Do You Think Religion Has Value In The 21st Century?

Religion has value, if it is not abused or misused.

For instance, the other evening I was watching the Republican presidential candidates on national TV. A few of the candidates espoused their religious convictions. Well, we all admire men of conviction. At least to a point, even if you don't believe Religion has value.

What does raise one's eyebrow, is when a presidential candidate emphasis the point, that a person’s religious convictions will definitely affect his governing strategy. I say, yes and no. I still think religion has value.

Critics tried to hang that number on John F. Kennedy, when he ran for the presidency. They thought the Pope would be giving him orders about running the government. JFK set his critics straight. He told them that he doesn’t take orders from the Pope when it comes to running the United State of America. You recall, JFK was a Roman Catholic and he believed religion has value.

It’s obviously a terrible abuse of religion when senior men, who know better, use religion as a weapon to get their followers to martyr themselves for the sake of a political cause. Yeah, like they are doing in the Middle East. I suppose anything can be rationalized. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to swallow. I suppose to the terrorists, religion has value in a perverted way.

Culture has a tremendous influence on religion and the people involved.

Take the pre-historic period. You had all kinds of religions going on. Most of those religions dealt with surviving the very harsh environment that was the “world” back then.

You had gods for just about everything. Just about all of it pertained to surviving…like having enough food to eat. Not being torn apart by the wild beasts of the land. Or, not being killed by other people or tribes. There was a definite purpose and reason for religion. The focus was “outward”…physical survival.

As time progressed, and culture and society evolved, religion became an excellent tool to help people become “civilized. The aristocracy of the times recognized that religion had a strong influence on its subjects. Thus, society and its culture, was encouraged along religious lines.

All religions provide for peoples' needs.


Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto, Christianity, and Islam historically speaking, followed each other in time frames. They all provided their peoples' needs, certainly culturally speaking.

No where was this more self evident then in Hinduism. The art of developing an introspective life within oneself for the sake of acquiring wisdom in order to master ones outer world and oneself became a guiding light. Subsequently, men of unusual skills developed, which are referred to as Yogis.

Shortly thereafter, Buddhism took a strong hold on India, China and eventually Japan. Buddhism served the needs of its culture regarding dealing with the extreme hardships of life.

Martial Arts and Buddhism.

I was an active martial artist for ten years. Consequently, I have great respect for Buddhism. Especially, I like the use it was put to in Japan. Specifically, Zen Buddhism. And, I will tell you why. The ruling aristocracy of the times, made sure that the Zen teachings were internalized by the Samurai Class of society.

The Samurais were the soldiers of those times. Their role in society was to protect the rulers, the people of influence and wealth. We know these aristocrats as Shoguns. Basically, the Samurai was a man of the sword. He literally lived and died by the sword. Through the teachings of Zen Buddhism, the Samurai learned to live with the idea and reality of his immanent death.

Subsequently, the Shogun had a fearless warrior. He wasn’t afraid of death. And, ironically, this made the Samurai an incredible fighter with the sword. Why? Not fearing death, freed him to boldly execute the skills of superb swordsmanship.

You can't beat Courtesy

Interestingly enough, as a side note, Courtesy became a very prominent use in Japan because of the Samurai. How? Simple enough. The Samurais of those times mostly lived in temples. And, a Samurai never was without his sword! Subsequently, these hard chargers would periodically bump into each other in their living quarters.

Guess what? With just a smirk or the wrong kind of gesture, a fight to the death would occur. And, with the skill these men had, fights were finished in seconds. Subsequently, the shoguns who owned these temples, made hard and fast rules for their Samurai…everyone was required to give each other the most courtesy and respect!

So, if you as a Samurai, accidentally bumped into a fellow Samurai, you immediately apologized and bowed. This ended the losing of valuable soldiers because of personal arguments and disrespect.

Unification

Religion certainly had an unifying force on the tribes of the semites; namely, the Jews and Arabs concerning Judaism and Islam.



