What is the meaning and significance of religion? The sensible man is the man who isn't a fanatic either in his acceptance of religion as a revelation, or in his rejection of it as a superstition. The sensible man is first of all too intelligent to develop an obsession, either for or against religion. He is interested in anything that seems to interest man himself, and approaches it with an open mind. He is tolerant, unprejudiced toward religion as he is toward everything else.
The sensible man is a realist. He judges things from the standpoint of his own beliefs and fancies. He approaches things in the spirit of curiosity, friendly inquiry, and compassionate intelligence. The sensible man uses reasoning by which ordinary men and women, lacking such knowledge, conduct their daily lives successfully. This reasoning faces all the pros and cons fearlessly, and tries to form conclusions upon which it acts, without allowing itself to be swayed by undue optimism or unnecessary pessimism. Such reasoning is no substitute for spiritual experience, but it leads to certain definite conclusions which help us understand and accept the reality of religion.
What does one see when they look upon the religious perception of man? Does he see a myth or a reality, a fact or a fancy, a phenomenon to be respected, or an illusion to be dismissed with contempt?
The first thing man discovers about religion is that it's as old as history. We can't say with certainty that religion began with the start of man's conscious existence as a human being. We do know for certain when man emerged from the ancient past he was a worshiping creation. Some historians believe religion had its origins in man's fear of the overwhelming forces of the universe and his desire for protection. Others believe religion sprang from man's awe and wonder at the beauty of the heavenly bodies.
Still others state it started from man's reaction to the dreaded mystery of death. It's an undeniable fact religion began with man as an essential part of the process of human behavior. Religion has remained with man, in one form or another, until this day. Historians call this “Survival value.” Since religion has survived all these centuries it must be because it has contributed to man's own survival as a native of earth.
Religion isn't only old as history; it began as an essential part of the process of human behavior in this world, and continues to do so. This is a universal as well as a never-ending fact. No people on earth are so low on the scale of human evolution, or so remote from contact with others that they don't have some sort of spiritual reaction toward the universe.
They may not have gods, or bibles, or churches, and they may not pray, or worship, or offer sacrifices, but they do have religion. Religion is mostly emotional and not theological. It's an inward attitude rather than an outward performance. Religion is therefore, universal with all mankind. Common sense would indicate that a fact which is a permanent gauge in man's life must be a required element of that life.
A phenomenon as old as time and as persistent as space can't be explained as an accident, or superstition, and least of all a conspiracy. It must have in its essence some relationship to the very substance of reality.
We can understand since it appears everywhere in human life, that religion is a natural part of the experience of mankind. In the past, as it still is today, it was a heresy to think of religion as being natural or normal. Today the super natural has faded away into the natural. We know that religion co-exists with human life and is a part of the human experience. It isn't something from heaven sent down upon the earth from God, or the angels. It isn't a miraculous gift, or revelation, or inspiration. As to being given to man as a divine gift, religion was developed by man as a human possession from within his soul.
It's what man discovers within himself, or about himself, as he joins his perfectly natural connections with the universe. Religion grows out of man like the blossom of a plant. Religion is a product of man's life, the deposits of his experiences, and the creation of his genius. It belongs to man; it's his dream, his vision, his achievement. It's he who has built the churches, written the bibles. If there are saviors, he bred them. If there are gods, he discovered them; or created them. Religion is simply man fulfilling the desires of the soul within his flesh.
