By: Jazmyne
At the core of every man is belief. A belief in someone, something, or even nothing. Our beliefs can be shaped by our parents, friends, external circumstances, or even just sitting alone and pondering life. Depending on your upbringing, the word belief might have been presented in other words, faith, conviction, opinion; but according to the Oxford dictionary, belief is an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.
The word religion can be a polarizing word. In fact, scholars still debate what the word entails. The moment someone brings up religion, one can feel as if the air has been sucked out of the room. This is because everyone has an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists and usually, this belief of truth runs deep in our hearts. Truth is a foundation and if someone challenges our foundation, it can feel that our entire world is being rocked.
Oxford describes religion as a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. I prefer this definition as I believe it encapsulates humanity better than categorizing it into a supernatural deity or experience. Oxford hits the nail on the head; religion can be anything or it could be an interest that is of supreme importance to us. Worship can also be defined by a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. With religion comes worship.
For example, there are some people who dedicate their entire lives to climbing the corporate ladder. Let’s say this same person dedicates all of their time and energy into flattering their higher-ups, coming in early and staying late, working extra hard on projects and assignments, gives new ideas, etc. It could be said that this person’s religion is successful and that their means of worship is working. A god is someone’s life does not necessarily have to point to a deity, it can be abstract also.
My point is that all people have a religion. If you would not peg yourself as a traditional religious person, you might be correct. But, analyze your life. What do you pursue that is of supreme importance (not just important but of utmost supremacy.) What guides your life? What is always in the back of your mind and what are you always pursuing? For some like me, it is a deity. For others it is something else. My point is this: We are all religious.
