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ConnorMcGinnis
HonorsWesternCivilization
Mrs.KatieTrudgeon
10May2013
ReligionChangesLives
Religionisoneofthemostinfluentialideasindecisionmakingamongstthehumanrace.
Somesortofreligionhasbeenaroundsincethebeginning."Theworldtodayisasfuriously
religiousasiteverwas."(WhyFaithMatters).Fromthebeginningoftimetothecurrenttimes
ofthiscentury,religionhasinfluencedwholenations.Fromstartingwarsandfightingforholy
land,religionhasaffectedeveryoneinsomeway.Believinginahigherbeingisseenindifferent
lights.Peoplethinkreligionisashadytopicwhenthinkingabouttheoriginoftheworld,man,
andeverythingaroundus.Differentpeoplehavedifferentopinions.Peoplewhodonotbelieve
inagodarecalledatheists,while,to
holdthatnothingcanbeknownoratleastthatitis
unlikelythatanythingwillbeknownorsoundlybelievedconcerningwhetherGodorany
transcendentrealityorstateexistsistobeagnostic(Martin,iii).
Whilesomepeoplebelievein
somesortorreligiousbelief,otherpeoplethinkthatreligionisamadeuptheory.Intheend,
peoplehavetheirownbeliefsaboutreligion.Religionhaschangedthelivesofsomanypeople.
Manyquestionscanbeaskedaboutreligion.Ifreligionistrue,whichreligionisthecorrect
religion?Areallreligionstrueorisonlyonethecorrectoneandalltheotherpeoplearecrazy?
Onethingisforcertain,religionisreal,butthepowerofreligioninthewronghandscancause
catastrophicproblems.
Beforeyoucangetintodebatingwhetherreligionistrueornot,youhavetoknowwhat


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religionis.ReligionisdefinedasAsetofbeliefsconcerningthecause,nature,andpurposeof
theuniverse,especiallywhenconsideredasthecreationofasuperhumanagencyoragencies,
usuallyinvolvingdevotionalandritualobservances,andoftencontainingamoralcode
governingtheconductofhumanaffairs(Dictionary.com).Religionismorethanawayto
justifyrightfromwrongorgoodfromevil,itisawaytooflife.Thiscanbeeasilyseenin
peoplelikemonkswhocompletelydevotetheirlivestoareligion.Religionhasmanydifferent
philosophiesonlifeandwhatwearehereonEarthtodo.Theologies,explicitdogmas,and
scholarlyinterpretationsofreligioncannotbetakenasareliabledescriptionofeitherthe
contentsorthecausesofpeople'sbeliefs(WhyIsReligionNatural).Thecomplexityof
religionmakesithardertofullyunderstand.Thedifferentreligionshavedifferentideologies
whichmaketheirreligionswhattheyare.Christianityisthemostpopularreligionintheworld,
beingmadeupof31percentoftheworld,followedbyHinduismwith25percent,andIslamwith
23percent(WilliamB.Eerdman).Religionscanhaveonegod,monotheistic,ormanygods,
polytheistic.Thisaspectcanchangethewaypeoplelivetheirlives.Devotingtimeto
worshipingonegodwouldcandramaticallychangeifyouworshipmultiplegods.Havingagod
fordifferentpartsofyourliveslikethesunortheocean,wouldforcetoworshipeachgodat
differenttimesdependingonwhatyouractionsare.Wecannotgetridofreligionbecauseofhow
ithasalreadyaffectedtheworld.Entirenationsarefoundedonreligiousprinciplesandvalues.
Theinfluenceofreligionanditspracticeshavebeenamajorroleinworldhistory.
Thepsychologyofreligionisanimportanttopicwhenarguingwhetherornotreligionistrueor
false.Thewaythatreligionaffectssomeone'smindchangesthereactionswhichmakesupa
person'scharacter.Acommontemptationistosearchfortheoriginofreligioningeneral


