#80: For Non-Divisive Diversity (PART 2)

【Perspective】
If any religion finds itself as a source of tension breeding people’s despair through war or violence, then we can’t help but make a regrettable observation that it evidently contradicts religion’s underlying foundational idea of Contributing to humanity’s happiness by caring and helping others.
 
So then, is it better for humanity to do away with religion?
 
The more we learn about violence and wars surrounding religion, the more inclined we are to arrive at such conclusion. And even more so when hearing that in the last thousand years, an estimated 40 million people have been killed in the name of religion.
 
Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the fact that there are many people in the world--past and present--who utilize religious inspirations for the better, contributing to humanity’s happiness by caring and helping others.
 
For example, Martin Luther King, Jr., the leader of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, was a Christian minister who demanded that the government and American people honor the promises of Declaration of Independence--We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. King’s contribution to humanity and peace, let alone his life, can’t be adequately described without his deep connection to religion.
 
Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India’s independence from Britain in 1947 and the pioneer of nonviolent resistance, was a Hindu yet also a Muslim and even identified with Christianity. Indeed, Gandhi searched for the teachings that underline all religions, none of which supersedes the other, but instead harmonizes them all.
 
In the present day, Malala Yousafzai, a human rights activist for female education, is a Muslim.
 
Just like them, there are so many people in the world--past and present--who utilize religious beliefs for the better, contributing to humanity’s happiness by caring and helping others. Consequently, in all fairness, we cannot jump to a rushed conclusion that it’s better for humanity to do away with religion.
 
Which brings us to our next thought: Rather than question religion itself, isn’t it more pertinent to call into question of how people utilize the religious teachings?
 
When we capture this question with a grand vision, we can see that religion is a perspective which people choose to adopt.
 
For example, roughly 2.4 billion people share the perspective written in the Bible, and for this they identify as Christians. Likewise, 1.9 billion people share the perspective written in the Quran, and for this they identify as Muslims.
 
In fact, when it comes to the big-four religions, each comprises a mass perspective that 0.5 billion to 2.4 billion people share. Although its sheer size often convinces the adherents to believe it to be the truth, nonetheless, perspective remains a perspective regardless of how many people share it.
 
For instance, when Galileo Galilei in the 1600s discovered that Earth revolves around the Sun, a vast majority ridiculed his claim including the Catholic Church, especially because his findings contradicted Holy Scripture. People at the time were so convinced that Earth was at the center of the Universe that Galileo was sentenced to life under house arrest. Yet, we know today that this mass perspective didn’t change the truth.
 
Religion exists because people exist. Because people exist, the Bible and Quran exist; churches and mosques are built; worships and rituals are practiced. And because it’s not the other way around, we can see that religion is a perspective that people choose to adopt.
 
When we elevate ourselves to adopt a broad perspective, what we can view through the lens of religion is the human nature and behavior. Of what and how we think; why and how we form our needs; of how we try to live our life.
 
By studying how people utilize the religious teachings, we find out more about who we really are as humans.
 
Do we insist that My God is the only true God, failing to accept others, and exploit religion as a divisive means? Or, do we remind ourselves that God is fundamentally about the idea of Contributing to humanity’s happiness by caring and helping others, thereby accept all forms of God, and utilize religion as a peaceful means to celebrate diversity?
 
Do we cater warmly to only those who adhere to the same religion as ours, give the cold shoulder to those who worship others, and exploit religion as a divisive means? Or, do we remind ourselves that religion is fundamentally about the idea of Contributing to humanity’s happiness by caring and helping others, thereby demand equal opportunity for everyone by eliminating discrimination, and utilize religion as a peaceful means to celebrate diversity?
 
When people exploit religion--any religion--as a divisive tool, its most foundational purpose of Making this world a better place for everyone is lost.
 
On the contrary, when people utilize religion as a beacon of peace that celebrates diversity, any one of them is meaningful.
 
Acknowledging that most people in our world identify with a religion, it becomes imperative for us to further examine human behavior through the lens of religion to advance towards non-divisive diversity.

Read Next: For Non-Divisive Diversity (3)【Our Differences】
Read Previous: For Non-Divisive Diversity (1)【Religion】
 
Complete Series: For Non-Divisive Diversity (1)～(7)
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Read Theme: Inclusive Diversity