I Don't Believe In Religion Because...

I don't believe in religion because, firstly, the idea of religion these days, or rather where I come from, is one that is solely based on gaining authority or superiority over other individuals or religions. This means that one religion seems to have a form of informal superiority over another.

Take, for example, Nigeria. People living here are mostly into one of three religions that were passed on from their forefathers: Christianity, Islam, and traditionalism. We have other religions here too, but these are the main ones. As a Nigerian, you are most likely to fall into one of the above due to your geographical area or personal beliefs. There are even those who partake in more than one religion - to the religionists at a higher level, these people are seen as hypocrites.

But then, the choice an individual makes about which religion he or she prefers, if they are able to choose, is only at the ground level. At a higher level, like with the pastors, imams, and herbalists, they tend to create a form of division that only sees their own religion as the only way and the truth. This diminishes other religions and their doctrines.

In addition, this has created a form of division among people as they only identify themselves as a Christian, Muslim, or traditionalist without showing or having regard for what contradicts with their religion's doctrines.

To me, I believe that regardless of any religion we may be into, it should not lessen our compassion for fellow humans, whether they are Christian, Muslim, traditionalist, Buddhist, Judaist, Taoist, or any other ones I may have missed or haven't heard of yet.

I remember when I was growing up, being raised as a Christian. Most preaching was sometimes to put the teachings of other religions to shame because we believe we are the one special way and the one special son of God. We were told that we have to avoid other religions, or else we go to hell.

I might have lived some of my life based on this type of belief system and doctrine from our pastor back then. However, I got to a point in my own life where I became curious about almost everything - from how I live to how I should be living and what should be considered living.

Because honestly, living as a religionist never really made my life better, or my family's. It only caused divisions between our families and friends, even though we consider ourselves to be Christians. My dad still took on two wives after my mom. I used to see other humans as unbelievers before, but how about my dad? Not long after he was demoted from his post and left the church because it violated their teaching of taking only one wife. It was then I started changing my perceptions about religion.

I realized that the religion we have today and its teachings have caused us humans more harm than good.

I don't know about other countries, but here where I live, it has caused not only broken families but even wars that still exist today at the lower level and at the higher level. People wage wars against each other that are religion-fueled, harming fellow humans thinking they are doing the right thing. All in the name of having a belief system that somehow the world needs to follow or you'll use every means necessary to make them succumb to your belief system, even if it means using violence.

However, this doesn't mean that everyone behaves the same, but none of the religion doctrines I found around me seem to promote inclusion. Rather, they feed on more division.

And that's why I detached myself from them. After exploring a few religions, I came to the realization that they are all unique ways to attain enlightenment and cultivate ompassion for one another. However, we have twisted them around to fit our agenda to gain power or control over others.

All religions teach compassion and inclusion, but in today's world, they are mostly about division. That's one of the few reasons why I don't believe in religion itself as a way to define my life.

I don't attach my life to it like most people do, and I don't follow everything I am told to do, even if that means strapping a bomb to my chest to cause mass destruction of lives and property.

However, I do believe in all messages in each religion as I see them as mere pointers to what individuals have to find on their own. Such a message isn't what you'll hear today. You have to follow what the preachers say, or face their wrath.

Buddhist have a common saying that if Buddha himself stands in the way of your enlightenment, you cut him off completely without thinking.

In my case today's religion seems to be standing in the way of my being human and showing pure love and kindness towards others no matter their religion, so i think I'll be better off without it. However I know what they are all pointing to but that could be based on my own perspection about it but seeing it as a way to identify myself wouldn't work from my own view.

This is my entry to the weekend engagement prompt by galenkp

Until Next time, I hope you had a nice read and I await your opinions and criticism in the comments

All images are mine