Additionally, a refinement of ethics and morality were given great prominence by both societies. Also, both religions lent a new emphasis on the “inner” life of mankind. Skill sets on living an introspective life were given recognition. There are many examples in this very interesting history that demonstrate that religion has value.

Certainly Yahew, the God of the Jews, was responsible for the unification of these semite tribes. Here are many examples of where religion has value. Judaism is directly responsible for leading the Jews, who were slaves in Egypt, to their own country.

It took an incredible prophet named Moses to steer his people through an seemingly unending journey in the desert for 40 years. But the Jews proved to be a tough resilient group, and they stuck with Moses. They were rewarded with their “Promised Land”, known as Israel.

Many great historians credit the Judeo-Christian principles and heritage for the greatness of the United States of America. As an American, it is hard not to argue that religion has value.

Islam is another great religion that has stood the test of time. The worship of Allah. Like Judaism, Islam served to unify great Semite tribes in terms of their religious belief systems.

A Golden Age during the Dark Ages

No question about it, Islam helped civilize a strong people in terms of ethics, living a honorable life, and dealing with justice. Ironically, during the Dark Ages of Europe, the civilized society of Islam was creating unparalleled achievements in the fields of science, literature, and spirituality.

If you want an expanded and detailed view of the world religions, check out Huston Smith’s book, “The World’s Religions”. I am a big fan of his. Trust me, you will be glad you did. Yes, religion has value in the 21st century.



In summary, yes, I believe religion has value. Like anything else, it has the potential for misuse and abuse. If feel that as long as religion fulfills the needs of people, then, religion has value. On the other hand, if culture continues to change and subsequent needs of society changes, then, religion needs to “watch out”.

Simply stated, people will loose interest and go on to something else that more readily helps them live their life with integrity. I had a wonderful writing teacher that once told me, “God will be dead in maybe 10,000 more years”. Yeah he was an atheist. He simply felt that humankind would have the desire for worshiping a supernatural being weaned out of them by then. I still believe religion has value.



Perhaps a Futurist could have fun with this line of thinking. I am intrigued by the idea right now. I can see advances in science and medicine get to the point where people no longer need to worry about sickness, aging, or death. Therefore, who cares about a HEREAFTER? Or, concepts of a Soul? Ah yes, there is your Brave New World!

Clergies of the world certainly would be challenged to come up with some Answers?

I’ll never forget when I was in high school, a friend of mine, informed me that Dr. Frued and his theories, had replaced the need for religion. Oh my, what happened to religion has value? Stand for Your Greatness

Religion And Human Potential Movements Will Knock Your Socks Off!

Does religion have a place within the human potential movements of the 21st Century? I am referring to all of the human potential disciplines and pop psychology culture that is “out there”, when I mention human potential movement.

**When I refer to religion, I specifically have in mind the great wisdom teachers that are referred to by Huston Smith in his book, The World’s Religions. Namely, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the Primal Religions.

**I agree with the internationally celebrated author and Buddhist Priest, Thick Nhat Hanh, “No single tradition monopolizes the truth. We must glean the best values of all traditions and work together to remove the tensions between them. If we do, peace will have a chance.”




**Where do I get this “liberal religious” viewpoint? When I was a young man in the Marine Corps, I was stationed for thirteen months in Japan. Here I ran into the Japanese population. These people were mainly participants of the Shinto religion and Buddhism. I found the Japanese people to be very honorable and friendly.

They were no different then my neighbors living where I grew up in Normal, Illinois. I decided right then and there, that if these people were misguided and wrong in their religious practices, and going to hell, then I wanted no part of the Christian orthodoxy. At that time I didn't now about religion and human potential.

**I am sure if you ask Joel Osteen the question, “Does religion and human potential have a place in todays society? His answer would be a definite yes!

