Religion is a natural need of human beings which was also common from the very beginning of the creation and in prehistory. From the very beginning, human beings felt a strong spiritual thirst and sought way for satiating it. They searched for a perfect idol/god to find solace and support, to worship and to pray in difficulties. In case of natural disasters, which were construed as gods’ rage, they had to make sacrifices to their particular gods/idols to alleviate their anger.
One cannot live without religion. Religion which is a set of beliefs, rules and moral standards play a highly crucial role for the prosperity of a society. Religious and moral sanctions operate inwardly which is different from human-made laws. In other words, religious rules are able to control people’s behaviors not only in public but also in privacy. So, for having a prosperous society, a strong need is felt for religious rules.
It is believed that the constructive role of religion in individual and collective life is beyond doubt; however, there are some factors which cause negative opinions towards it. For example, when we see the crime and corruption, violence, bloodshed, cruelties, etc. happening in our surroundings, we may feel disgusted with the religions that the criminals belong to, albeit, it won’t be the fault of their religion. There are some repulsive factors mentioned as below.
The charming beauties and attractions and worldly pleasures absorbs one enormously so that s/he finds no time to think over religion and virtue. In other words, moral standards and religious values are melted away in their luxury life and they are too busy in the hustle and bustle of life to pay attention to spirit calls. Their main claim to fame will be nothing other than satisfaction of their physical and carnal needs. Perhaps, I can call this way of living moral materialism which means to value nothing except material interests.
The superstitious introductions and nightmarish pictures of religion are highly repulsive for the followers. Introducing Gabriel a giant, Prophet a tyrant or God a taskmaster or embedding words of religion in bombastic covers to avoid bona fide facts for keeping safe one’s own interests and social status will be revulsion. In the medieval century, the religion which was introduced by Catholic Churches is a common example of such attitudes adopted by the Popes for the sake of their own social positions. They suppressed scientific knowledge and modern apparatus and poisoned, burnt and hanged intellectuals and scientists who dared express their discoveries and scientific concepts which did not match the Popes’ frames of mind or which were against the religious law introduced by them. They introduced the religion which was pro-aristocrats and anti-proletariats and the religion that allowed only the children from high social class to attend schools.
Their irrational attitudes and despotic manner filled the followers with strong hatred which finally led to the emergence of Protestant. Even though, Protestants were put into pool of blood in different parts of the Europe, finally their resistance turned out fruitful. Moreover, the cruelties of religious extremists are the examples which put a strong negative impact in people’s minds. Particularly, the merciless killings of innocent people including women and children without rhyme or reason and their abusive manners taking place by terrorists make one easily fed-up with the religion and its ideology. To avoid rhetoric, religious misinterpretations and the malpractices of the religious leaders are the major factors which spread hatred amongst the people and disgust them with particular religion.
The false practices of religious people and reactionaries can be added to the repulsive factors. For example, when the parents pressurize their children mentally by dictating them time and again or awaking them forcefully in the early morning for offering prayer as religious trainings will make them recoil from forced faith and imposed religion.
The close-minded school of thought namely considering science against religion, perhaps I can say Taliban-orientated manner, keep them far from religion. In such a case, to leave people between two choices either religion or science, the majorities will go for science rather than a religion which, according to them, is contradictory to scientific knowledge.
The sanctimonious attitudes of the pretentiously religious people and the clergy will put highly adverse effect in the minds of common people. In other words, there are some people who adopt certain way of behaviors just to label themselves religious in the society. They treat people strictly and with sour expressions or chose to live in insularity keeping distance from sociability. Finally, their way of thinking leads to formation of cynical idea towards others. Therefore, religious sanctimony is a perilous manner of practicing religious laws.
There are some that on the one hand practice their religious laws and on the other hand perpetrate crime. They try to practice their religion, however, cannot stand the worldly temptations and pleasures. I wonder how they reconcile their religious beliefs with all crime and corruptions but they do continue both. Such type of religious practices makes people lose their trust in religion or its followers. Therefore, the sanctity of religion will be eroding amongst the people as it is.
It is believed that attributing one’s practices or personal characters to their religion is not a sound judgment. As mentioned above, there are people who misinterpret religion for keeping their own social status, misunderstand their own religious laws, succumb to the temptation of their lusts and whims, or simply commit crime behind their religious façade. Moreover, it is believed that it is not religion which jeopardizes a society; however, it is the followers who put their religion under questions by their wrong practices. Therefore, one should not form a cynical idea regarding the particular religion or do not give up their religious beliefs for the wrong practices of others.