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humanurges,forinstanceinpeople'swishtoescapemisfortuneormortalityortheirdesireto
understandtheuniverse(WhyisreligionNatural).Apersonsactionscanbeadirect
reflectionofwhatreligiontheyfollowandhowmuchthatreligionisaguidetotheirlife.
Someonewhofollowsthewaysofacertainreligiontothefullestwillhavedifferentactionsfrom
someonewhofollowsadifferentreligionwiththesameenthusiasm.Beliefinreligionactivates
mentalsystemsinvolvedinawholevarietyofnonreligiousdomains(WhyIsReligion
Natural).Thisshowsthecomplexityofreligion.Italsofeelsnaturaltowantsomeoneelse
likingafteryou.Asachild,youhaveyourparentstolookafteryou.Onceyougetolder,your
teachersandolderfriendslookafteryou.Onceyougettoajob,yourbossinawaylooksoutfor
youtokeepyouontrack.Thisisthesamewaywithreligion.Religiousutterancesexpressour
basicsenseofsecurityinlifeandourgratitudeforbeingalive(KaiNielsen).Ifthereis
someonefarbiggerandgreaterthanuslookingdownoverusandguidingus,thesenseof
securityinouractionsincreases.Livingalivewithsomeonehelpingyoualongtheway,
knowingeverymoveyouaregoingtomakebeforeyoumakeit,andwantingyouto
acknowledgehispresencesoundslikeagreatagreement.Alsowithahigherbeinglookingafter
you,youcanlivealifefilledwithhappiness,andenjoyeveryminuteofit.
Butsomepeoplewanttoknowwhatreligionwasmadefor,ifitwasinfactmadeup.
Oneideaisthatreligionisatheorytohelpussleepatnight.Possiblybackinthebeginningof
time,peoplecouldnotliveknowingtheydidnotknowwhathappensnext.Thiscancause
peopletomakeuptheoriesonwhathappensafterdeath.Thesimplefeelingoffearcandrive
peopletodoaboutanything,andtomakeuphigherbeingsthathaveaplacewheretheylive
calledHeavenandwhoeverlivesbytheirrulesareallowedintothatworld.Thistheoryhave


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beenpasseddownthroughthecenturiesandbecomewhatpeoplethinkisreligion.
Theimpactthatreligionhashadinthepasthaschangedthewaysoftheworld.Itall
startedwiththeMesopotamianreligions.TheSumerianshadmanyreligiousbeingsthatthey
calledgods.Thesegodswentforeveryaspectforliving.In
ancient

Mesopotamia
,themeaning
oflifewasforonetoliveinconcertwiththe
gods
.Humanswerecreatedascolaborerswith
theirgodstoholdofftheforcesofchaosandtokeepthecommunityrunningsmoothly
(MesopotamianReligion).TheSumerianswereinconstantcommunicationwiththeirgods.
Tothem,theythoughtthishelpedthemwiththingslikeharvestandweather.Thelivesofthe
Sumeriansaredifferentthanourlivesaretoday.Next,ThepoweroftheCatholicChurch.The
CatholicChurchhadtotaldominanceintheMiddleAges.Thisperiodlastedfor1,000yearsand
endedwiththeEnlightenment.TheCatholicChurchwasthemaingoverningbodyintheMiddle
Ages,whichlastedfrom500ADthrough1,500AD.StartingwiththebookcalledTheCityof
ManandtheCityofGod,bySt.Augustine,whichblamedthethepagansforthefallofRome.
TheCatholicChurchhadcompletepowerofthepeople.Thechurchcontrolledgovernment,
medicine,andjusticesysteminthemiddleages.TheleadersoftheCatholicChurchusedallof
theirpowertotheiradvantage.Catholicleadersusedtheirpowertomanipulatepeopleinto
givingthechurchmoney,inreturnthechurchmakesthemfeelcomfortedbytheirauthorityin
Christianity(MiddleAgesReligion).ThemoneyreceivedbytheCatholicChurchwere
calledindulgences.Theseindulgenceswerereceivedontheideathatthepeoplecouldpayextra
moneytothechurchinorderforthemtoskippastpartsofpurgatory,wheretheywouldwaitto
gotoheaven,orgettheirsinspaidoff.Sincetheleaderscouldusetheirpowersagainstthe
mass,thefirst500yearsweregiventhenickname,TheDarkAges.DuringtheDarkAges,the


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peopleinEuropewentthroughhorribletimesofFamine,plague,andcorruptleadersfromthe
CatholicChurch.TheleaderssetrulesthatwerebasedoffoftheideathatGodwasthereason
forpeoplessufferingandifGodwantedtofixithewould.Manypeoplediedbecauseofthelack
ofmedicalattentiontheyneededandunfortunatelydidnotreceivebecausetheythoughtGod
wouldhelpthem.Also,thiswasthewaywiththejusticesystem.Godwastheonewhoprove
someoneguiltyorinnocent.ThecatholicleadersintheMiddleAgeswouldputpeoplein
situationstowhereiftheywouldlivetheywereinnocentoriftheydiedtheywereguilty.Many
ofthesesituationsexpectedmiraclestohappentoallowthesepeopletobesaved.These
miraclesdidnothappen,meaningjustabouteveryonetriedforacrimewasguilty.Thisexample
showshowareligioncancompletelychangetheactionsofawholenationifitisusedinthe
wronghands.
Thedebatewhetherreligionisrealorjustanothertheoryhasbeengoinginsincethe
beginningofhistory.Therearemanyargumentsmadebyeachsidethattryandprovetheir
argumentasvalid.OneideafromtheAtheistpointofviewisthatReligiousbelieforatleast
beliefinGodshouldbeimpossibleforsomeonelivinginourcentury,whothinkscarefully
aboutthesemattersandwhohasatolerablescientificeducationandgoodphilosophical
training(KaiNielsen).Thisideastatesthatwiththesciencebehindevolutionandthingslike
thebigbangtheory,theideaofagreaterbeingcreatingtheentireuniverseforhispleasureseems
ridiculous.Thescienceoftodayhasadvancedtremendouslysincethebeginningoftime.This
shouldallowustodenythepasttheoriesthathavebeenbelieved.Tothinkthatthereisabeing
thatissopowerfulthathesitsinanotherworldwatchingtheworldhecreatedliveoutlifesounds
unbelievable.Anotherideatoprovebelieverswrongistothinkofallthereligionsanddecideif


