religion - deciphering the deal

The chambers dictionary defines ‘religion’ as “a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny”. Interestingly, ‘human destiny’ and ‘supernatural powers’ are still concepts that remain highly personal and inexplicable. Though the definition given by the dictionary seems a fitting one,’ how much of it is what religion actually is? Or rather has become?’ is a thought that none spare a time to.
Till today, religion is a territory that man has not been able to explain, understand completely. Yet astonishingly, populations are divided, wars are fought, countries are born and businesses flourish solely with religion as a reason. This complex appendage of a person’s mental being shapes his routine, his nature, his social circle.
On the path of trying to decipher what religion is, one skips and tumbles while trying to patch the discrepancy between what exactly religion is and what religion is understood to be. Interpretations have evolved over the years. For the good or bad? That’s for one’s personal understanding.
So going by the common belief that religion is believing in the ‘super natural power’ to determine our destiny, completely discards the possibility of man making his destiny solely through his efforts. Weren’t religion and the concept of god brought merely to help people console themselves in times of trouble? So how does one seek consolation in the same god during times of trouble, where the trouble itself is caused due to the conflicts of religion?
History mortifies itself by revealing various riots that have taken place over the years, with religion as the main source of conflict. People have killed each other merely on the difference in religion. Thus, religion just makes one view another human being superficially. The real person with feelings, with mental opinions etc., is just overlooked. One singles himself out from a group of people merely on their religious beliefs and fails to even attempt to connect in any other way. The very fact that countries have been divided on the basis of religion rather than just geographic divisions itself reveals the intense controlling power of religion.
Rituals are an integral part of religion. It has taken the belief in supernatural powers a little away from religion and brought in the concept of being ‘religiously right’. Now, the emphasis is all about praying ‘the right way’, making the ‘right’ sacrifices, saying the ‘right’ prayers, giving the ‘right’ offerings and so on and so forth. So who decides what is ‘right’? Well, looking at the current scenario, the ‘right’ of everything is decided by the people who have the religious power in hand and also, who can reap an ‘understandable’ economic gain from it. Also, the various businesses that have flourished to support the religious practices have a significant place in the decision making. The very form of decision making is not direct. It spreads in the form of rumours and stories that have a quality of ‘confession from god’s friend’. Who has been with god to express the facts on his likings and disliking is a mystery that is yet to be deciphered. Various festivals that are merely celebrations of common belief, have now become more of a status issue. The grandeur of religious practices seems to be anointed to the depth in a particular faith. Thus, now it seems that the more stringent the rituals re performed, the more effective the prayer is going to be. So for those who have limited resources in meeting particular standards of flamboyance, fulfilling their prayers seems to be another prayer.
On a personal note, religion seems a very individual thought. It is more about how people wish to connect with a figure they can trust sub consciously. It’s that figure that can move them in times of trouble and to whom they willingly give up their credit on any effort. Whichever form it may be in, whichever name it has how many ever figures they can trust, it still remains a highly personal feeling. It may be influenced by the surrounding and the people they trust but however after a period of understanding life, one easily chooses the religion that he can connect with. How one wishes to connect with god is determined by his comfort level. So if there are such high levels of personal involvement in the faith one has in god, then how can the faith of many be clubbed into one stream and name it a particular religion? It is quite difficult to understand how rituals, passed on for years, help one in establishing a comfort level with the supernatural power. Then, it becomes more of a concept of the individual conditioning himself to be comfortable with a particular pattern of praying rather than what his comfort levels demand.
Finally, accepting the complex nature of religion and faith like in the past, man continues to pray, believe and have faith in the super natural in spite of its evolution throughout the years.