Can Religion Save Itself?

In response to the recent attacks on Paris by ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), an extremist group of muslims, David Brooks wrote an article this week titled "Finding Peace Within the Holy Texts." In it, he describes how our struggles are just beginning when it comes to religious radicalism. The 21st century, he argues, will be filled with a growing religious population that will force us to answer religious issues with religious solutions.

Why does he think religious solutions are the key? For one thing, religious people have more children on average than those who are nonreligious, so our society will be largely dominated by religion whether we like it or not. This means that we should not only be conscious of religion, but that we should try to use it to help us achieve our goals. After all, he advocates, religion itself is not the source of conflict. Rather it is the formation of distinct "in-groups" and "out-groups"(distinctions that allow us to identify with one group while opposing another) that lead to our discord and religious strife. Brooks contends that we need military force to stop ISIS and other groups that threaten us, but we also need to foster an environment of religious acceptance to have a lasting impact on the world.

As someone who does not identify with any one religion, I have always been somewhat skeptical of it. I think that religion is a really important force in many people's lives because it brings people together. It helps them answer the questions that they can't explain. I have always admired the religious communities that take people in and try to make an impact on the lives of others. But, I have also seen the drastic effects that come from opposing religious views.

The problem is that once we buy into one ideology so completely, we begin to view every other one that contradicts it as wrong. This effect becomes so overwhelming that we can't see beyond our differences. We lose sight of our shared values. We justify terrible crimes by saying that we are fighting in the name of God. Religion has exacerbated disputes like the Palestine-Israel Conflict, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people. Today, groups like ISIS and the Taliban have destroyed the lives of many innocent people. It is so hard for me to believe that the God who teaches us love and respect within our religions could tell us to hate so deeply those who disagree with us.

I agree with Brooks that we need to change, but I think his solution may be too idealistic. How can we overcome such great divides in our beliefs and our cultures? Is it realistic to think that one day we could have world peace? Unfortunately, I think that even if that is possible, it is very far into our future. What we need to do now is stand in solidarity with our friends. We need to support them in this time of crisis. We need to fight hate with love. And maybe one day, we will be able to stand together in peace.

Image compliments of:
Pixabay