Religion Gives Meaning to Life



Religion Gives Meaning to LifeLouis P. Pojman“ If theism is true and there is a benevolent supreme being governing the universe, the following eight theses are true.”1. - There is an explanation for how this universe came about and of its sustenance. - This refutes ‘The Big Bang Theory’ which is the main cosmological model for the early development of the universe. - There is a Heavenly Being who cares about us. - The visible world is part of a more spiritual universe from which it draws meaning. - Scientism assumes that the world lacks a telos. Theism on the other hand tells us that all things have a purpose , that the universe was created at a point in time and will continue to exist until its prescribed end.(A telos (from the Greek τ?λο? for "end", "purpose", or "goal") is an end or purpose, in a fairly constrained sense used by philosophers such as Aristotle)2. - The world is covered in goodness. Good will always win out over evil. - We need not fight in vain. If the universe is meaningless, nothing will matter. - But if an eternal goodness exists, all will be well. Nothing worthwhile will have been in vain. 3. - God loves and cares for us. - We are not fighting alone. God is on our side… so long as we are righteous and fighting evil. - We live moral lives not out of fear of hell, but out of gratitude to the One who loves us and whom we love. - Secularism lacks this sense of cosmic love. - Secularists see altruism as not only stupid but as anti-life for it gives up the only thing we have; our ego in an impersonal and indifferent world.4. - Why be moral? - Because of the love of God and because love guarantees us justice. - i.e. you will get what you deserve. - good for good and bad for bad. - The good really is good for you. - Why should I be moral when I can gain from wrongdoing? - Karma: what you do to others will be visited upon you. If you do good, you will receive good and vice-versa. - Self interest and altruism coincide. 5. - Cosmic Justice - The scales are balanced so that everyone will get what he or she deserves. - This is based on one’s merit. - There is no such thing as luck. - Each will be judged according to how one has used one’s talents.6. - All persons are of equal worth. - Since we have all been created in the image of God and are His children, we are all brothers and sisters. - We are family and ought to treat each other benevolently as we would family members of equal worth. - Modern, secular, moral and political systems often assume the equal worth of the individual without justifying it. - Without the Parenthood of God it makes no sense to say that all persons are innately of equal value. 7. - Grace and forgiveness – a happy ending for all. - All is well that ends well. - The moral guilt we experience, even for the most heinous acts, can be removed, and we can be redeemed and given a new start. - This is true moral liberation.8. - There is life after death. - Death is not the end, but we shall live on, recognizing each other in a better world. - We have eternity in our should and are destined for a higher existence. - I Hebraic-Christian theism is true, the world is a friendly home in which we are all related as siblings in one family, destined to live forever in cosmic bliss in a reality where good defeats evil. - If secularism is true, there is no basis for human equality, no reason to treat all people with equal respect, no simple answer to the question, Why be moral even if it’s not in my best interest? No sense of harmony or purpose.ConclusionTheism does not deprive us of the ability to choose. It does not take away our free will. We are free to choose good or evil, whether God exists or not. Although we do not know for sure whether theism is true or not, it is morally appealing to live as if it were. As in Pascal's Wager, we have more to gain in living as if it were true rather than leading a selfish and immoral life. Religion gives us a purpose and a basis for morality. We can use it to build a greater civilization and we may neglect it at our own peril. ................
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