Despite going to church every Sunday, I must admit that I don’t 100% believe in religion. The world first began turning away from religion during the Enlightenment. Science replaced unquestioning belief in God while curious minds delved deeper into the workings of the universe. As steel and gray replace wood and stone, how does belief in an intangible being fit into peoples’ busy lives?
In Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, it is taught that we cannot achieve enlightenment on our own. Thus, we express gratitude to Amida Buddha, who will guide us towards achieving Nirvana. The reason why this sect of Buddhism was created was because the founder believed that everyday people did not have the means to devote their lives to Buddhism like monks did. In addition, as humans, our ability to be perfectly good is limited, further diminishing our alleged chances of going to heaven (or whatever one may believe). Combined with a shift towards secularism (the separation of church and state), the purpose of religion in society is forced to adapt to changing times.
Rather than turning towards religion as a means of salvation, perhaps it is better to use the values taught to us as we go through life. For example, saying thank you whenever possible. I don’t believe that doing this will help me go to heaven, but I do it anyway because I can be a better person. Moreover, the Buddhist teaching of impermanence always reminds me to try and live in the moment. The teachings of the Buddha can push me to always try my best to care for those around me, good and bad, in spite of my skepticism towards religion.