This Is Not A Boring Story About Religion | Teen Ink

This Is Not A Boring Story About Religion

October 5, 2009
By 185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Nietzsche


In the trolley bus, I was just blankly staring out the window. Suddenly, the train slowed down in my vision.

I was just coming back from student law court where I volunteer as a student lawyer. It's like mock trial. I was playing game on my shabby calculator. Suddenly, I had an impulse to look at people that were sitting around me.

A girl talking on the phone. A high, shallow, yet soft voice. Sounds like she's talking to her friend about her little sister. My eyes move on.
A guy seemingly in mid-age. Reading a newspaper. Casually dressed--a stripe shirt and a pair of khakis.
An old guy. Looks really tired. There were deep furrows in his brow. Looks like a construction worker.

In a silent trolly car, a question struck my mind.

'Why are these people here?" "What makes them do these things?" I thought. My thought process continues.

I don't remember if I tried to answer these questions that popped up in my mind. Seconds ticked by before I concluded with the final question.
'Why do we, human beings, live?' 'What are we living on for?'

See, this was the question. Good question. I don't know why. I don't know what for we're living on. And I came to realize, this was the question that th e mankind has strived to answer right to this moment.

That's why religion is so powerful. Religion gives meanings to people's lives. To some, God is the meaning of life. To others, Buddha is. It differs in every religion. Sorry, I don't know enough to list them all. Islam, Buddism, Christianity, and so on.

Also, there was this one guy in France who didn't believe in God. If we think there is no God, there's no one who can judge what's right and wrong. Think about it: why is it bad if I killed a friend? No one is going to judge me. Well of course, I would never kill a person. And other people will judge me if I did. But still, if there was no God, there would be no one to really say that's morally wrong and that's right. Get my drift? So this guy names Jean Paul Sartre said something like this, "what matters is our choice. we may choose to kill or not kill a person (well this is rather extreme)." Now, I don't understand 100% what he says, but Sartre, this guy was one of the guys who tried to answer the question.

I also thought this, like we learn in biology class. It says we evolved from a little thing. We used to be something like monkeys and chimpanzees. Biology explains that we live to reproduce. Just to make and rear our children. To continue the existence of human being. But then try to answer this question: Why are we the way we are right now? why did we evolve to be humans? Couldn't have we been more like dragons or aliens?


A sound of rumbling in my stomach. I think to myself, 'Oh yeah, I haven't eaten since lunch.' Putting these not-too-easy-to-answer questions aside, I pull out a chocolate bar from my backpack.


Suddenly, the train was at its full speed again.


The author's comments:
I really wanted to share my thoughts on this pseudo-religion, spirituality piece. Please comment and share your thoughts.

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This article has 17 comments.


on Apr. 12 2016 at 9:22 pm
ShellyToll SILVER, Rathdrum, Idaho
8 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If they don't like you for being yourself, be yourself even more" Taylor Swift

I'm sorry but I have to respectfully disagree. I'm not Christian, I don't believe that there is a God up there judging me. When I'm alone, the only person judging is me. It's because of my own beliefs and morals that I don't kill someone. I don't think it's right to end the life of another living creature. That's why I'm a proud vegetarian. I value life even without Jesus or anyone else looking over my shoulder. I don't discriminate against others due to things like gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or religion. I have been bullied and pushed aside for my beliefs. So I'm sorry but when someone says that non-Christians have no morals I want to pull my hair out. Thanks for writing this though and have a good day.

on Dec. 8 2015 at 10:26 pm
ColdplayForever BRONZE, San Jose, California
1 article 0 photos 62 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Coldplay fans are the best in the world. If you like Coldplay, then you're obviously very intelligent, good-looking, and all-around brilliant."
~Chris Martin

I respectfully disagree with this, as I am an atheist. I have many "morals" that I live by, so morality is not dependent on the belief of God. I do believe, however, that people's different opinions matter, and what they believe matters. Well written : )

on May. 11 2011 at 3:06 pm
blues_are.still_blue BRONZE, Southampton, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 109 comments

Favorite Quote:
This sentence is false.
- Unknown

Thanks for clearing up all of that; i actually accidentally ended up responded to both you and Contemplator within only one comment, which i can imagine confused you. I still dont quite see why you defend religious methods of defining morals even when you admit that they are undefinable, but i guess that's your own view.

