"What Is Religion, Really?
Religion. What is it? Some people say it’s not even important. Others don’t even know how to explain what religion is. I used to think it was just systems of different beliefs that guide people’s way of living. While this is true, it is more evident that religion is so much more than that. Religion has many varying objectives and reasonings, but common reasons for religious beliefs is that it is used as a guided path for guidance and comfort. The guided path has a purpose to it as well. Such as it gives people a sense of security, stability, and especially source for hope for the followers.
Firstly, religion is a source for personal security. In the novel Life of Pi by Yaan Martel, during the whole experience
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In many religions such as Judaism and Christianity, there is a designated day of worship. These days are a type of routine for people who follow those religions. Routines can be a strategy for stability for people. In the Catholic faith, fulfilling the Seven Sacraments provides people with goals to follow through on. The Ten Commandments of Judaism and Christianity are a list of rules from God’s word that people are expected to follow. Having these expectations can give people a sense of stability, because it’s a list that they can fall to and use to keep themselves in check. Dated all the way back to the American Revolution, people wanted to be free to express their religion. Now that they can, it is a way to keep society stable. People are free to express their beliefs without any government to stop them from doing so. Having this right prevents groups of people from revolting against the government because of the restrictions. In many ways, religion is a stabilizing strategy for people, their routines, and …show more content…
When in a regretful situation, many people in the Catholic faith, including myself, turn to reconciliation. After going to confession, God has acknowledged the mistakes that people have confessed to. He then forgives them. For me, knowing God has gifted me with his forgiveness, gives me a sense of hope that others can and will too. A pastor in Texas recently lost his daughter in a church shooting and says “It hurts that I lost Annabelle, but I also know that [God] has a plan that I need to continue to carry out, and that's what I do,†(Stump). Although he is suffering through a tragic loss, Frank Pomeroy utilizes his strength of belief in his religion to help him cope. It gives him hope that he will suffer on Earth to be reunited with his daughter in the afterlife. The afterlife is also a concept that provides followers with hope. Hinduism is a popular world religion that follows the belief of the afterlife. The Caste System is a repeating cycle where a soul is reborn to different varna, and each varna is a different social class with certain jobs to fulfill in a lifetime. These jobs are called dharma. If the dharma is fulfilled in a lifetime, the soul will move up in the caste system. This opportunity for improvement gives Hindus comfort in knowing that if their life isn’t the greatest, they can return to better one in their next life. Hope is an essential aspect in
Life of Pi is full of religious commentary. The book begins with a man who tells the narrator he has a story that will make him believe in God. () The story the man describes, is Pi’s, meaning Pi’s story of survival will make the reader believe in God. Throughout the book, Pi explores Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, and discusses the importance of each of these to him. He mentions that he likes to hear the stories found in religion, which connects to the theme of storytelling found in this novel. Later in the novel, his faith in these stories is tested. When Pi is on the lifeboat, he describes his situation as a “test from God” (), to see how faithful he truly is. This is further reinstated when he finally asks what more the gods want from him
In Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, Piscine Patel is stranded in a lifeboat for 227 days with barely any essentials to survive, not to mention sharing the boat with a 450 pound Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. Throughout his time as a castaway, Pi faces daily struggles revolving around the lack of basic necessities. On several occasions, Pi reaches a dark point in his life and considers that it would just be best if he gives up. Despite the circumstances and the heavy darkness he feels, one element that was always on Pi’s side was his three core religions: Hindu, Islam, and Christianity. Pi uses the time he has to practice his spiritual life.
Religion has been part of America since the beginning of time. the existence of religion is very much still around today. Yann Martels “life of Pi” is a story about a young Indian boy who survives 227 days on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. This is a story that will bring you closer to your religion and the belief of god. The book “life of pi” demonstrates that having an understanding and faith in more than one religion can help us survive in the most difficult circumstances and can keep ones spirits alive. In life of pi the three types of religion (Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam) had a great impact to pi’s life and the faith of those religions keep his spirits fighting and gave him strength to survive 227 day in the middle of the ocean.
During his interrogation by the Japanese officials, he seems confident in his religious beliefs. At another time, when Pi is in Canada, the author describes his home as a temple. “In the entrance hall hangs a framed picture of Ganesha… on the wall opposite the picture is a plain wooden Cross… There is a small framed picture of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe… Next to it is a framed photo of the black-robed Kaaba… In a larger frame, smiling and blue-skinned Krishna… on the shelf below are various articles of devotion… a wooden Christ on the cross from Brazil on the wall, and a green prayer rug on the corner. On a low bookstand, is a book covered by a cloth… the word God in Arabic. The book on the bedside table is a Bible (46).” It is evident that Pi didn’t, in fact, abandon any of the religions. He remains faithful to the three for the rest of his life, perhaps because he is thankful for the second opportunity he received. Although religion plays a significant role in this novel, Pi is permitted to live because faith gave him the strength to continue and never desisting on his
Why Having Faith is Important Throughout the centuries disagreement between the topic of God’s existence is still an issue. Religion plays a major role in, the life of pi, a novel written by Yann Martel, who recounts the journey of a young Indian boy Piscine Molitor Patel. Piscine, better known as Pi, is only sixteen when he is thrown into a life or death situation. After Pi’s father sells the family zoo, the Patel family is on route to Canada when disaster strikes.