Who is Joel Osteen? He is one of the most successful young pastors in America. By successful, I mean he has one of the largest and fastest growing congregations in the United States. His church is located in Houston, Texas.

Pastor Osteen’s message, in my opinion, is that to be Christian, means using the teachings found in the Old and New Testament, to help individuals live a successful and inspired life. I think this guy is great. He doesn’t mess around. Yes, he comes right out with it.

Joel Osteen says the inspired word of God can help us live life in the 21st century wisely and passionately. No question about it. I love the guy. He televises his ministry on Sunday mornings. I listen to him, whenever I get a chance. He has a firm hand on religion and human potential.joel osteen

**Again, I ask the question, does religion and human potential have a place in the 21st century? My answer, is a definite yes.

Admittedly, I am biased. My parents brought me up in a great Christian environment. There are many people who don’t have a clue of what Traditional Religion has in the place of peoples lives. Specifically, whether religion is a positive or negative force. This is mainly, because they have no familiarity with religion.

I believe religion can be a dynamic positive force of nature, if handled wisely. It can transform peoples lives in a very positive manner. I am referring to all traditional religions, not just Christianity! Religion and human potential is a dynamite combo!

**Religion’s explosive potential is based in the nature of faith and belief. Take the power of belief, which science has proven is awesome. The positive effects that belief has on health is a fact. Religious people, generally speaking, live longer and are more healthy. For one thing, they are a more positive group to be around. They don’t complain or bitch as much. That's the effect of religion and human potential for you.

Most people will agree, that the general self-confidence level of many people is not too high. Here again, religion comes into play. I have seen people perform seemingly miraculous feats, while under the influence of a positive expectancy, often derived from their deep core religious conditioning.

The above miraculous performing powers emanates from both a personal God belief system and an impersonal God belief system.

**How can one get comfort and strength from an impersonal God belief system? Simple…if you are diligently following the tenants of your religion, you develop a sense of peace and self-confidence that fortifies you when you face challenges.

I have observed my Confucian/Buddhist fellow martial artists perform extraordinary feats under tremendous dire circumstances with beautiful perfection and artistry. Here again,is exemplified the tremendous character building traits nurtured by religion and human potential.

**Being a 2nd Degree Black Belt, I started Tae Kwon Do when I was 57 years old,so I have great respect for the practice of the Traditional Martial Arts. After I got into martial arts, I enjoyed the quiet confidence that this practice instills into its participants.

**Juvenile delinquents do very well in traditional martial arts. It has transformed many youths into positive constructive people. They gain self-respect and character building traits, that aren’t obtainable through other menus, including religion. It's not that these great qualities can't be found in religion, the problem that is solved in martial arts is handling the issues of fear and authority.


A majority of these kids have strong aggression patterns and they are carrying around a lot of fear. This fear comes often from abuse and a terrible environment. Not always, but in many cases. The practice of martial arts helps integrate the aggression, respect, and self-confidence to a positive level, where fear is no longer an overwhelming threat.



**Interesting enough, a positive force of religion and human potential that is compatible with meeting 21st century needs, I feel, has a positive effect on a religious adherant. By this, I mean, you enjoy a self-discipline, strength, and power that can’t be denied! In another words, you have a form of positive self-control that helps you interact with other people.




**There is little doubt in my mind, that successful religious leaders of the 21st Century will be jumping on board the explosive religion and human potential movement. Relevancy is the key. People today hunger for answers and solutions to their stressed lived lives.

Most significantly, boomers and seniors maintain an avid hunger for wisdom and insight in this area. And, why not? Most of us are closer to the Great Unknown then to youthful vitality and invincibility. Some of us have already danced with the Grim Reaper. Yes, we have experienced a few “close calls“. (To be continued)


p.s. I am not implying that many disciplines within the human potential movement carry a negative influence. I know there are many wonderful current programs out there, that offer invaluable insights into human behavior and its potential.See Stand for Your Greatness