Religion Doesn’t Kill People, People Kill People

In an article entitled “11 Ways Religion is Destroying Humanity”, a reporter, Babilonia, denounces religion as a force for destruction in the world. Her one-dimensional essentialization of religion, as an intrinsic means of harm, ignores the complexities of religious violence. Social, historical and political forces are often removed from the equation when any conflict is labelled as religious. The reporter’s narrow-minded perspective on religion does not allow her to evaluate the benefits religion has to offer, along with the disadvantages. This would reveal that while religion has the potential to be harnessed for destruction, it is itself indifferent. Human tendencies, such as avarice and the desire for power, which have been manifested through religious institutions, would evince independent of the existence of religion.

Often, political power is attained through religiously justified violence, but religion itself is not to blame. It is ineffectual on its own, and has been manipulated by individuals and communities through its interpretations. James Cone, founder of black liberation theology, makes this difference clear by asserting that “although God is the intended subject of theology, God does not do theology. Human beings do theology” (Cone xix). All human beings are affected by their contexts and environments, which inevitably affect the way in which they interpret scripture. Additionally, the ambiguity of scripture, with its reliance on proclamation alone, allows for varying, often polarized interpretations. Wadud furthers Cone’s emphasis on human interpretation, through her methodology in understanding gender relationships within the Qur’an. Her approach attempts to dissect the ways that “the perception of woman influences the interpretations of the Qur’an’s position on women” (Wadud, 1). Thus, indicating that the perception of woman precedes the scriptural interpretations, and, as such the blame must be directed at the interpreter. Mary Daly, a feminist philosopher, reveals that God can be used to oppress women when “theologians proclaim women’s subordination to be God’s will” (Daly 19). Along with Cone and Wadud, she faults the theologian’s proclamation for causing destruction as opposed to faulting religion. 

Cone, Wadud and Daly are active within disparate disciplines, but the idea that humans are the ones taking action remains constant. Cone refutes the notion that any religious discourse can be objective (Cone xx). Therefore, religion’s innate subjectivity endows its interpreters with immense power. In the same ways it is manipulated negatively, it can be harnessed to enact positive change. Daly asserts that the same “God” language mentioned above is used to denounce the sexual hierarchy that exists in society (Daly 21). The ability of individuals to justify opposite positions with the same scripture, suggests that the actual power does not lie with religion, but the interpretations.

 Jeremiah Wright, a controversial pastor, adamantly denounced accusations that religion causes destruction. He argued that governments manipulate religious ideas to establish and maintain power, and that individuals erroneously confuse God and Government (Jeremiah Wright). Judging by this, Wright would likely argue that the reporter is one of those misguided people. This confusion would deduct from the ability of religious institutions to offer an outside platform to criticize the government. Safi highlights this by arguing that “...being a progressive Muslim also means being mindful and critical of the arrogance of modernity. They “direct [their] critique just as much to the West as to Muslim societies” and “strive to be social critics” (Safi 4). In this way, religion can give voice to a variety of perspectives, which is essential to democracy.

Safi and Cone would both agree that religion should be understood as a narrative about people. If this is the case, then relegating religion to a singular realm of human existence would be dangerous because of its interconnection with all aspects of life. Taylor argues that “what passes for atheism is still a mode of worship, a kind of anti-religious religion, which worships reason, skepticism, intellect…” (Taylor 16). This reveals that ideas normally associated as solely religious, such as worship, are actually human qualities that would manifest regardless. In Beyond Religious Freedom, Hurd furthers this argument, refuting the idea that religion is disappearing from public life. Rather, “it has assumed different forms and occupied different spaces under modern regimes of governance, many of which are described as secular” (Hurd 81). The enduring and pervasive nature of religion in society indicates that it fulfills an important role for individuals in society, which Hurd suggests is now being filled in other ways.

For many people, religion is capable of satisfying three primary human desires: comfort, meaning, and structure. When situations feel too burdensome or difficult to handle alone, individuals often turn to superhuman sources for help. Individuals frequently trust that their prayer and righteous actions will be rewarded by God, allowing them to believe that the universe is inherently just and vica versa. In a public declaration, Jerry Falwell stated that terrorism in the United States was self-inflicted as a result of sinful acts, such as the separation of church and state and legalizing abortion (Goodstein). This enables him to believe in a sense of universal justness. Otherwise, the world appears arbitrary, leaving individuals powerless to the whims of random, often detrimental events such as terrorism. Davis argues that religion can “inspire hope in a better world,” specifically emphasized in black theology which provides hope by “focus[ing] on the future in order to make us refuse to tolerate present inequities” (Davis 7) (Cone 3). Liberation theology’s argument that religion’s purpose is to liberate people from the shackles of oppression can provide persecuted individuals with comfort, especially through the belief that Jesus himself is on their side (Cone, 1). Additionally, God can provide a sense of unconditional love through the notion that he values and loves all of his children equally. Safi substantiates this by claiming that “at the heart of a progressive Muslim interpretation is a simple yet radical idea: every human life… has exactly the same intrinsic worth. The essential value of human life is God-given, and is in no way connected to culture, geography or privilege” (Safi 3). Without a belief in a transcendent entity, this equality would be more difficult to ensure.

