Meaningful lives grow out of need for religion
IN conversations I often hear people speaking against religion as if it was a conscious creation by specific people in order to control others and make money in the process.
When you look at the world’s religions this isn’t how they came to be. Religions arise almost sub-consciously. It was Voltaire who said, “If God didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent him”.
He recognised that religion fills a basic need. Humans are capable of acknowledging something higher than themselves. That is what “religio” means in Latin, “to link back to the source”.
Psychiatrist, Paul R Fleischman, in his book,
, describes religion as a circle with 10 segments and each segment describes a deep human need that is met by religion. Here are the 10 human needs that religion meets. “Witnessed significance”, is our need to be seen, known, affirmed and recognised. Religion tells us that our lives matter.
“Lawful order” is symbolised as a law-giving, protective parent, who gives us security, but also demands that we keep the rules in our own actions.
“Affirming acceptance”, is the need to know that even when we mess up, we will not be rejected. One of the best slogans for a church, I found at Glide Memorial in San Francisco. It simply said, “Welcome to the Unconditional Acceptance”
“A calling”, meets the need of humans to know that our lives are not merely random accidents.
Psychiatrist James Hillman speaks of human destiny as, “the entire oak tree is inside the acorn”. To discover the purpose for our lives, and then live that purpose is profound.
“Membership” is more than belonging to a club. Religious membership links me back to the original ancestors and places me inside the journey of my people and culture. It is a fundamental belonging to all humanity, and it is so tragic when my religion sets me against others who are members of another religion.
“Release”, can be summed up in the prayer of Jesus, “Thy will be done”. If your religion doesn’t convert your inner control freak, it isn’t healthy religion.
“A worldview”, is that need to know that I am part of all of life. Healthy religion makes me one with birds, butterflies and baobab trees. It makes me part of the cosmos and integrates me.
“Human love”, says Fleischman is the most important segment of the religious circle.
“Among the hurt and pained in need of help, the common denominator is an inability to transcend themselves to reach over and touch another heart.”
“Sacrifice”, is the ability to choose what is less than comfortable in order to fulfil a deeper demand. Sacrifice is epitomised in the life of a parent, and is the acceptance of life as it is, even with pain and suffering. Finally “meaningful death” is the gift of laying our lives down at the end without fear, struggle or bitterness.