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onereligionisthecorrectreligion.Thisideamakesithardforbelieversofeachreligiontohave
thesamerebuttalstatement,becauseeachreligionhastheirownbeliefsandcustoms.Onthe
otherhand,abelieverofreligionhastheirownideas.Howcouldtheuniversemagicallyappear
fromadensemassthatexploded?Theuniverseissoincrediblethatitonlyseemsnecessarythat
somegreaterbeingcreatedit.
BelieversoftheChristianfaithbelieveinaholytextcalledtheBible.TheBibleisa
bookthathasstories,rules,andmetaphorsforbelieverstoreadandliveout.IntheBible,there
isscripturethatsaysthatifyoulivebytheBible,youwillgotoaspirituallandcalledHeaven.
HeaveniswhereyougoifyoufollowthewaysoftheBible.Ifyoudonotdothis,youwillgoto
anotherspirituallandcalledHell.Helliswhereallthepeoplewhodonotbelievethatthereisa
godgo.Allofthesethingscomeintoplaywithapersonexperiencesinlife.Throughouta
person'slife,theirideasonreligionmaychangeduetotheirpersonalexperiences.
Personalexperiencesprovetobeadecidingfactorwhenitcomestoreligion.Bible
verseshelppeopletobelieveinChristianity.
ForGodsolovedtheworldthathegavehisone
andonlysonthatwhoeverbelievesinhimshallnotperish,buthaveeternallife(John3:16).
ThissaysthatifyoubelievethatJesusisGodsson,thenyouwillbeacceptedintoheaven.This
isoneofthefirstversesakidistaughtwhenhegoesthroughsundayschool,atchurch.This
verseisdirectinthepathwaytogetintoheaven.Therefore,astotheeatingoffoodofferedto
idols,weknowthat"anidolhasnorealexistence,"andthat"thereisnoGodbutone"(1
Corinthians8:4).InChristianity,thereisonlyonegodwhoiscalled,God.Forallhavesinned
andfallshortofthegloryofGod,andallarejustifiedfreelybyhisgracethroughtheredemption
thatcamebyChristJesus(Romans3:2324).Hesenthissondowntoearthtocleantheworld


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fromsin.Bydoingso,hewashungonandcrossandtorturedtodeath.Threedaysafterhis
death,hedisappearedfromtheplacehewaskeptafterhedied.Thissignifiedthathewentto
heaven.ChristianscelebratethisandgaveitanamecalledEaster.Christianscanstrengthen
theirfaithindifferentways,suchaschurch,sermons,camps,andaseasilyassurrounding
yourselfaroundpositive,Christianpeople.BrettMyles,amanwhoworksforaChristianbased
companyCalledKLife,givesspeechesallaroundtheglobeaboutJesus.Thisiscalleddoing
missionwork.BrettMyleshastouchedthelivesofthousandsofheartsinmultiplecountries.
Thefeelingofloveyouendurewhengoingthroughoneofhistalksispowerful.Many
ChristiansfeelasenseofsecurityandlovewhentheyacceptJesusastheirsavior.Thisiswhat
leadsmanybelieverstotheCross.Therefore,astotheeatingoffoodofferedtoidols,weknow
that"anidolhasnorealexistence,"andthat"thereisnoGodbutone."(Bible)
Religionistherealwaytoliveyourlife,yetitistobeusedtohonorgodorthegodrather
thanhonoringyourself.Tobelieveinthisisachoice,butonethatishighlyrecommended.
Religionisthetheorythatthereisagreaterbeingthatcreatedtheworld.Thiscontainsmany
differenttypesofreligion.Onereligionthatstandsouttobethemostbelievablereligionis
Christianity.Thisreligionhasgoodteachingsandhaseasytounderstandrules.Humansneed
religionbecauseitistheironlywayintoheaven.Humansfeelasenseofsecuritywhenthey
knowthatthereissomeonethatiswatchingoverthemandguidingthemthroughtheirlife.The
impactofreligiononthelivesinthepasthasbeenasinfluentialasitisinthepresent.Religion
hassustainedtimeoverthousandsofyearsanddoesnotseemtobedisappearing,onlygetting
stronger.Atheistshavetheirownideasonhowtheuniversewasmadewiththebigbangtheory,
butthattheoryisinvalid.Religionhastouchedthelivesoftoomanypeopleforittobeanother


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theory.Unfortunately,itcausedproblemsthatchangedthewaysoftheworld.Religionisthe
onlytruewayofexplainingtheourconsciousexistence.


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