How Religion Shapes Personal Values and Beliefs
When we go shopping, most of us want a variety of products to choose from. If the market sells a variety of fruits and vegetables, we can choose the ones we like best and are good for the family. If a clothing store displays a variety of items, with different styles and colors, we can choose the most appropriate one for us. Many choices in our lives are purely according to preferences. However, there are also options that will have a long-lasting impact on a person's life, such as choosing healthy food or wise friends. What about choosing a religion? Is religion just a matter of taste? Or is it a matter that greatly affects our happiness? In How does religion affect your life essay will be an attempt to give the answer.
In the world, there are many religions to choose from, and it is more opening right now in which many countries guarantee the right to freedom of belief, comparing to the past, there were fewer and fewer feel obligated to follow the tradition of grandparents. A U.S poll found that 80 percent of Americans 'believe there are many paths to salvation'. The survey also said that 'one in five interviewees said that they had converted their religion as an adult'. According to another survey in Brazil, nearly a quarter of Brazil's population has ever converted.
In the past, the different doctrines between religions were often controversial. And today, most people have the concept: 'Any religion is okay'. Is that concept correct? Does choosing a religion affect your life? A careful shopper often asks about the origin of a product. Likewise, you should be wise to ask the question: 'How do all these religions form, and where?'
The story all started about a thousand years before Jesus' birth, King Jeroboam of northern Israel initiated a new religion. He was the first king of this autonomous nation after the kingdom of Israel was divided. One of the challenges he faced was how to win people's hearts. “The king made a decision, and commanded two golden calves to be made, and said to the people, It is hard for you to go to Jerusalem! Israel! These are the gods. ” Clearly, this king wanted to use religion to turn the loyalty of the people from the southern city of Jerusalem, where they used to worship God in the past. . The religion that Jeroboam initiated existed for several centuries and eventually led to the destruction of millions of people, when God carried out judgment on this apostate kingdom. That religion is only a political card of Jeroboam. A number of other state religions that still exist today have formed in the same way, with the aim of strengthening political power.
The apostle Paul said there was another motivating force to start a new religion. He said, 'I know that after I leave, there will be fierce wolves in your circle, with no regrets; there will also be those who speak evil words against them, trying to entice their followers to follow them. ” (Acts 20:29, 30) Proud religious leaders often set up new factions to make a name for themselves. That is why the block of self-proclaimed Christianity (Christ) has divided into countless branches.
If there are many reasons, or motives to have one religion created, then a problem raised up, who do religions want to please? Some people set up new religions to meet the tastes of the majority. For example, the magazine Economist wrote about the phenomenon of super-large churches in the United States. The article commented that these churches are growing because they operate 'following the same principles as successful businesses: the customer is God.' Some churches 'make the celebrations more vibrant by using modern films, plays and music.' Sometimes leaders also exhort that they can teach parishioners how to lead a 'prosperous, healthy and carefree life'. Although these churches have been criticized for doing business in the field of entertainment or consulting, the article also commented that 'they simply meet tastes.' The paper concludes: 'The joint venture between religion and commerce has been successfully successful'.
Some other religions may not be so blatantly commercial in color. However, this kind of 'satisfying the taste' religion keeps us from thinking about the warning of the apostle Paul. He wrote: “There will be a time when people would not listen to good faith; but because they were eager to hear pleasant words, following the lust, they gathered a group of professors around them, and kept their ears close to the truth, and turned their attention to the illusory”.
Clearly, many religions were created not to please God, but to satisfy political ambition, create fame, and satisfy the tastes of the majority. Therefore, it is not uncommon for religious circles to be involved in scandals such as child sexual abuse, fraud, war or terrorism. Being said so, religion can often be considered as a scam, so what will help us choose the right religion?
Encyclopædia Universalis is right when highlighting the importance of truth, which specifically stating out a religion that teaches lies cannot be a true religion. The greatest prophet who ever lived on earth said: 'God is a Spirit, so whoever adores him must worship him in spirit and truth'.
That prophet was Jesus Christ and he also declared: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You can tell by their fruits ... So every good tree produces good fruit; But every tree that has bad fruit bears bad fruit”. When seeing the bad fruit of 'great' religions in the world and the arrival of denominations or sects has appeared, many righteous people came to the conclusion that all those religions are 'trees bad'. For them, indeed all those religions are not good enough. But how can they find true religion?
Of course, one cannot study thousands of religions in and out of Christendom before choosing. However, as Jesus said, if we use the truth and the fruit of truth as a benchmark, we can recognize true religion.
Truth and Fruitfulness
Jesus mentioned the truth. In this regard, which group of believers rejects false teachings rooted in ancient myths and from the Greek philosophy that is ingrained in most religions? One false teaching is that human souls are immortal. Jesus also mentioned the fruit. In this regard, do you know which religion has created true international brotherhood, in which love and sympathy have overcome the obstacles of race, language and national spirit? Do you know of a world religious community of believers who would rather be arrested and persecuted than let politicians or religious leaders incite them to hate and kill their brothers and sisters Are they in the name of patriotism or religion? A religion that eliminates such lies and produces good fruit will be powerful evidence that it is true religion, right?
True Religion Today - Conclusion
Is there such a religion? Yes. But you must admit that this religion is not one of the world's main religions. Does this surprise us? Is not. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared: “Enter in the narrow gate, because wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter there. But the gate is narrow and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few there are that find i ”.
So where to find true religion? To be honest and humble, that is Jehovah's Witnesses. They form an international group following the 'narrow and narrow road'. True, the major religions ridicule call Jehovah's Witnesses a sect, but the leaders of apostate religion in the first century AD also called Christians in the same way.
