by MARKANDEY KATJU
Religion has profoundly influenced human society, providing both solace and controversy
Bill Tammeus (wtammeus@gmail.com), an American friend of mine, lives in Kansas City, Missouri. He visited India with his father, an agricultural expert, around 1957 and was my classmate at Boys High School, Allahabad. After returning to the U.S., Bill became a journalist.
Now retired, he engages in social work and serves as a preacher in his Presbyterian Church.
Bill also writes a blog called Bill’s Faith Matters Blog, where he regularly shares his thoughts. His latest post, titled “A Foundational Question: What the Heck Is the Purpose of Religion?”, explores his understanding of religion’s role.
As a believer in God, Bill has a perspective on religion that differs from mine. I am an atheist and regard all religions as superstitions, holding that truth lies in science—an ever-evolving discipline. While we differ in our beliefs, we both seek to understand the purpose of religion in human life.
Why Do People Believe in Religion?
For instance, a businessman launching a new venture cannot be entirely confident of its success. Economic downturns or unforeseen events may cause losses, despite meticulous planning. Faced with such uncertainties, even the affluent may turn to religion, hoping for divine intervention.
As Shakespeare observed in King Lear:
“As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.”
However, I believe that as science advances, humanity will increasingly gain control over its destiny. Also, exploitation of man by man will by then end. A century from now, science may evolve to such an extent that religion will become obsolete, fading into irrelevance.
Despite being unscientific, religion remains integral to the lives of the vast majority of people worldwide. Why is this so?
The majority of the world’s population lives in poverty. Their lives are so harsh and uncertain that they turn to religion for psychological support. Without this emotional crutch, many might fall into despair, even to the point of madness or suicide. For the poor, religion serves as a mechanism to endure suffering and find meaning amidst chaos.
But why do relatively well-off individuals also cling to religion?
That is because we are still at a low level of development of science (compared to what it will be, say, after 100 years hence ). In other words, the chance factor is still very powerful in our lives.
We plan something, but something else happens. In other words, we cannot control our lives. So we believe there are some supernatural powers like God which control our lives, and which must be propitiated to keep them benevolent and not turn malevolent.
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