by Belinda Long

Created on: October 12, 2009

Anyone with an interest in any religion could answer this question with an emphatic yes. Christians would propose that theirs is the only religion that is "right". Buddhists, Pagans and Catholics would say theirs is the only "right" religion. It's a loaded question.

If you walk into any church, mosque or temple asking questions that don't seem to have answers, each individual religion will have an answer. Few will say simply that there aren't any solid answers for these questions, we simply must trust in our maker. Many will point to a book they live by, proposing the answer is written there for all to know. From an agnostic point of view, most religious organizations will give you an answer that serves their purpose of converting you to whatever religion you are asking after. It's easy to see where some may question which religion is right, if any are in fact so.

Many could argue that Christianity has it's roots the deepest in history and therefore must be the "right" religion. For the skeptic however, Christianity seems to be a religion originally used to keep the peace between many different cultures. Coupled with all the changes made to the religion with purely political agendas, the many different people who have recorded The Bible, and the large gap between the actual events claimed and the recording of those events, the skeptic can deduce that Christianity may not necessarily be the "right" religion. It may simply be the strongest because history always repeats itself.

Every religion has redeeming qualities. They all have the perspective that theirs is a solid guide to life. Isn't that what religion really is, at its core? A solid moral and ethical guide to life? Something to believe in when all else fails? Answers to questions that in fact may simply have none? Human beings seek to feel good about themselves, their world, their actions and the inevitable end of their life. Religion easily provides this for them. It also provides them with a social network of people who believe the same as they do. Therefore, religion, whether it is right or wrong, only gives each person that which they individually need the most.

Faith is a powerful thing. It doesn't seem to matter where your faith lies. If you have faith in the power of the mind - if you truly believe that pain is all in your head - it's been said you can withstand massive amounts of it without discomfort. If you believe it's Gods will, whatever circumstance you are referring to will be easier to struggle with. If you believe a particular act is one of mercy, you can justify whatever action you may have taken despite others perhaps arguing that action as wrong.

I wonder. If we didn't have anything on which to base the length of time a religion had been around, to what religion would the majority flock? Would there be a "right" or more right religion were that to be the case? In theory, it is easy to wonder if people would simply turn to the religion that suited their needs in the moment. It is easy to wonder if in reality, there really is no "right" religion. Perhaps religion finds it's home in the hearts where it fits best.

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