Religion. One more time!

God. That one little word brings so many things to mind. The crusades. Even before that, the Greeks and the Romans. Even before them, the Mayans, and then the Babylonians.  The Aryans. All civilizations, with completely different cultures (as a whole, I believe that the few cultural similarities between all civilizations can be dismissed as coincidence, or rather, basic principles of human nature and their impacts). Different colors, different systems of governance, of society, of lifestyle. Yet, since the very birth of civilization, gods, in their various forms and connotations, have been a constant presence. Some would attribute it to a basic human need to have faith in a higher power that can influence things we ourselves cannot. I agree, but I don’t think that is all of it.

You see, there is one basic requirement of a civilization – a certain amount of civilized people.  The foundation of civilization is adherence to a common code, a basic definition of society. Norms and such. Now, it must have begun small – a few people with a similar set of personal codes (or ethics) banding together, and finding that it leads to mutual profit. All other individuals will obviously notice this betterment of life, and as is the nature of man, be curious. Yet, when this curiosity is to be sated, the small group faces a few problems – one, of explanation, for it is certainly not easy to explain one’s personal code, and even for that, first they need to arrive at the realization that it is this personal code that binds them. Second, is that of convincing. They can speak the truth all they want, yet to convince others of it being the truth cannot be an easy task. These problems, coupled with the inherent need of a superior guide would have led to the inception of the idea of a god. A representative, similar to an individual, yet an idealistic representative of the codes that they follow. Codes, that he instead of stating, personifies by his actions that he carries out in his mythical adventures.

These tales enchant, inspire. Slowly, people believe. It is a beautiful answer to the problems, and fits perfectly with the need of a superior guiding force.  And so, slowly, a religion was formed – nothing but a communal code of conduct, a way of life shared by people. And so, with a common belief, they prosper, increase. Among themselves, they hold certain benefits, a certain closeness, and so civilization is born. So, if not the foundation, religion is atleast a cornerstone to civilization.

But what I actually wanted to state here is that gods are nothing but an idealized set of rules, personifying a way of live, an ideal personification. One that inspires us. Yet, slowly, the idealization has also let to idealization of evil, of corruption, and all our emotions and desires. And all of those, tainted by the tinted glasses of human perception and experience, have led to the current state of “religion”. And led to the apathy against it.

My aim here, I guess, (if I need to have an aim), is to debase the moronic bullshit that floats around posing as “religion”. We all have religions, we all have gods. Maybe we haven’t given them a name, some mythical, mystical background and six pack abs, but in our codes and dreams, we have our god. And hence, in life, we have our religion. Just something we never realized due to the misinterpreted term.