There are three guys among my contemporaries that I respect the most. All three are fervently religious, all three in three different religions. They all have their rites, prayers, and rituals. They have their own stories, their own gods, and their own leaders. But all three of them I admire greatly.

For the reason is, all three are very hard-working, very moral, and very understanding and accepting. They are logical while being religious. They are moral while being wild. All three men enjoy time with their families but have a good time, all adhered together to their religion. These guys never push their faith upon me. They just….live their religion. When I ask about it, they answer me. And whenever it is brought into discussion, they always speak highly of their faiths.

These men have these traits in common. This is despite the fact that they all believe in passionately in three different religions, and despite this, they are my three most admirable friends. One will be a diplomat, one will be a Silicon Valley executive, and one will be a business executive in Dubai. They are the favorite nephew, and favorite cousin of all the little boy and girl relatives and looked highly upon their familial, social, and religious communities. They are admired by their educated social circles and peers. They are looked upon as future leaders of their societies and their communities. Don’t tell me that religion is ridiculous or a poison upon society. The very nature of being religious creates division amongst individuals, one of the reasons for which I don’t believe in one. But it also provides guidance, a community, a way to live life properly, happily. To follow the true tenets of the religions, the tenets of which these three men adhere, you find something in common that creates something good in man: a hard-working spirit, respect for others, a bond to family and friends. Morals and such foundational elements to our human spirit are embedded in the words of these religions. But most do not follow them, hence leading to animosity that leads to jadedness towards religion, and further misery instead of escape from it.

These men embody what religion is supposed to be for society. See what good religion can do and decide for yourself whether religion is all that bad that it is called out to be. It is not. So choose your way of life wisely- not regarding sex, but regarding love and respect for each other and for family. Be good to others, and not give undue harm to others.

We must reconsider all this movement to atheism and agnosticism. It is not bad that we are becoming aware and attentive to the facts of religious history and the facts of human psychology. But it is undeniable that religion provides something for humans- a sense of order, guidance, and a sense of belonging. We need order in our lives; we need structure. It is not bad to have it. This undue focus on chasing alternatives and escaping control is going a little overboard in America. Before throwing out religion as one of these methods of social control, it is necessary that we take a close look at what we are throwing out along with it. This loss of familial closeness and strong friendship, a true meaning for who you are and what you are supposed to do- this is what we also toss. Without these qualities, we get this- a lack of bonding, emotional distress, and confusion. Religion provides soothing to this.

Religion is not all bad.