Religion is one of the core parts of the identity of more than three-quarters of the world, and it has been for thousands of years. Over a third of American adults go to services at least once a month, a little less attending once a week. Religion is followed by billions, yet also one of the most controversial topics in modern society as a result of differing ideas, misconstrued meanings, and, most unfortunately, exploitative intentions from those who hold power. However, religion is becoming increasingly more important- that is, assuming we as humans are able to think rationally and make decisions for ourselves. If we do not question what we are told is fact, fiction will become our reality. What religion is in name is a belief system, but the belief system is just a facet of religion’s true importance.
The most significant part of religion in our current society is that it brings a community of people together. This is not an argument that religion is necessary to find other people to spend time with, but it is an argument that it is possibly the most effective way. Through social media, the mainstream news and the fact that the meanest, most cynical people are the loudest and quickest to share (or force) their opinions on others, humans are being forced apart and made to doubt themselves and each other more than ever, and it has become a social norm to point out and make fun of the perceived faults of others. To prove this point, while writing this article, I created a Twitter account. I opened the comments on the first three posts that came up, and nearly every account was arguing, speaking cynically towards each other, or speaking hateful or discriminatory messages. Now, this isn’t to say that these Twitter users should get off their phones, go to Church, and find God, but, notably, these polarizing interactions between real human beings are becoming increasingly prevalent online as well as in real life.
Simply put, people are driving themselves apart from each other. Humans are social creatures; it is necessary for us to find community. Religious gatherings are arguably the best way to find community, where people are together in a positive and safe environment where newcomers are welcomed, and where everyone comes to socialize, find solace in prayer, or make themselves better people. In religious school for children, the idea of community is brought up repeatedly, with fundamental values such as helping out the less fortunate around us and viewing fellow worshippers as family. For years, the very first words I had heard at the beginning of religious services were “Hineh ma tov u’ma na’im, shevet achim gam yachad”, which in English translates to “Behold, how good it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity.” The people in the congregation together would sing the line and repeat it, looking at each other, grateful to be in each other’s presence, praying together. In services, it did not matter how old or young you were, how rich or poor you were, what was troubling you in the past; what mattered was the present, where people prayed and sang and built a community infinitely stronger than the spite and hatred that we seem to be surrounded by, yet we can persevere.
Religion asks a lot from the follower, but it also grants meaning for life, a purpose, in return. Again, it is not necessary to be religious for one to have a purpose in life, but it does really help. According to the National Library of Medicine, the majority of studies link religion and spirituality to positive mental health, and while there were respondents who had higher risks of worse mental health, they were more likely to be unstable or “perceiving God as distant” (Malinakova et al). In Europe, Kralovec et al. surveyed religious and unreligious adults, and adults who were religiously affiliated reported much fewer suicide attempts than those who were religiously unaffiliated (6% vs 15%) (Kralovec et al). These statistics are pretty convincing, but they are just statistics, and to the nonreligious on the other side of the issue, a number does not grant meaning, a percentage does not create a purpose. A more subjective yet tangible view could be that in this world of ours, where there is so much suffering, it is better to focus on the positive aspects of life so one can motivate oneself to do good, and not focus on the negative aspects, leading one to a path of despair and hopelessness. This is the premise of religion, where one can follow the teachings of God in order to make oneself and the world a better place. In any religious text, there is always praise for whichever higher being the text relates to, praise for the wondrous works of creation of that being. In prayer services, adherents are taught that humans were made in the image of God, and seeing that God has created so much good, we humans should work to create good as best we can in any way we can.
In conclusion, while religion is absolutely not necessary, it does more good in our world than bad. Our world is becoming increasingly filled with suffering, and it is up to the individual to work to make it better. There will always be those who exploit and manipulate the power they have for their own gain, often citing religion as a justification. These are the people who distort truth, who intentionally misinterpret sacred texts to serve an agenda, who think of themselves often but others never. These people are not following religion, but following their own twisted ideals. Religion is a path, first to the well-being of oneself, then to others. There is no end to the path, yet it does not matter how far down the path one travels, but how one is able to find meaning and happiness from traveling it.
Works Cited
Jcoleman, et al. “How The Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020.” Pew Research Center, 14 Aug. 2025, www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/06/09/how-the-global-religious-landscape-changed-from-2010-to-2020.
Jcoleman, and Jcoleman. “8. Religious Attendance and Congregational Involvement.” Pew Research Center, 23 Sept. 2025, www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religious-attendance-and-congregational-involvement.
Malinakova, Klara, et al. “Religiosity and Mental Health: A Contribution to Understanding the Heterogeneity of Research Findings.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 2, Jan. 2020, p. 494. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020494.
