WHAT IS RELIGION

What is Religion?

The world has changed. Those who follow the news are surrounded by signs of a great “religious” resurgence – involving 30,770 attacks around the world since 9/11, including 21,242 murders just in 2016. These incidents are often muted, however, by news media that don’t want to give the impression that these changes have something to do with Islam, which is, after all, a religion.

Mosques are being built everywhere. Saudi Arabia has funded the building of thousands of mosques throughout the world and has supplied massive funding for the more than 2000 mosques in America. Christian churches are forbidden in Saudi Arabia – and are being destroyed in Egypt, Pakistan, Syria, Nigeria and elsewhere, where their existence was previously allowed.              And we learn of the unusual “cultural” proclivities of Islam – execution of apostates and homosexuals, ideological and legal relegation of females to inferior status, female genital mutilation, divorce without appeal, rape without defense, honor killings, stoning for adultery, etc.

But it is a religion, isn’t it? Maybe the only religion with violence approved throughout its scriptures over a hundred times, but nevertheless a religion subject to all the rights that are guaranteed by our Constitution, right?

We need to pause to consider what is meant by a “religion.”A religion is not merely an ethical system, although it’s expected to conform to the basic tenets of natural law – e.g. recognition of others’ rights to life and property, parental obligations to progeny, right to seek the truth and engage in rational pursuits. A religion goes beyond moral requirements to seek personal spiritual perfection and to create a more harmonious and peaceful moral order, as is exemplified in Christianity emphasizing perfect love of God and even love of enemies. We find these characteristics also in pre-Christian “natural religions.” Buddhism, even though partly agnostic about God, advocates striving for Satori (Enlightenment), and is oriented towards social peace and compassion, sometimes through meditation centers. Hinduism grants it highest honors to saints who strive for unity with the highest god, or Brahman, attaining Samahi, Yoga (“Union”). In Islam, we see some elements of these aspects in the Sufis and the Baha’is. Most Muslims, however, consider these heretical sects definitely outside the mainstream. But even if a religion does not go much beyond ethical tenets, may we not expect and demand that it not advocate actions clearly contrary to the natural law – murder, lying, adultery, stealing? The natural law is natural. We might presume that most Muslims adhere to the natural law, and if pushed to serious infractions, would resist. But there are special problems encountered by Muslims. For the Qur’an contradicts common moral standards, and the “prophet” Muhammad is revered by Muslims as the “perfect man” to be imitated and loved. (We are talking here about a warlord with a harem, including a child bride and slave girls, and involved in multiple massacres, deceits, fierce hatreds, and revengeful actions.) A “religion”? Islam would be more accurately classified as a political/religious cult – “political” because there is no distinction between “church and state,” no possibility of voluntary subjection to any non-Islamic political power, and in fact an eschatological goal of extinguishing all other states and religions.