Is Religion a Matter of Spiritual Choice?

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Is Religion a Matter of Spiritual Choice?

by Vikash Kumar

A truth seeker recently asked me a question that we have often been asked, “What religion are you convinced with and follow in your life?” My answer to them on all occasions has been that if we know the concept of religion, then you will find a bit of every religion in all of us, but the majority of no religion at all.

Whenever people discuss ‘What is religion?’ they often talk about the aspect and extension of a particular religion and its theory, but seldom the discussion is within the proposition of religion in toto. We should refrain from naming any specific religion or sect, for the purpose of discarding undue extension of theme and losing the topic of focus here. One needs to understand the role of religion in the context of individuality. Ask yourself, how is it that you are connected with religion? Through society or masses or was it your soul’s urge? With a slight dip inside, your answer will be the former – society or masses. For many of you, it could be your parents inherited or even imposed. A few of you would have adapted to the rituals, some of you would have abandoned the formalities. The rest of you would be struggling for a long time trying to make up your mind whether to accept, adapt, or abandon.

Religion is an affair of your deep core within the individual spirit, so how can someone else’s impositions fit you and your life? When buying an undergarment for yourself, it is you who judges the fitting and comfort based on how it feels on your body. That snug fit that gives you ultimate comfort and confidence. The feel-good factor can never be chosen by someone else. It is for you to choose, comment, and decide. Your trusted friends can help you narrow down your options by suggesting brands, texture, or size, but ultimately it is you who will feel and choose the best fit. This is an object, which is a matter of outside of your body, yet it is tangible, visible, and open to influence by others to some extent. So very simply, how anyone else can decide for you the comfort and suitability of a religious belief for you? How can someone else impose it on you if it is not even a matter of the body, but the soul and spirit?

OM Times is a leading voice of the Conscious Community with articles covering the full spectrum of Conscious Living. Click here to see all we share.