Religion for Atheists summary

When was the last time you saw your relatives? Chances are it was during a holiday – probably one rooted in religion. Traditionally, organized religion brought people together, and it still does today; as secularization spreads and the population grows, however, our world will suffer more and more from a lack of community.

Think about the last stranger you walked past – perhaps you felt that you had nothing in common with her. Now consider religion, which counteracts such feelings of alienation by bringing vast numbers of people together, no matter their differences.

Remember your teenage years, when you had to constantly remind your parents that they couldn’t keep bossing you around? As children, we’re constantly faced with instructions on how to act – advice we start to reject as we grow older.

Still, we’re often faced with morally complex situations, and often, at such times, we could use a little advice. But who do we turn to?

For most of us, all those days spent in the high-school classroom are something we’d rather forget. Seems like a shame, doesn’t it! Perhaps our educational approach could do with a makeover.

Modern education prescribes that students should study specific disciplines with specific materials – study paintings to learn about art history, books to learn about literature and classical music to learn about music theory.

Have a look at your Facebook or Instagram feed. Do you see many pictures depicting the hardships or mundanities of life? Not so much. Most of us like to share things that make us seem accomplished and successful. But such posturing only serves to promote unrealistic lifestyle expectations.

Misery and sorrow are a natural part of life, and their presence actually allows us to appreciate positive feelings for what they’re worth. Striking a balance between misery and hope is a powerful aspect of many religious traditions. Take the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Every morning, adherents of Judaism congregate along the wall to pray and deposit handwritten notes – containing their wishes, disappointments and yearnings – at the base of the wall.

How can you describe what it feels like to witness a beautiful sunset, or to listen to the laughter of children? Well, for one thing, it certainly puts that terrible pimple on your forehead into perspective! The vastness of the universe can make our own individual troubles seem insignificant in much the same way.

Religions have always been particularly good at reminding us of humanity’s place in the universe and keeping us humble. Take the Book of Job in the Bible. Job lives happily, until God takes everything away from him. Why would He do this? Simply because God perceives that Job feels entitled to his great life.

How many paintings of Jesus on the cross have you seen in your life? Probably a lot. Same goes for the number of churches. Christianity and many other religions make bold use of art and architecture. But what purpose does it serve?

Art has the power to convey deep concepts and let us understand them in a profound way. In religious art, the same themes are worked on over and over again, giving us a deeper understanding of both the themes and ourselves.

How did you feel during your last visit to the doctor? Do you feel confident that you’ll be treated similarly the next time? For many of us, seeking medical help is both uncomfortable and a hassle. But what if it was an opportunity to find comfort in our bodies and minds?

For hospitals to become institutions we can rely on, some changes need to be made. And religion has mastered the art of building dependable institutions. Let’s take a look at how they did it.