UK 
PL 
The influence of religion on a person's life
How does religion influence our lives? Have you ever stopped to think about the role faith plays for you personally?
Beliefs usually show themselves through the holidays and traditions that bring millions of people together every year. Yet all of that is only the tip of the iceberg. So what is religion truly for? Let us take a brief look at the place religion has held in world history and try to find an answer to the key question: “Does each of us really need religion in the modern world?”
Contents
For me personally, religion is a person's faith in something outlined by symbols — belief has to take a particular form. Faith is the central concept in Judaism, Christianity, Islam and other traditions, although the God at the centre differs. Why did it turn out this way? So much in life is beyond us and cannot be controlled, and that is exactly why the thought arises that something above is guiding the human being. In Christianity that is the Lord; in Islam, Allah.
The role of religion in the past
I believe everything is understood by comparison. Back when there was no such rapid technological progress, in the days of Byzantium, religion played a considerable part in political decisions concerning Kyivan Rus of that era. At the time, religion was one of the main instruments for running a state's foreign policy effectively.
Culture and traditions were built on beliefs. The great religious feasts we still celebrate today — Christmas, Easter — came to us from Christianity. A century ago, however, those days carried a special value for our ancestors. My grandmothers' stories let me only imagine how things once were. The finest clothes lay in a chest, waiting for the winter or spring celebration and for the moment when someone full of joy would put them on and set off to the home of Christianity — the church. That was genuine faith and a true feast for the soul.
The influence of religion today
But it is not only humanity's physical qualities that evolve — values do too. Today what matters most in politics is not the strength of religion but rapid economic development and strategic location. You would probably agree that in our cities temples, mosques and churches have turned into architectural landmarks and objects of admiration for tourists. A world without trends is impossible: posting a photo of an Easter basket on social media is nothing unusual, even if some people view it sceptically.
On top of that, in an age of technological progress and constant time spent online, we have simply forgotten about religion. Gadgets have swallowed us up and pushed many things out of our lives, not only faith. Life is changing, and everyone now tries to show their best side. So if everyone on Facebook posts greetings for a Christian feast, you will most likely do the same and consider yourself connected to religion — but that is a mistaken idea. What is really at stake is true faith: understanding and following its laws, God's commandments.
Christianity is part of culture, from the building of a church to the customs of celebration. Folklore — Ukrainian folk art — cannot imagine itself without Easter symbolism, for instance, when we paint a wavy endless line on a chicken egg to symbolise a long life, or without the tradition of exchanging decorated eggs. If a person's task is to survive and leave descendants behind, then any faith has the very same goal: to have more people in its circle, to live longer alongside other religions, art, criticism and so on. Religiosity wants to pass through the centuries and leave traces in the form of prophetic words.
It is not only technological progress that affects us both positively and negatively — faith does too, and it can be turned into a powerful instrument for controlling the masses. We know of many historical cases in which religion, mixed with suggestion and other psychological techniques, was used to manipulate people for material gain — the sect of V. Muntian, for example. Sadly, a harmful cult can be hard to recognise, especially when religion ends up in the hands of charismatic individuals with bad intentions.
With such rapid progress, it has become harder to achieve the success that is so fashionable today. The world moves so fast that you cannot help wondering whether your knowledge and skills will still be relevant tomorrow. Failing to keep pace with the times leaves us with a great deal of stress — and here is the important point: we can turn to religion. In my view, its role here matters. Stressful events and hardships act as the irritant, and religion is able to catalyse a resolution of these problems, provided we find meaning in it, even if we did not acknowledge it before. Through all kinds of situations, religion can offer answers to the questions of who and what we are. There have been many stories of people in despair turning to faith precisely: entering a church and lighting candles, praying in their own words straight from the heart, spending hours in conversation with a priest or a mentor. All of this led to a changed outlook on life and even changed values.
So the key purpose of religion is to reach inner harmony, and Christianity has also shaped countless traditions that, against the backdrop of technological development, can still bring people together. What matters greatly is whose hands religion is in, because it is capable of bringing either great good or enormous harm. It can become a medicine for ailments of the soul, and a kind of encyclopaedia where answers to many questions can be found. Religion is a discipline that has come through the centuries and can genuinely influence a person — and for some, it becomes a necessity in life.
Author of the article — Olha Sh., a third-year psychology student at Lviv Polytechnic
