Does Religion Have a Direct Impact on How We Live Our Lives?

The laws and social norms of society have deep roots to the various religions of the world. If the world did not have any religion, would we still view crimes in the same light? It is possible because of the human nature. If there was no religion, would there be constant world piece, or would greed get the best of us? Here is a look at some laws which have been inspired by religion, followed by a discussion of what the world would be like if there was no religion.

Laws against Murder

The laws against murder come from one of the most popular parts of the Bible, the Ten Commandments. This commandment tells us we should not murder. If there was no religion would this still be a law? It might be because as part of our human nature we have a part of us which is compassionate towards others.

Laws against Theft

Of course everyone knows it is wrong to steal, but where did this perception begin? It began in the Old Testament, when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. God gave the command that we should not steal. If the Ten Commandments did not exist would people take from others or would we all refrain from taking from our fellow citizens?

Laws against Perjury

In the courts, there are laws against perjury and giving false testimony. These laws come from the same Ten Commandments. God has instructed us to not bear false testimony against our neighbors. In reality, we should never lie about or to anyone regardless of the consequences. How would the lack of religion change our criminal justice system? Perhaps, nobody would be able to be imprisoned or convicted of a crime, or anyone could be convicted of a crime regardless if he or she actually committed the crime.

World without Religion

The world has many conflicts and the central root of the conflicts is religion. If all nations could come to a central belief in one religion, perhaps world peace would be imminent. Unfortunately, Islam and Christianity, which have similar belief systems, have condemned each other. It is because of the clashes between the two religions that radical Islamic followers choose to wage a Holy War, also known as a Jihad, against the United States and other western nations.

It is unfortunate, in a world of many opportunities, that we have allowed the differences in religious beliefs to wreck havoc on the world. Unfortunately, religious beliefs will not fade away because many of us need something to believe in. Religions give us hope and purpose for living. If we lived in a world without religion, many of us might not follow the same rules, laws, and social norms to which we have become accustomed. Maybe there would be world peace and no more wars or terrorism.

On the other hand, living in a world without religion can bring out the worst of people. People would feel no hope or might not have a reason for living. If there was no religion in the world, there is a possibility that the world would spiral out of control. We could possibly live in a state of anarchy and every man would have to fend for himself. This would not be an ideal world to live in. We would lose sight of all morals and laws we have in place now. Because of the potential for anarchy and hopelessness, religion exists. It has been known, for many centuries, that religion is what controls people. If religion was taken from people, we would not have a government as strong as ours and we could essentially do whatever we wanted.

In short, I am glad there is religion. Religion has helped keep our lives, even while devastating at times, interesting. Religion gives us the hope to wake up each morning and live our lives accordingly. I would much rather live in a world with clashing religions, than one which has taken away all hope and safety from the people. How do you feel religion has influenced the world? Does religion make the world go round or is it just human nature to band together and try to gain as much as we can in our earthly lives?