Thursday, March 26, 2009

Either way, stop worrying and enjoy life



Some people have been distressed over ads on the TTC that proclaim "There probably is no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy life." I believe that all religions should be able to exist free of discrimination, but don't have a problem with this ad and don't find it particularly offensive.

Anyone that has more than an ounce of faith isn't going to abandon God because of these ads, and the message isn't really making an attack on people of faith or their beliefs, its more so (in my interpretation) addressing people who are unsure of whether there is a God and are worried / fearful about the prospect. The TTC accepted the ad because they allow religious advertising, showing that they are willing to accept some minor backlash in order to do what they felt was right in a secular society. Atheism should be accepted and tolerated just as religion in its many forms should. I find that in efforts amongst faith groups to embrace the religious beliefs of others, Atheists are often left out. Also, many atheists are openly against ALL religion, and may do so in the name of human rights, citing the many problems that religion causes in the world. But those problems are really caused by specific interpretations of religious teachings. Religion can be an important part of culture, and in being intolerant of a person's religious beliefs, you are subjecting them to discrimination. In large doses often this leads to the oppression of specific faith groups.

The United Church of Canada (which is the denomination that I grew up in and still associate with) has launched the counter ad pictured above. The ad was intended to include both atheists and people of monotheistic faiths, and create discussion amongst both groups, but I find that it also provides a link between the two different views and shows that our ideas aren't all that different. Some people don't sweat the small things because they don't believe in God, and aren't worried that a higher power with punish their actions. Others don't sweat the small things because they do believe in God, and know that God will take care of them and keep them safe, so they aren't as worried about the details of day to day life. Some people who don't believe in God worry a lot, and feel that they are responsible for every little detail of their life, and feel panicked when things go wrong. Some people who do believe in God worry a lot as well, and feel that they need to do everything right in order to please God and fear punishment if they do not meet certain ideals.

So if people of faith and people of no faith are both feeling the same emotions, tensions, and levels of anxiety, then maybe it isn't really religion or lack thereof that is causing these things. Maybe it is a state of mind / personality type that people have, and they interpret their beliefs into it.

Speaking personally, I generally don't worry about things and trust God to take care of me. I believe in fate and have found that when things seem like they couldn't be worse, a sudden turn will change my perspective on what is happening and as things resolve and work out, I understand the reasons why things happened the way they did, and often it was for the better.

I like the dual advertisement, because it brings forth the message that whether or not you believe in God, you should stop worrying and enjoy your life. There are reasons to do so under both attitudes towards religion, and its a positive message for anyone who needs a reason to relax.

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