185441 SILVER said...
on May. 10 2011 at 11:02 pm
185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Nietzsche

Before I start, I should point out that this essay is an articulation of a train of different thoughts--thus the speaker sitting in a trolley train.

1. I also agree with you that whether one's life is worth living is subjective. I do not understand where you get an impression that my response encourages suicide. "People give meaning to their own lives." -> Do you find this sentence troubling?

 

2. I still don't think you understand why I wrote about morality. What are morals? Aren't they a set of principles that we try to live by to create a good, peaceful society in which all of us can live happily? However, morals are not absolute; No, they can't be because each one of us is unique, and each and every one of us wants different things to be satisfied. However, one might want a thing (that is not necessarily a bad thing) in the world, that you don't want. In this case, you might think the other person is not living by morals, whereas the other person might just plainly think it's completely moral. Again, we have a set of standards and principles by which we judge right and wrong that we call "morals". But each of us has different sets of standards because we are different.

Then one might be confused as to which set of principals to follow. Of course, our morals do have in common, such as law. But there are many subtle points as to how everyone's ideals and morals are different; it's something I can't list all.

 

The thoughts outlined in this essay might seem too radical, or plain  stupid. But this is us, this is human. We question things, sometimes the things that we think we know the answer to, things that we are too used to. 

Thanks for bringing it up blues, and thanks again for reading. Please feel free to point out anything that sounds off to you.


on May. 10 2011 at 10:03 pm
blues_are.still_blue BRONZE, Southampton, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 109 comments

Favorite Quote:
This sentence is false.
- Unknown

1. Whether it's a life worth living or not is subjective. Are you implying that people who don't project meaning onto their lives don't have as full a life? One could interpret your response as encouragement to commit suicide. 

I never said that you mentioned that we need a deity for life. I said that your writing implies that god is required for people to find meaning.

2.Actually, your entire paragraph about the french man implies that without god, morals hold no meaning. "...if there was no god...no one to say whats right or wrong...if we think there is no god...no one to judge whats right and wrong..." (exerpt from YOUR essay)

And yes, you are trying to suck up to a sky-daddy. whether you call it "obeying god" or whatever, the motive is the same.

My mind is boggled at the fact that you admit morality is at times non-absolute, and yet you attempt to defend an institution that so strongly tries to fit it into a set of criteria, such as not eating shellfish.

Contemplator: DO you even know what a theory is? It means that the hypothesis ALREADY HAS gone through the scientific method. THOUSANDS OF TIMES.

3. Alright, i understand the literary use of the word dragon towards evolution, i just wanted to point out that in logical terms, it doesnt fit with the premise of evolution. In terms of writing though, it's effective.


185441 SILVER said...
on May. 10 2011 at 6:53 pm
185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Nietzsche

My reply is mainly targeted at blue's comment. But I think, as author, you are being a little nit-picky (my apology for the poor word choice, couldn't think of a better word; I'm not trying to pick a fight here). I mean, just look at the bigger picture. My mention of evolution is merely an example that I am presenting here. I agree with you that the paragraph needs some work, though. Thank you for your comment--I appreciate it.

on May. 10 2011 at 6:43 pm
Contemplator SILVER, Lake Park, Minnesota
5 articles 0 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is a rainbow in your mouth! Open it up and show the world.
This is just like ice cream without the cream.
I'm as stiff as a dried out twig in the middle of winter.
Who lit the forest fire; the match, or the man holding the match?

Im am confused with your comment. Are you directing this to me or blues_are.still-blue?

Your statement in your article about evolution is loaded. 'Is evolution even real? If so, why' or something like that would be better, I think.