The theme of religion in Life of Pi is
Through this ordeal, his faith is tested. His religion gives him hope and sanity and the relationship he forms with the tiger helps him through his journey. In order to survive his ordeal at sea, Pi calls upon his beliefs from a number of different religions. The religions that he relies on are Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Atheism. Pi prayed three times a day thus placing his survival in God’s hands, while still using his scientific knowledge.
Everyone needs to believe in something, a moment without faith, our souls will be eternally lost. In the novel Life of Pi the theme concerns religion and the human faith in God as the notion of belief is argued as being preferable or even essential to faith. The novel investigates the nature of religious faith itself. The author scrutinizes the mind of the protagonist, Pi Patel, who is a devout follower of three very different religions and his choice to practice Christianity, Hinduism, and Muslim which creates a conflict among his family and even peers, who believe Pi would be better off practicing only one.
The evident motif of religion plays a major factor in Pi’s life; however the author chooses not to focus on one religion specifically but instead enforces a glorification of more religions. Martel creates a main character who is a curious young boy who decides to learn about Christianity, Hinduism and Islam all at once. Even though Pi is primarily
Religion is a major theme in life of pi movie. Religion mean belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, usually involving ritual, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. In the Life of Pi move, Pi was born a Hindu and converted to Christianity and Islam, because he can’t chose which religion is the better one, he follows all three of them and believes all three are true. Besides that, The Life of Pi movie that I have demonstrated, there are some issues that can be a lesson through the story. Religion is a mechanism, through Life of pi movie.
Religion is an important part of human life. For some it is a collection of myths that can lead to madness, but for many it is a source of comfort, protection, and hope. In Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, the main character is so enamored with religion that he decides to follow three vastly different religions, claiming that they all focus on his deep love for God. However, many people disagree with the idea that religion is meant to share love. Many people also believe that religion is dangerous, and that it causes discrimination, violence, and oppression.
Additionally, religion provides security for believers and emotional support. For example, a lots of people feel protective from their gods and emotional support because they have a transcendental relationship that help them deal with dependence, scarcity, and powerlessness. Another function of religion that is very useful to society is that religion contribute to individuals identities. Many believers identifies themselves with one religion "I am Catholic, I am Muslim or I am Jewish" because they inherritag like their ethnicity. At last, religion is very useful to society because it direct individuals and teach us ethics for the appropriate behavior of established society.
There has been a continuous debate within recent generations over whether religion really has a place in modern society. With the rise in population and cultural diversity, there are more religions than one can count anymore. Past that, atheism and secularism have been on a steady rise. Religion is a social construct created by humans to function as a society and give life a sense of purpose. A few consistent arguments in this debate are that religion gives us a moral code to stand by, gives us a purpose and a way of life, and something to look forward to in the afterlife.
In the novel Life of Pi, religion is a guiding force that influences Pi throughout all of his journeys and adventures. The novel begins with young Pi living in Pondicherry, India, with his Dad, brother, and Mom all working at their zoo. The zoo went out of business and they had to sell all of the animals. Pi and his family sold most of the animals to Canada and America, but while on the way there, their boat sunk and the only people to survive was a hyena, bengal tiger, zebra, orangutan, and Pi. All of the survivors ended up on a lifeboat; however, the hyena killed the zebra and the orangutan, then the bengal tiger killed the hyena leaving Pi and a 450-pound tiger named Richard Parker on a 26 x 8 ft. lifeboat. Through a paper-work error the hunter that captured the bengal tiger switched up the names and called the tiger Richard Parker which was his name. After floating around for some time, Pi goes blind from dehydration and finds another blind man in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As they tie their boats together the man tries to kill Pi to eat him, but Richard Parker kills him just in time and when Pi becomes able to see he is horrified by the sight of a dead corpse. After more floating Pi and Richard Parker come across an island that is coming up from nothing but other vegetation. They stay on that island for some time until Pi decides to stay the night on the island instead of on the boat. Pi finds out that the island is
Role of religion Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness.” Piscine, a boy with a faithful heart who worships the powerful immortals sincerely, experiences a threatening journey and overcomes all the difficulties under the spiritual support of Gods. In Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, religion plays an essential role in Pi’s survival at sea, because it shows three stages of Pi’s attitudes toward faith and hope which are reliance, doubt, and conviction.