The most basic question is “Is the religion necessary for a human being?” You may be a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, or belong to a different religion, this question must have come into your mind at some point. Is religion really necessary for us? Suppose there is no religion and no one follows any religion, what would happen? Would the world drown?
Statistics:
According to an estimate, about 2.3% of the world’s population describes itself as an atheist, while a further 11.9% is described as nonreligious:
United States (4%), Italy (7%), Spain (11%), Great Britain (17%), Germany (20%), and France (32%).
If you observe, most of the nonbelievers are from western countries. If you see, western countries are very advanced and are the richest countries. If so many people can live without religion, then why can’t all?
Purpose of Religions:
If I am not wrong, religions are created by men whom we call as prophets. The main purpose of the concept of religion was to create a civilized society, as primitively people were following their basic instincts, which was not good for a civilized society. So, the main purpose of the religion was to tame the animal within us and to provide a spiritual platform on which we can spend our life happily. The paths may be different but the aim was the same i.e., the welfare of humanity.
Advantages of Belief in Religions:
If someone says religions are not useful at all, then he should think again. If you see the civilized society around you, it is based on some values. Though morality is on a decline around the world, still there are more good people than bad people and that is why this world is not as bad as it would have been with more bad people than the good ones.
Religions teach us not to harm innocent people, animals, respect our elders, to have faith in God, to discern between good and evil, not to misappropriate, make donations, let live and let others live, etc.
Lots of people follow this and this provides a good foundation for a civilized human society.
Disadvantages of Belief in Religions:
1. Misinterpretation: As most of the scriptures are written a long ago, it is hard to know what the person exactly wanted to tell his fellow people. If he had made a rule, it could be possible he had something else in mind and today, we can misinterpret it and say that this thing about this religion is bad.
2. Time: Most of the rules are based on the situation a few hundreds or thousands of years ago. Socioeconomic conditions during the time between have changed tremendously, so some people find it very hard to cope with the old traditions and rules.
3. Provocation: Some shrewd people of society use the emotions of common people about their religion for the selfishness. This problem is most prominent nowadays. Religions have just become a toy in the hands of some politicians and religious leaders. They have divided the world into different religions. So, instead of bridging the gaps between the minds of people, religions are dividing them.
4. Competition: There is a race going on amongst nearly all the religions of the word to acquire the No. 1 position. Therefore, they always compare their religion with other religions and try to teach followers of other religions how they are better than theirs. To do this, sometimes they use every possible way which is not allowed in any religion. They forget the basic principles of humanity and join the blind race.
5. Money: Do you know that you can make millions easily if you enter the market of religion because it is very easy to fool the people. Nowadays, as money is God for everybody, some people are exploiting every possible way to do this.
6. Terrorism: Terrorists are claiming that they are killing people for the Holy War. They do even blast themselves and kill innocent people for the sake of religion.
Followers of all religions are using religion according to their convenience. In a situation, if they feel it is profitable for them to believe in religion, they do so and in other situations, they deliberately keep it aside. Therefore, the main purpose of religion is not getting fulfilled.
Argument:
Suppose there is a person A who is a believer but is not a good human being and there is a person B who is an atheist but he is a good human being, then who is better?
I think A is better because he is following the religion of humanity. Instead of being a charlatan, it is better to be an atheist.
On the other side, there are situations in which religion is helping common people to live a better-civilized life. There are some people who are believers and are good human beings too. In fact, religion helps them to be better human beings.
Conclusion:
It is my opinion that religion is necessary in order to make our society more civilized. What I am right now, my religious teachings have contributed to it a lot. My religion has taught me to discern between good and bad.
But if somebody does not want to believe in God or religion, he should not be forced to do so because the ultimate aim of the religion is to make our society more civilized. If we force others to believe in what we believe, then I think we are regressing.