185441 SILVER said...
on May. 10 2011 at 1:04 pm
185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Nietzsche

Author here.

1) I have no mention of deity as a necessary part of human life. Nor do I claim it should be. Yes, I agree with you, people give meaning to their own lives.

2) What you got away from this writing is partly incorrect; I have not made a statement saying morality and religion must exist together. And morality is not an absolute standard. You claim you are moral, but who are you to judge yourself more moral than anyone else? Morality, in its own strict terms, is an irony because we have no one in power to define it unless you believe in deity. Religions, in that case, outline morality.

3) You misunderstand. Let me make this clear. Look at things in metaphysical terms. Why is your DNA polymerase made up of nucleotides? Why couldn't it have been made with heavy metals only? It couldn't have. But why? You probably know matter consists of atoms. But why? Could there have been some other base structure other than atom that could have become the basis of matter? My mention to 'dragons,' as you point out, was my way of 'stooping down' to be able to generalize a specific thought.


on May. 10 2011 at 12:10 am
Contemplator SILVER, Lake Park, Minnesota
5 articles 0 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is a rainbow in your mouth! Open it up and show the world.
This is just like ice cream without the cream.
I'm as stiff as a dried out twig in the middle of winter.
Who lit the forest fire; the match, or the man holding the match?

1) God is not required to have a life with meaning, but is it a life worth living?

2) Morality is not dependent of religion. It is dependent on the person who makes choices in life. We are not trying to get approval from a 'sky-daddy', we are trying to obey God, which happens to be approved by God

3) I agree with you here. Dragons? Really? Though evolution is ONLY a theory, it is a theory that deserves to be put through the scientific method properply.


on Mar. 26 2011 at 12:42 pm
blues_are.still_blue BRONZE, Southampton, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 109 comments

Favorite Quote:
This sentence is false.
- Unknown

1) People give meaning to their own lives. "god" is not required.

2) Morality is not dependent on religion. I'm an atheist, and i can easily say that i'm far more "moral" than many of my religious counterparts. Also, i'm not moral to get the approval of a sky-daddy. I'm moral because i realize that there are 7 billion other people on this planet and we have to figure out a way not to kill each other.

3) You obviously know next to nothing about evolution if you think that we just as easily could have evolved into "dragons".


on Nov. 10 2010 at 7:12 pm
Singinstar GOLD, Commack, New York
10 articles 1 photo 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway"

i think that was cool how you worded everything. and i also think it has a good message

 


KellyR GOLD said...
on Oct. 23 2010 at 10:55 am
KellyR GOLD, Richmond, Virginia
14 articles 0 photos 258 comments

Favorite Quote:
We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

I'm not really sure what point you are trying to make in this.

185441 SILVER said...
on Oct. 22 2009 at 10:33 pm
185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Nietzsche

Thanks a lot!

185441 SILVER said...
on Oct. 14 2009 at 11:05 pm
185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Nietzsche

I also intentionally dragged on here and there to make it little bit casual and colloquial. I really did not want to make this a heavy piece that you really need to sit down and think about to understand, hence the title.

185441 SILVER said...
on Oct. 14 2009 at 11:02 pm
185441 SILVER, 398765, Other
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Nietzsche

What part of this article did you feel was particularly not clear enough or awkward? If you could point that out for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

on Oct. 14 2009 at 10:59 pm
pencil.to.paper BRONZE, Sandy, Utah
1 article 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. - Unknown

I enjoyed this article. There's a lot to be said about religion - even that's an understatement. But in this, you simplify that down to the core basics: What religion is, and why it's here. The way it's presented is interesting. I like how you use ordinary people to describe something extraordinary. The idea, the mood, the overall feel of the article is great. One thing I would work on is your transitions between points. Try to connect your next point to your previous one. Also, there's a few sentances in there that feel a bit... abstract, like there's something missing, or something that's there but doesn't really belong. Overall, it's a really great piece - just tighten up the screws a little in your presentation and it's golden.