Why religion never dies?
By
Neil Erich P. Galicia
It’s been a long time since I had my final “yes” to the religious
act that Christianity is requiring me to do as part of my
temporal-days-living. There are so much to remember for a man who
lived with the great teachings and deeds of Christ: the
celebration of Eucharist every Sunday, the humility of
thanksgiving, the overflowing grace of the classical Christmas and
New Year festivities.
In particular, there is no sorry for what had attained of being a
member of the faith, but in general, it’s so frustrating.
There are many times that I deny religion, Christianity for
example as my living faith. For religion does give a man lot of
sorrow. In one big quest, religion invades man’s life completely
by promising rewards after death - but of no assurance. But if
you’re somebody who is living faith firmly, then it could be your
assurance, certainly. This old-century-idea made man, if not
dependent to this after-life-reward, absolutely rules by fear of
not joining the eternal rest of paradise. So he completely
subjected himself to the religion. And the attitude of
no-matter-what became an eternal pledge of being a religious
faithful all the days of his life.
I am used to see religion helping people’s lives. I am used to
always turn my heart to its positive sight where it serves as an
ultimate guidance of life, because my childhood taught me to be
that way; but never to the other side. Now, I have come to dare to
realize that it is not absolutely that way. For now I recognize
that it also destroys the lives and my relationship with my
family, with friends, and the future of my people, my society, my
generation.
They say religion is for the poor, and it serves the poor. But
take a look at a beggar outside the Palace; a girl in her younger
years outside the Sunday’s place begging for food, while the
so-called servant is enjoying the best and most comfortable days
of his life inside.
What will happen if the second coming of Christ takes place now?
Will Christ be also riding a limousine car? And will He be living
with His fellow servants at the Palace? Or will He just be the
same way as before: walking with the poor while having His
ministry?
But for thousands of years, Christianity stands solidly, unshaken
by tides of time.
True as it may, religion provides meaning to one’s life. I admit,
it gives direction to my dreams. But the worst, I live life not of
the present, but of tomorrow. “…(it) is not that there’s no more
tomorrow, it’s that I’m giving away my today,” said Ethel Maminta.
And I denied religion.
Actually, religion is not a need, but a want. Want to be accepted
by a society under the influence of the unshaken beliefs. Want to
have someone to remind you of the reward of Heaven.
The Church has an ideal image of a great Man – Christ. He might
just be a legend, but using His greatest legend as a foundation
saves the fall of Church in the tides of time. His image, actually
is one thing that I admire with Christianity. This probably is the
best gift that I received from my religion.
I deny religion, but I never deny God, and so with the great image
of a man. I might soon lose my religion completely as convinced by
my experiences and keen observations in our society, but I will
never lose my God. There are many faces of God that each religion
believes; a God of compassion, of love, of morality, of power. But
none of each claims my God of all attitudes and behaviors. He is a
God who allows everything, without limit the same as His Being.
He is a God who does not hinder a nation towards progress. He is a
God who supports all kinds of law for the society as needed by the
call of time and generation. He is a God who understands His
creatures and its destinations. He is a God not just of past, but
of present and future as well.
The unpleasing sight, the other face of religion, is already
apparent to me. I see the importance of what Karl Marx and other
great minds had proposed in the pages of history. The experience
of pains of injustices in the society has been already unfolded in
the sands of time, and only now that I see it clearly. And
everyone, surely, is observing this. Yet people remain with
religion.
I also remain to be Christian. I remain to be part of the system
that is actually not helping me nor serving its purpose to me, but
needlessly repeating and reminding me of the reward after death.
It encourages me to live not of the present, but of the future;
and not to live life to the fullest. “Anyway, if we are poor
today, we’ll be having all the gifts in Paradise,” as the
traditional thought goes.
The image of a great Man and the reward of Heaven are the reasons
why religion never dies. The classical “hope” that soon life will
be okay, and the orthodox of “God has reason/s why He allows it to
happen” affirmed to be the strong foundation of religion to stand
the tides of time. A life according to societal beliefs is the
ground why Christianity and other religions stand solidly.
And her I am, with my other I, who keeps on convincing to continue
to practice the old long lost religious tradition that my parents
taught me. Is this because my growing up is along side with
Christianity – like a mother who takes good care of her child –
that is why I have this other faithful I in me? Or is this because
I am already used to see the good sight of religion, and ignore
the other side?
There is so much of religion in my childhood. And no matter how
many times I deny religion, it continues to push me come back to
the place that baptized my being. And that probably the reason why
there is the other I in me who wants to continue with my passion
and believe under the guidance of Christianity.
