“The Only Way Towards God and Humanity”

“Religion has been an important part of every human understanding – his inquiry into what it means to be a human.”

It is a fact that religion has always been a course of debate for many as to if it is really the solution or the problem. This converse now rises to many conflicts and comes with this is the change that religion might not be the solution for every predicament arising in our society today. The modern age has gone so fast and is really changing abruptly and religion is now perceived by many as a limiting and restricting factor of modernization. Human is a rational being and his ability to think, ask and create solutions has led everyone to what the world is today and religion, as a socio-cultural system of beliefs, is now being sacrificed because many are considering it as the problem and not the solution. However, some popular scholars believe that despite of the decline of religion because of modernization in today’s world, it is important to think that religion and spirituality has not faded.

Modernity – a word that will describe the world today, is to be described as a process of urbanizing, industrialization, increasing use of new and scientific technologies, and social, cultural and political changes, which have accompanied these developments. We cannot deny the fact that modernity has led to many advancements that really make the lives of many easier and better. From the transportation, communication and way of life, modernity paved the way for the development of the contemporary society. However, despite of these so-called-amazing developments, the modern world didn’t only change to be developed and modernized, it also changed its freedom to becoming a slave of modernization. Slave because many are sacrificed just to meet the self-satisfaction of many. If one wants to build houses in large area of lands, agricultural lands will be sacrificed to become subdivisions and other establishments. If technology has helped many lives, it also makes people slaves of machines where in fact, people are the ones who should control them. Because of modernization, there is an increase of power and because of this, many huge leaders and developed countries wants to imperialize those little ones. The world, which should be the cradle of sustainability, unity and peace, is now becoming a hotspot of environmental degradation, war and separations.

On the other hand, secularism is the belief that religion should be a personal, private, and voluntary affair, which does not impose on others. Thus, secularization is the process of things becoming more secular – becoming more non-religious. As a result of this, the role of religion in the modern world becomes limited and restricted. For example, churches in secular places are no longer used to be a place of worship rather becomes a place to attract more tourists. This significantly describes what secularization is. The society is no longer up with the interaction with the controls of the church such as politics in today’s world. It is no longer concerned with what are being valued and what are being called moral because secularization itself is non-religious. Religion is the foundation of the morality, moral standards and practices, thus, in secularization, there is the disappearance of morals and values.

Modernity and secularization are two connected ideas which greatly influence and continues to influence religion. As to what they mean to say, religion is really being sacrificed just for these two to be superior to it. Religion is aiming and eyeing for unity, peace, love and protection for everyone but because of the influence of these two, these goals are now being put at a cost. This can be associated to the fact that human is the cause of modernity and secularization, thus, the one who is causing all of these conflicts with religion. Setting aside the desired of human as to fulfilling his self and if human is only acceptable and has his eyes open for all the huge impact of religion for the future, maybe, the world will be a better place – world free of conflicts brought by modernity and secularization.

Despite of these contradicting ideas against religion, it still responded as a binding force to still unite everyone as if it is trying to adopt the changes brought by secularization and modernity to actually make way for religion not to be declined in the future. It is somehow this way – as the society is becoming broadly defined as secular enterprise, religion also becomes pluralized and rationalized to adopt and restore what should be saved in the world that is being modernized and secularized.

Moreover, the conflict with and among religions must be addressed as well. If the various religions that emerged through time, despite of their differences in beliefs and values, what is important is that there is an acceptance and complete understanding between them. Acceptance doesn’t mean compelling the other to practice one’s belief and religion rather it is more of about engaging into their religion to fully understand why they practice such and why they are different from one another. Interfaith dialogues promote understanding thus, will lead to the respect that will benefit everyone and will encourage general welfare until the future comes. Religion can truly be the solution for global peace. It is a way to recognize that God doesn’t want division – it contradicts his commandment “love thy neighbor.”

Religion has come too far and it will take more paths before achieving its true goal – the salvation for oneself and others, and to render due worship and obedience to God – and even if it is continuously being challenged by the fast changing society, religion will still reign for the people behind it will not give up or stop from making others understand that the world cannot be a world of peace and love without religion. There are many things that lose the sense of humanity of people such as modernity and secularization but religion is still here, burning up on fire and if it will continue to ignite everyone’s inner goodness, then it will be the heart of the heartless and the soul of the soulless. It will always be the only way towards God and humanity – a world of peace, love, acceptance and justice, just how God planned it to be.

#religion #humanity #globalpeace