What if We Banned Religion?

Feb 12 2005

Question:

I think that the world would be a much better place if religion was banned.  All that religion has done is cause wars and conflicts over the centuries, and it isn’t any different today.  I don’t expect any politicians will have the courage to actually ban religion, but we’d be better off if they did.

Billy Graham’s answer:

Only you can say why you have so much anger in your soul. Anger toward people who believe in God and ultimately anger toward God Himself.  Yes I know my words have probably made you even angrier, but I hope you will stop and think about what anger has already done to you.  For one thing, it has closed your mind, so that you can’t even listen to any other point of view.  It also has blinded you to reality.  But your anger and pride have blinded you to an even greater reality, and that is the fact that one day you will stand before the God you now reject.  Why gamble with you eternal soul.

Jen’s response:

While it is true, religion has caused much suffering and violence; the real problem is people trying to force their personal ideology onto others.  It doesn’t matter what the ideology is, it could be Islam, Christianity or even atheism.  History shows us that whenever a group of people decide that everyone else would be better off if they believed as they do, the results are oppression and suffering.  Don’t forget the example of Communism which tried to force atheism on people.  To me, this is just as offensive as what happened in Afghanistan, and what is being proposed by Christian Reconstructionists in America.

You simply cannot force people to think like you do, and the world would not necessarily be better off if you could.  What works for you does not necessarily work for others.  I myself am not a religious person, but I do have many religious friends and family members of faith and their faith is part of what makes them the wonderful people they are.  From my discussions with them, I have come to realize that while non-belief is a source of freedom and inspiration for me, for my family members and friends of faith, non-belief is a frightening idea and if they were to abandon their faith, they would be miserable.  When it comes to matters of faith, I refer to the great sage John Lennon.  Whatever gets you through the night, its all right, its all right.