I got into a debate about religion the other day; you know the kind, where neither party is going to convince the other, that they are crazy for being religious/being a non-believer. Unfortunately the non-believers fail to understand one very simple point and that is that their argument against religion is based on the very premise on which the believers' argument is also based.
Ultimately, as no one can prove the existence of god, those who believe in god are doing so in faith. By the same token, no one can disprove the existence of god; therefore non-believers are also basing their convictions on a type of faith. Faith, that just because something has not been scientifically proven, it cannot exist.
You have probably guessed where I sit in this very complex and very tenacious topic. Of course I didn't actually win the argument, but I strongly feel that whilst I have no intention of preaching the benefits of faith to those uninterested, I do wish they would adopt the tolerance of those many who choose to have a faith. Something that was quite clear from my debate was that non-believers refuse to accept the value of the teachings of the worlds major faiths, the problems arising from religion are borne out of human misinterpretation and misunderstanding. The major faiths do promote peace and love and provide ways to live your life as a better person. There are far more examples of people actively pursuing these principles with a positive impact on themselves and on those around them. Unfortunately we only hear about the negative impact of religion on our society.
So you may ask, despite all the problems that are allegedly facing our society due to religion, why do I still value religion? In my experience, my own faith teaches you how to be a better person, by living your life in an honest manner and without hurting other people's feelings. If I was to gain nothing else but these values from practicing my faith, how can anyone possibly suggest that I am foolish for having a faith? My five year old learns from school the Christian principles of how to be a better person and to thank the lord and appreciate whatever we have in life. Again I fail to see the problem with these principles, surely the only thing these teachings will do, is to reinforce the morals that as a parent you try to instill in your children.
In today's society with all the pressure put upon us by our differing lifestyles, I think we should encourage people to pursue a faith, which may go some way to creating inner peace amidst the chaos that surrounds us.
