Religion as moral basis for a good life

There is a saying which goes, The more things change, the more they stay the same.

To me, what stays the same is man's reaction to himself and the environment. The universal emotions of love, fear, anger, respect and contempt remain the same through the ages. It is the perception that causes these emotions --- that's what changes throughout history.

For example, there was a time when African-Americans were bought and sold as slaves, like so much property of their masters. Women in some societies were considered property of their husbands, they were not entitled to an education, they could not vote, they could not run for public office, and they were thrown to the funeral pyre to join their deceased spouses.

Now in this century, we have outlawed slavery. And women enjoy and are entitled to all the rights and privileges like anybody else, and can aspire for the highest elective office in the land.

When it comes to religion, it is quite different. For while human behavior is based on emotion and reason, religion is based mostly on belief which may or may not have anything with evidence.

Religion has evolved gradually since the beginning of history. From animism to the worship of trees, sun, moon and the stars. From the worship of many gods to the worship one god, to the worship of the godless god. I'll explain myself later.

But the religion that keeps evolving on its own axis, is the monotheistic faith Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

These three towering faiths draw their ancestry from Abraham, the father of them all. He is praised and acknowledged in Tanakh, New Testament and Qur'an.

When Abraham smashed the idols of his tribe, he was liberating his people from false gods. God has instructed him, "You shall not have strange gods before me."

When Moses led his people out of Egypt, he was leading the Jews to the promised land of milk and honey. God has instructed him to tell the pharaoh, "Let my people go."

When Jesus told his disciples, "When someone strikes you in one cheek, turn the other cheek," he meant to fill the world with love and forgiveness.

When Muhammad, his name be praised, said, "Respect the people of the book," he meant to respect the Jews and Christians who worship the same God, Allah, creator of the universe.

By whatever name we call God --- Allah,Yahweh, Jehovah, Dios --- he is the same ground force of the universe. He is the same power that controls the laws of nature.

To be continued.