the worldliness of my view, the evil that would consume my soul and the invalidity of my beliefs, the feebleness of my prayers…which only strengthened my lack of faith-God forbid I ever become that small minded and unyielding. I said to them: “Without religion, I can respect and accept your customs, beliefs, ceremony and self without insult or forcefulness. You, with your professed faith and religion, cannot respect or accept me or my beliefs or customs, and furthermore belittle my beliefs and insult my integrity. Who has the better teacher?”

I hope I never let fear govern my faith and beliefs. And from what I’ve seen thus far is that most religions instill fear. While I choose not to follow a particular religion, I recognize and respect other peoples choices to follow, believe and adhere to their choice of religion. All I ask is for the same courtesy. As I respect other peoples right to choose and their choices, I ask that my right to choose the choice of “none of the above” be respected as well.

xoxo

r.monroe