Why Religion Can Enhance Philosophy
By: Alex Lago
Tags: Stoicism, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, Spirituality

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Is it possible to talk to anyone about religion and not be considered a nut?

From what I’ve seen, the answer is no. The world seems to have grown increasingly hostile to religion and anyone with favorable opinions about it.

There is no doubt that countries are becoming more secular. In my history classes throughout high school and college, I have learned that many ancient nations had religion as a larger part of their policy than we do today.

For example, the Roman Empire had a position called “Pontifex Maximus” which was the highest religious authority in the day. Usually, the emperor would have this position and use it to claim his rightful position as a leader through the authority of the Gods.

Similarly, in Medieval Europe, Kings and Queens would have their nation support a particular church or religious denomination. Through this, they claimed rule through divine right.

The climate around religion seems much less accepted today.

Mike Pence is criticized for his ultra-religious beliefs and was attacked for saying that he was a Christian before he was a Republican. I’ve even heard of secular movements complaining about removing “under God” from the pledge of allegiance.

Every time I browse Facebook I see many of my friends posting anti-religion propaganda and memes. It is often considered “anti-intellectual” to observe a religion according to the posters.

On Instagram, I follow many philosophy pages. Those also seem to call religion a sham. One particular page claimed that “today’s religion is tomorrow’s myth”.

I have had conversations with my very religious coworker and we both talk about feeling isolated for choosing to follow a religion in today’s climate. Every time we mention it to someone it seems like they think we are irrational or crazy. People seem to think that I can’t be smart and think for myself if I follow a religion.

But is this true?

I don’t need any more justification for following my religion of choice. But my goal is to prove that religion can make people’s lives richer. So here’s a quote from Albert Einstein:

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind — Albert Einstein

Even though religion is thought to be set in stone and mindless — it isn’t.

It does not make a person unintelligent to follow a religion. Many great thinkers believe in religion and God. While the great Stoic philosopher Seneca didn’t believe in Christianity as it was written, he believed in a higher power.

Many believe philosophy and religion are incompatible. This makes sense. Philosophy is the study of how to live one’s life while religion is a strict dogma.

Except this doesn’t have to be true. Religion can be interpreted in many ways. It can also teach someone how to live a happier life. The issue is with people who think that religion can only be a strict faith-based experience.

Jesus is a philosopher. Apart from faith, he teaches his followers that they should live lives of kindness, magnanimity, and self-reliance. Jesus believes in using rationality in the interpretation of religion.

Jesus’s critics were often Jewish priests and temple goers who followed the scriptures too closely. Jesus argues that these ritualistic practices such as animal sacrifices, food cleaning rituals, and the sabbath day customs aren’t what makes a person righteous. He argues that for a person to truly be good they must have clean thoughts, show kindness to others, and possess an acceptance of others.

Philosophy is the study of how a person should live their life. When Jesus’s true values are considered, it is easy to see that he valued philosophy over ritualistic behavior.

That being said, I truly believe that both philosophy and religion enhance each other. This has been the case for me.

When I was defending religion on an Instagram post, a user told me:

“You should read Marcus Aurelius and Seneca. I’ve done so and they have changed my opinion about religion and how it has no place in philosophical thought”

I read both of these authors at the time of the post and their works were very fresh in my mind. As mentioned earlier, Seneca believes in a higher power and ordered universe.

Marcus Aurelius, however, takes it further. Like Seneca, he believes there is a universal consciousness or God that orders the world. He believes that our rationality, or ability to think, is derived from God. The evidence for a Godly consciousness is in every human culture’s basic sense of morality.

He makes the argument that only true and lasting happiness can be achieved through good actions. When someone does something good, there is an intrinsic, lasting happiness. Aurelius believes that humanity has a natural inclination to do good. As a result of this and the idea that human rationality is derived from God, Aurelius believes that God must be good. If God is good, then there exists the possibility that he would not let good souls die after the death of their bodies. Therefore, one of the most respected philosophers that ever existed claims that the basis for many religions exists — albeit, without true conviction.

From the above paragraph, it is clear how a philosophy such as Stoicism can strengthen the idea of religion. Stoicism’s ideas of temperance, forgiveness, and universal brotherhood, only work to strengthen most religions. These seem to be exactly following Jesus’s and many other religions’ teachings.

But how can religion add to your life and your practice of philosophy?

Simple. Religion adds that extra element of humanity to philosophy. Most philosophies seem empty without the faith that is fundamental in religion. Stoics often refuse to show basic emotion and lean more towards apathy. Epictetus told his child that he may be dead in the morning so he would enjoy his moment with him and not get too attached if he ever were to lose him.

Religion can complement Stoicism by adding a love for a person’s soul. Stoicism believes that only the inner self can be a source of happiness. The brevity of life makes some Stoics incapable of caring for people too much because they can be dead in a second. Religion could add humanity in the form of the concept of the eternal soul and everlasting life.

Marcus Aurelius often talks about his belief in God without complete certainty. I practiced Stoicism before and after I became religious. Stoicism is noble because it allows me to face anything life throws at me. It also gives me a love for humanity because it proclaims that we are all connected through our rationality. However, the uncertainty of Stoicism still made me feel empty. Christianity offered something more meaningful that complemented Stoicism.

I understand people’s qualms with religion. Some people follow it to the point where they replace science and rational thought. I completely disagree with this. Religion if taken too seriously, such as with Creationists or Islamists, can be an issue. People replace their logical view of the world for what seems like fairytales. I believe in Jesus’s message as a philosopher and accept his ideas of kindness and forgiveness.

What I do not believe in, however, are the outlandish stories in the Bible. The Bible is not a direct word from God and the New Testament is not even directly from Jesus. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote the Gospels. Luke didn’t even know Jesus personally and John wrote his gospel thirty years after Jesus’s death. Only Matthew was an apostle of Jesus.

It is also important to realize that many people Jesus preached to at the time were uneducated. Matthew and his other apostles were 12 of Jesus’s hand-chosen followers. But even they didn’t understand some of Jesus’s simple Parables. It is very possible that Jesus understood this and framed his stories for a less educated public. It is also possible that some of Jesus’s true words and meanings were lost in translation.

In other words, I believe the Bible and the Gospels shouldn’t be followed as set-in-stone dogma. I do, however, believe that Jesus’s messages are important. I believe that they can enhance someone’s life and add to their philosophical beliefs.

It was not until I found Christianity that I was able to see a bigger picture. I do good because I believe it is the right thing, but I also feel a greater sense of purpose with my adherence to Christianity. For me, life is enhanced with my healthy approach to religion. Whoever said there is no room for thought and interpretation in religion is wrong. Religion is something that can satisfy anyone’s life if it is viewed through a temperate lens.