We all believe in the core of doing to others as they would do to you. It’s the essence of many teachings: Christ’s message of love, Buddha’s path to enlightenment, and even the teachings of Muhammad. At face value, these religions are built on kindness, compassion, and justice. But what happens when we dig deeper? What do we do when the messages get complicated, and the morality of some religious teachings feels, well, off?
Consider the dark undercurrents in many religious histories—antisemitism, slavery, sexism. When we’re taught to see certain groups of people as less-than or when it’s preached that a person’s suffering is their own fault, religion can start to sound immoral. These teachings go against the grain of that simple, golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated.
It gets more personal when religion shames those struggling with mental illness or curses those who contemplate or die by suicide. These teachings suggest that mental health issues are punishments or failures, rather than understanding them as human challenges. The idea that diseases or tragedies come from the devil or that you’re somehow deserving of your suffering can push people deeper into pain, isolation, and shame.
What do we do when the things we hold sacred make us question our own moral compass? What happens when following the rules of a religion leads us to turn against our better nature?
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, like you’ve sunk in too far, when religion sounds immoral. But maybe the key isn’t in giving up, but in stepping back and questioning. Maybe we need to look for the humanity within the teachings, to separate the love from the fear. After all, isn’t the point of spirituality to lift each other up, not tear each other down?
I want to hear your thoughts—what do you do when you feel in too deep? How do you reconcile these conflicting ideas? Leave your answers in the comment section, and let’s figure it out together.
by Dan and Bonkers
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