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Religion defined as a faith or strongly held belief in a cause, principle or system covers a lot of ground. Should there be no strongly held beliefs? Should there be no cause worthy of our passionate support? Should there be no system of governance through which so many heroic people have given their lives? Should there be no God (as if human beings had a say)?

Religion is reality. Love it. Hate it. Die to protect it. Define it as some ethereal, irrelevant or relativistic term. Apply the moniker to any cause supported by passionate devotees. Allow it to fashion your will, craft your behavior and motivate you toward your greatest aspiration. Use it as a means to differentiate, to oppose an alternative ideology or to engage similarly minded followers.

The religious come in many stripes and whether they call themselves religious, activists, concerned citizens, people for the ethical treatment of animals or whether they identify themselves as Democrats, Republicans, Socialists, Communists, Atheists, Christians, Muslims or Jews, religion defines the attitudes and behaviors of the believer.

Religion presupposes requisite commandments, prescriptions, expectations, laws or rules, duties and allegiance. The antithesis of religion is anarchy where no cause is worthy of trust, no truth is held as absolute and no belief is worthy of love or obedience to the religion's dictates.

Religion is essential, but all religions are not equal. A religion that undermines the inestimable worth of the human being is unworthy of one's devotion. Religion that excites its followers to violence is unworthy of one's devotion. A religion predicated upon deceit, one that morally and ethically corrupts, and compromises the collective conscience of both its leaders and followers is unworthy of one's devotion. A religion that serves self at the expense of another, that uses people for the personal accumulation of wealth, privilege or power is unworthy of one's devotion. A religion that denies the supremacy of a loving creator, that seeks to undermine the faith of the simple, that stands opposed to goodness as it has been defined for millennia is not worthy of one's devotion.

Religion, in its truest and most beautiful light, is life giving, fulfilling, edifying and vital. This religion is singularly found in God, the source and summit of all joy. This religion and only this religion gives hope to the hopeless. It is a gift that finds ultimate fruition after life on this planet ceases. This religion is worthy of utmost allegiance, obedience and confident faith.

Learn more about this author, Joe Palvado.
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