The future is something that one can never know. No one can predict the future because it is “the undiscovered country,” as it is said to be in the sixth Star Trek movie. The future is full of uncertainty and religion is definitely not an excuse for being afraid of it.
Let’s be honest, we all are afraid of the future to some extent. Whether that be if you’ll get the job you want or even if your friend doesn’t text you back. Yes, I did in fact refer to a 15 second text conversation as the future. Anything that is happening after this very second is the future. Heck, the rest of this paper is the future for you.
Back to the topic at hand. Religion is not a cover for being afraid of the future. I am a religious person and yet I still am afraid about what the future holds for me. Religion is much more than a “cushion.”
Religion is a relationship with a higher being. In my case, God is my higher being. I put my faith in Him, not knowing what He is going to do for me. That doesn’t mean that I am “fearless.” I still am afraid of a lot of things. One of the major ones being uncertainty. I can still be afraid as to what lies ahead.
Faith is about something bigger than yourself. It is about putting what the world wants you to do behind you. There is almost no way to describe how faith feels. It is like total goodness inside of you. I guess you could compare it to something like a s’more made with a golden brown marshmallow on the perfect summer night with your friends. If you could light a fire inside you that would keep you warm from the inside out, that is how it would feel.
There is a lot more to religion than higher beings and fuzzy feelings. No, it doesn’t make you fearless or better than anyone else. In fact, religion is just the opposite. It is meant for having someone, something, there for you to put your trust in when you are afraid. You are supposed to consider others better than yourself, even if that means taking a back seat and letting others get the praise.
Yes, the unknown is scary and no one wants to go through that alone. Having faith does give courage and helps that fear seem smaller but it doesn’t take it all away. Saying that faith is just a cover up for being afraid of the unknown is far from what it really is. Now I know what you are thinking, ‘using the Bible, a religious book, doesn’t prove anything.’ That is not true. The Bible is the most recorded document in history. More copies of it are dated back before many ancient literature manuscripts such as Homer’s The Iliad. It is also one of the most referenced book, even by atheists.
Religion is something that means a lot to people, more than being afraid. It means a relationship with someone that cares and loves them more than our minds can comprehend. By saying that faith is just a cover for being scared of the future you not only are throwing my beliefs away, but also that of many others. Think before you spit in the face of every religious person on the planet for believing in something greater.

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Words by Aaron Bloom|Managing Editor