Schilla 1

Christopher Schilla
Professor McKeever
English 1010
27, July 2015
Word Count: 844
Is a Religious View of Life Good?
A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and worldviews that
relate humanity to an order of existence. Many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred
histories that aim to explain the meaning of life, the origin of life, or the Universe. With the
population exceeding 7 billion now in 2015, and hundreds of different variations of religions,
one has to question, which one is correct. Is a religious view of life good? Yes, living a religious
view on life is a good way to maintain a good moral compass. There is one thing in common
with all world religions, and that is the idea that we should try to live better lives. But on the
other hand it is not good to limit yourself from thinking anything but what your religious
doctrine states. One must find a balance between living out their faith, and still being able to
have an open mind to all options that arise.
Finding truth, meaning, and happiness, is usually the reason we lead our religious lives.
Finding the truth is all up to the person who is open minded enough to seek it. Different religions
have different religious doctrines that focus on different kinds of ethics, and moral codes.

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Whichever doctrine seems most important to an individual, is the one he or she should follow.
Plato once said, Take the best possible Human Doctrine. Natural sites, historical sites,
pilgrimages, and holy objects, are all parts of religion that have a deeper meaning in order to
guide its followers onto the right path in their lives. These objects/places combined with the
doctrine of the faith both show how structured religious lives are. With structure comes clear
mindedness, and an organized set of moral beliefs. This structure can lead a person into
happiness, and prosperity. But structure can also bring limitations to freethinking, as a result,
making the person oblivious to other ways of living out life.
Religion can be looked at as a set code in faith to seek moral cleanliness but still allows
the follower to have an open mind spiritually and academically. The freedom religion holds is
one of the many values that can be found in living a religious view of life. Religion can assist us
in developing a good moral compass while providing a spiritual petri dish that can allow an
individual to grow new ideas, and beliefs. Faith can even help with depression, and other
emotional problems. Michael Govan MA, LPC, writes, Most of us are powerless to change our
mood. Religious practices and spiritual mindedness point us away from what we can do, and
toward relying on our Higher Power. The hope is that He can do what I cannot. With this
religious perspective some of the daily weight on our shoulders is taken off, and often causes us
to have less stress in our lives. This faith that the Higher power can do what we are unable to
do gives us motivation to keep going, and to keep pursuing our dreams to soon make them our
goals, and eventually our reality.
Contrary to the belief that religion restricts thoughts, religion can cultivate, and produce
organic thoughts to people within the faith. Religion can create new relationships, and networks

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for people within the community. The networks, and community perspective can create the
balance needed between, original ideas, and maintenance of good morals. The community of
faith allows an individual to get many different perspectives on the doctrine of the faith, and
different views on living out life with a pure meaning.
One might say that a freethinker cannot be a true freethinker if they conform to a Bible,
messiah, or creed, but people in a faith can still choose to think freely, while living out the moral
code of their religion. There are many individuals that believe in scientific theories as well as
their spiritual beliefs, and are still able to carry out the practices of their religion. In Society
today we cannot see the amount of value that religion holds. Even though every single idea
between the church and the individual may not be agreeable, there is still a reason to stay with it.
The reason is to find the ultimate treasure, which is a healthy, vibrant spirit. Any community of
faith will provide some kind of structure to allow an individual to do so.
In conclusion, living a religious view of life is good for a healthy development of an
individual's moral compass, while also submerging them into an ocean of people with different
interpretations of the moral code, and how to live it out in life. While some may see the doctrines
of religions too limiting, there is a balance that can be found between ones faith, and their own
personal beliefs in their spiritual life. The belief that religion is a too close minded path is not
entirely true, and it could be a cultivate environment for new ideas to grow.