COLUMN: Our modern-day Crusaders

From Alan Lowinger's, "The Rest of the Story," Fall '00 From Alan Lowinger's, "The Rest of the Story," Fall '00Last week, I got into a heated debate with a friend of mine. "I don't know how rational it is to completely follow one religion to the end," I said. "How can you possibly know what God -- or any supreme being -- wants from us, if anything?" From Alan Lowinger's, "The Rest of the Story," Fall '00Last week, I got into a heated debate with a friend of mine. "I don't know how rational it is to completely follow one religion to the end," I said. "How can you possibly know what God -- or any supreme being -- wants from us, if anything?" "I know because I just know. I feel in my heart of hearts that what I am doing is what He wants," she started. From Alan Lowinger's, "The Rest of the Story," Fall '00Last week, I got into a heated debate with a friend of mine. "I don't know how rational it is to completely follow one religion to the end," I said. "How can you possibly know what God -- or any supreme being -- wants from us, if anything?" "I know because I just know. I feel in my heart of hearts that what I am doing is what He wants," she started. "Furthermore, what does it matter what I believe? America is founded on the fact that I can do and believe as I please." As a professor of mine once noted, "Not even the most religious person in the world follows a religion's every law all of the time." With that in mind, I don't mean to approach the topic of religion with the cocky arrogance that many do. I have few, if any, of the answers, if such definite answers do exist. Nonetheless, last week's Jesus Week got the ball rolling. People who normally wouldn't otherwise were talking about religion, especially those who felt that their beliefs were being threatened. I admit bias in the matter. Religion never seemed much more than a chore to me, even when I liked doing it. But it boggles my mind to this very day how someone my age can possibly be so smug and sure of the existence of one "right religion." How can anyone who has ever lived be so sure of his or herself? After an hour of talking, my friend closed this way, "I can't say that my religion is for everyone, but it is right for me, and that is what's important." True, but she also believes that her share of heaven is greater than anyone who believes differently than her. Her liberally worded response was nothing more than that: liberal words. It was reminiscent of another close friend of mine who very calmly noted: "Alan, don't take offense to this, but you're going to hell." None offense taken, I think. Keep in mind that the decision to cast me into the depths of Hades was based not even partially on my earthly deeds, but rather the fact that a man I never met was not in my heart. Her comment did tick me off, however, especially when most people who believe in one religion will freely admit that if brought up with another religion, they would believe in that one just as strongly. Her rebuttal to my objection? "True, but I am glad that God found favor to put me in the situation that I am in, so that I may serve him correctly." Well, OK. Regardless of what one believes, there is truth in that one is conditioned into religion. Smells of holiday dinners and the faces and rituals in a house of worship take on meaning and form as one grows up. But as comforting as a religious lifestyle may be, you're really just taking someone's word for it. From ancient Babylonians warring to recover the statue of Marduk and the invasion of the foothills of Canaan by Hebrews 3,000 years ago to the Crusades in the Holy Land and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, the whole of this century and all of mankind are plagued by people killing in the name of a god, against another people and its god. More liberal religious people will claim that we are all praying to the same being, but evidence of killing another -- of pitting "my god against yours" and placing a hierarchy onto different religious traditions -- seems to indicate otherwise. If I were ever to fall off of a cliff, I admit it: I would be the first to call out to god to help me. And a religious upbringing can have dozens of positive influences on a child, both then and in the long term. But if anyone would be willing to admit that they could be wrong -- that what they possess might not be the whole and complete truth -- the world would be a much better place.