Faith and Service Conference

Some people are very religious and perform all the rituals and visit places of  worship,  but they have no morals.  They will not think twice before cheating or  lying to another person.

Atheism is the philosophical view which rejects the existence of  god. Since there is no scientific evidence of  the existence of  god or any supernatural being, atheism is based on  rational thinking. However, most people are conditioned by society to believe that praying to God will solve many of their problems.

Most babies are born without any religious beliefs, they do not know of  any “God” . As they grow older, in many countries they learn their religious beliefs from their family members and society.  Some children grow up and question the validity of  the beliefs they have been taught, others continue to blindly follow tradition. They may or may not continue to believe in the religious beliefs of  their parents.

Though many people consider atheist or agnostic people immoral, there is enough evidence to show that religion is not an indicator of  morality. In the Scandinavian countries, a very large percentage of  the population is agnostic, but these countries have the highest living standards and lowest corruption levels.

“Religion is the opium of the masses”  is one of  the most widely quoted statements of Karl Marx, whose is considered the founder of communism. Religion is the cause of  many problems today . It is a very convenient excuse for a person’s misdeeds . Many atrocities and wars are committed in the name of religion.

A basic study of  the holy books for all religions indicates the same teachings - do not harm anyone, help others, be humble . However, over the years, people have forgotten the basic philosophy of their religion. Many people who are poor blame their economic condition on God and do not take any action to improve their fate.

Similarly, for people who are rich, God is an all powerful being who can be bribed to grant their wishes .  So the rich donate a lot of  money and other goods to temples so that their wishes can be granted. Many people think that by performing prayers and rituals,  they will escape the consequences of  their misdeeds and actions.

Spirituality, deals with the spirit of an individual and may not be tied to a particular religion. It usually include belief in supernatural powers which are differently defined in the various religions. Since every person has had different experiences , spirituality helps the individual find your inner self by defining his or her own path.

Religion is the faith in a supernatural power controlling human destiny. It basically comprises of a set of beliefs, attitudes and practises. Many of the rituals prescribed by the various religions have no scientific basis. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism are some of  the major religions of the world. Different religions are popular in various regions of the world due to political and economic reasons . Differences in religion have been a major cause of conflict for centuries, and will continue to cause friction in future.

Theology is the study of the teachings of religion and foundations of belief. Most theology studies today are related to Christianity, and include the study of the Bible