Few would deny that life is an enigma. Now and again, we have all, like Alfie, wondered, “What’s it all about?” Reason seems to suggest that what we call religion developed as a means of trying to explain those ultimate, deeply mysterious questions that all have concerns about.

History records its ancient beginnings. Well before the recorded commentaries of Greek and Roman religions, cave drawings, statuary and other cultural evidence indicates that our forebears reflected deeply on these matters. Cultural evidence tends to suggest that part of its developmental motivation has been childlike fear: fear of the catastrophic, of death and the unknown.

Scientifically, we now know the reasons behind many of the “awesome” events that engendered dread among the ancients and, in numerous cases, can now take steps to mitigate their consequences. As a result, we no longer pay homage to or worship Poseidon or Zeus, yet we continue to bow the knee to other “gods.”

Although many past reasons have been negated, religion is still a large part of many lives. Why? The answer isn’t an easy one, nor can it be given in just a few words. Among the many, two simple, outstanding reasons are tradition and early training. It was observed long ago, “Give me the boy until age 7 and I will give you the man.”

Privately and individually practiced, religion causes no harm, but exercised by zealots, believing theirs to be the one true, divinely revealed religion and they the chosen instrument to administer “His” justice, it is/can be cruel and deadly. Who among us has not been, at times, a budding zealot?

Supported by evidence, scholarly studies indicate that “divinely revealed” writings, on which zealots base their unholy convictions, are often factually and historically inaccurate, often revised versions of more ancient religious myths and often composed after the fact to support a particular human religious viewpoint. Among others, this includes the Christian Bible.

Despite these facts, briefly given, reason doesn’t prevail, and we continue to persecute and torture one another in the name of nonexisting, mythical beings.

Will it ever end?
Thomas Harrison
Thousand Oaks