Happiness Tuesdays
Faith, Something to Believe in
Misconceptions About Religion
The validity of religion, whether individual or the construct of it on the whole is often called into question. There are certainly many skeptics in our world. Understanding religions can be difficult, particularly if you did not grow up familiar with what it looks like to be a part of one. Tensions between people of varying worldviews/faiths are age-old and complex, many of them intertwining with significant historical events.
But many conflicts/tensions between differing worldviews can be boiled down simply to a lack of understanding. There are countless misconceptions about almost every single religion, with varying degrees of severity - but some have done a great deal of damage to the reputation of both individual members and religious groups on the whole.
It’s true, most of these misconceptions come from somewhere. But not everything you read on the internet is written from an unbiased standpoint, or without an agenda. And the beliefs of one person or extremist do not dictate the actions of hundreds, thousands, or millions of people.
To some degree, you will never fully understand a religion if you are not a part of it. There are cultural contexts that probably just won’t make sense to those who haven’t been immersed in them.
However - do your research. An important part of respecting others is being educated on how they live their lives. Ask friends who have different beliefs than you to explain and fill you in without igniting a debate. Get to know people you disagree with intentionally, and find out what other worldviews look like. Our world is big, and complicated, and diverse. Don’t just listen to rumors and headlines. Focusing on people and relationships gives you a more informed, more well-rounded view and better equips you for life in community.