What is it in the nature of man that demands the institute of religion? Is it some fear of things unknown that causes us to seek out religious direction? This is the whole question that needs to be raised of religion. Mankind is generally an organism that needs constant reminder that he is good and deserves only the best, otherwise he becomes morally debased. Without hope, he falls prey to negative influences in society. Religionists try to draw these lost sheep to them to avoid this probable outcome. You are probably saying “Wait a minute. What is wrong with this.” On the surface this looks innocent enough.
But underlying the good intent is a mischievous plot. That is what I wish to discuss in this essay.
The universe we live in seems not to care too much about mankind. Daily we are barraged by scores of storms, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, mudslides, volcanoes, and other atmospheric disturbances, although not all at the same time. Mankind is unable, at the present time, to predict when these more destructive climatic events will occur and so is the prey of an unyielding and undiscriminating predator. Does nature have some hidden agenda against mankind? No. Of course not. To think so is to make a statement in ignorance. These same storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. affect our animal companions too, as well as disrupt the ecological balance on the planet. So what? Mankind does not view these normal events as anything less than threatening for us. We live in fear of what may kill us next.
The Bible has produced an account of the end of the world involving much warfare, blood, human carnage, and an inevitable Armageddon. This scenario is believed by most to be coming true. Others dismiss it wishing to live a fruitful and productive life. But aside from the Bible, science too sets the stage for cataclysmic events that could spell the end of human existence. These range from nuclear war, super viruses, the common flu, to meteorites pummeling the earth. In all, the final outcome could be end of life on earth. So it appears both religion and science are reading from the same sheet of music. Somewhat. It is more like they have the same sheet of music but different conductors leading the orchestra.
The Bible does not leave us much hope to look too. Simply, we are only saved if we accept Jesus Christ as our principal Lord and Savior. What if we do not? Then we are sentencing ourselves to eternal damnation in the pits of Hell. For the Bible, the chief agent of human destruction is humans. Our own “sinful” nature will be the cause of our unfortuitious demise. For Christians, there exists nothing in the human condition that could save us from our inevitable death. We are morally bankrupt, intrinsically hopeless organisms whose only recourse is to be a follower of the son of God. Only through Jesus can we gain something worthwhile in the life to come. Without him, we are left to the pack of wolves. Therefore, Christianity is a life-negating religion for mankind. Why should we just give up without a fight? By doing so, by saying our survival was already compromised once we fell from grace, we are giving ourselves up to hopelessness. What point does life really serve then? We cannot do anything to better our situation. Christianity at this point says the only hope left is complete submittal to Jesus and God.
There is a second scenario that unfolds from the other perspective. Science too gives us a bleak picture of our future, or at least a possible future. The Bible is fairly concrete in declaring the end of humanity as we know it. But for science the chief agent of our destruction is our environment. Is mankind truly a victim of his environment? Not really. Science leaves open the possibility for man to affect if not altogether change the outcome of these scenarios. Consider for a moment the fictious account of the end of the world given by the movie “Armageddon.” In it, the earth is threatened by a very large asteroid that is on a collision course with the planet. A group of oil riggers go to the asteroid to destroy it from inside with a nuclear blast. They are of course successful and mankind is spared. What does this say of real life? If mankind faced similar circumstances sometime in the future we too, like the actors in the movie, would seek out any way possible to save ourselves. Would man just sit back and say this situation is the product of our sinful nature? No. Science accepts mankind’s ingenuity and desire for survival, not a feeling of hopelessness precipitated by an antiquated religion.
The Bible leaves man no options and presents scenarios where our destruction is by the hand of another human of such vile disposition that the only acceptable outcome is annihilation. Man’s sinful nature is all the justification necessary for our destruction. For the religionists who is brainwashed into thinking he is worthless and hopeless the only recourse is to find a set of theological beliefs that appears to offer him some ray of hope. With life as bleak as it appears we need to look to some promising afterlife to alleviate the pain of our present. This is the appeal of religion.
So for man religion is the psychological crutch upon which his emotional side stands. He needs religion to divert him from the bleak view of life that he is himself provided by religion. This stifling of the thought processes for which religion is guilty affects man on two levels. First it causes a condition called mental complacency in man in which he is quick to accept whatever answers the religionists provides for him. The individual shows no real desire for discovering the answer for himself. The second condition is one called mental stagnation and is the inevitable outcome of the first. This is when the individual has become so brainwashed that he no longer weighs other possibilities and is satisfied with the answers provided for him. The individual possesses no desire whatsoever for finding answers on his own. He has as such become a block of wood. The types of people who are afflicted by religion’s spell are those who are mentally challenged, or typically individuals who appear to be very docile and not outgoing. They are the ones who make up the vanguard of the Christian religion. Of course any who do not unconditionally subscribe to Christian religion doctrine are seen as under the influence of Satan and as ethically and morally devoid. This is without a doubt a propaganda tool fabricated by religionists who cannot prove their own spiritual platitudes and offer man only spiritual pipe dreams.
The only attempt for man to break free from these devious and cunning religionists is to keep your mind open and constantly challenged. Always seek to discover the truth for yourself and never become satisfied with anyone answer. Despite the Christian’s call to completely submit to Jesus and God, remain adamant in your quest for truthfulness and don’t be tricked into accepting their empty promises. Do so and you shall achieve mental emancipation from the scourge of theism.
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