When meaning is rooted in an otherworldly, supernatural force, its significance becomes transcendent-carrying more weight than a self-established purpose. Cone’s liberation theology also commands individuals to act, establishing a sense of purpose within them. He argues that we “must make decisions about where God is at work so we can join in the fight against evil” (Cone 7). Similarly, Safi argues that a fundamental part of the jihad of progressive Muslims is to rid themselves of their “inner demons and bring about justice in the world at large...” (Safi 8). Both of these figures employ abstract concepts such as evil and justice, and use religion to elevate them to the level of a cosmic struggle. Additionally,  religion has been manipulated-relegating certain groups to specific roles, especially in regards to gender. While this is commonly perceived as harmful to women, it did allow individuals to “avoid the experience of nothingness” that would otherwise surface (Daly 23). It enabled them to avoid the existential darkness that “requires confronting the shock of nonbeing with the courage to be” (Daly 24). In this way, religion is capable of filling the human desire to matter, not only in this world, but in the eyes of God. 

Daly also explains that the relegation of women to specific roles provides individuals with a method for structuring their lives. A specific role, such as a housewife, came with an expectation that provided a clear-cut model for women to follow, which provided them with a sense of security (Daly 23). Individuals take comfort in familiarity, perpetuating their reluctance to break away from traditional social orders. In his sermon, “Confusing God and Government,” Wright teaches that one should not seek revenge, but rather that one should live seeking peace. He argues that people often believe religion is violent as a result of the way it is manipulated by the government to attain power (Wright). The morals he teaches in his sermons provide individuals with morals to live by which are additionally conveyed as universal truths. Cone references Latin American liberation theologians who stress “a reflective action taken in response to the first act of a practical commitment in behalf of the poor” (Cone xix). Once this call to action is associated with religion, individuals are often more willing to follow its approach because it is willed in the eyes of God. Wadud also argues that the Quran offers a guideline for how to live, because of Islam’s orthopraxic nature. However, her interpretation of this guideline is different than ones that use Islam to justify a patriarchy. She asserts that the differences between men and women must be acknowledged to address the scope of human life, but does not inherently suggest that one is inferior to the other." (Wadud 4). 

In a secular society, it can be more difficult to fill these human desires because of the focus in this world, as opposed to a focus in otherworldly ideas. David Foster Wallace, writer and Professor at Pomona College, “sees and praises the beauty of the devout, and wants to believe, but the ghosts of self-awareness won’t let him go” (Taylor 15). He then tells a story from his youth where he is told by his parents that his toy cement truck moves only when he is not looking. Wallace would continuously try to catch the truck move and continually fail. However, as he realizes now, he never actually wanted to catch the truck move because it would mean he “outsmart[ed] the magic” (Taylor 16). Humans want to believe that there is a transcendent aspect to life. They want to believe there is more than the monotony of our everyday existence which we work so hard to perfect, only to result in death and decay. Daly explains how this lack of transcendent purpose causes the “anxiety of meaninglessness, which can be overwhelming at times when the old simple meanings, role definitions, and life expectations have been rooted out and rejected openly and one emerges into a world without models” (Daly 24). 

Individuals have to search for new ways to apply meaning to their lives, which can be difficult without a belief in the transcendent. SoulCycle, a type of workout class, asks individuals questions such as “what is your purpose?” and “what drives you”, proclaiming the goal of the class is to enable an individual to “find [their] truth” and “soul” (Davis 2). This idea of finding one's soul contradicts the notion that we live in a secular society, as it is ,by nature, a spiritual concept. Additionally, the idea that a forty five minute workout class can provide someone with purpose or a deeper understanding of truth seems vacuous. SoulCycle capitalizes on the human desire for purpose, which often remains void in a secular society. Furthermore, Davis explains different ways scholars and social critics have attempted to fill a growing spiritual void. One of which is a new emphasis on culture that “became dangerously entwined with ethno-nationalism. Communities looked to their own national myths and artistic heritage to provide the social unity and purpose that religion no longer could” (Davis 6). One place in particular that revered high culture was Nazi Germany (David 6). This shows how the tendencies towards destruction exist independent of religion and were manifested through other means.

Ultimately, religion has been harnessed by institutions in ways that have been both beneficial and detrimental. While religion is often the vehicle used to justify these actions, religious doctrines themselves are nothing more than words on a page that invite an array of interpretations. Many of these interpretations can help to fulfill human desires on an individual scale, but are easily manipulated to establish hierarchies once expanded to a greater scale. If religion, as it is commonly understood, did not exist, the desire for power would likely manifest in other ways. Babilonia’s simplified understanding of religion ignores the ways in which it is interconnected with human tendencies. Religion itself absorbs the blame, while it should realistically be redirected and focused at individuals themselves.