A Profound Question

An American friend once asked me, after learning that I take prayers, observe the fasting month, and don’t drink alcohol, whether I am religious. I was quite baffled with the question as I never considered myself to be a religious person. I don’t dutifully observe all the praying times and I don’t even read the holy Quran on a regular basis.

But does it mean I am not religious? What does it mean, really, to be religious?

I do believe there is a higher power in this world, something that we all are trying to fathom. Some people call it Allah, some Jesus, Buddha, mother nature or other deity gods. I think whatever name you put on your beliefs is a product of your upbringing and community. Few inspired people found their beliefs because they are looking for one and actually consider their options.

Religiousness is, more often than not, just people trying to fit in to the ideas that their community shapes them to belief. It is inhered upon them, by not doing all the rituals, they may incur God’s wrath and prevent them for going to heaven.

Is that what a religion is? About fear?

I don’t think so. If I know anything at all about religions, they all teach about the same thing. They teach about kindness, because God is kind. Because I believe that is all every single person on this universe is capable of doing. To be kind. Whether you actually do kindness or not, it is totally your options.

God can’t be revengeful. God can’t be fearsome. God can’t be a bully. And God can’t be so calculating. So common people shouldn’t be all that.

I cannot wrap my mind around the ideas that people who try to do kindness in their life, but do not label themselves by a certain religion, must certainly go to hell. Native people, living in the deep of the forest, isolated from the so-called civilization, are eternally doomed because their God’s name is different? That can’t be true. What about other people, who identify themselves as a religious group, kill other people who do not share their beliefs? That can’t be what a religion is.

So, if you’re asking me whether I am religious, I’ll answer ‘I am not’. But if furthermore, if you ask again, ‘Are you agnostic, then?’, I’ll answer ‘I don’t think so’. I do observe some of the rituals of my choice of religion, just not all. I do it because I can find peace in it and it is something I can relate to for times to times. I don’t believe that praying all the five required times in a day is purely obligational. If I do prayers, it’s because I want to, not because I have to. And I don’t think there’s only one specific ritual that can bring you closer to God. Why, I also feel God’s presence, everytime I am sitting on the seaside, wearing swimsuits and feeling the wind blowing. I feel closer to God when I am on a mountain top.

The way you do to be closer to God should be optional. I respect people who are religious and actually do kindness. But let’s not judge other people who do not believe something you do, shall we?