Meaning Of Life: The Means Of Religion, By Salman Rushdie

Throughout history, man has debated the role that religion has for people, culture, and society. Religions and other philosophies give a reason for the meaning of life and how one should live. Some have theorized that life is meaningless and religion has no real purpose. Some go as far to say that religion has only caused harm to society. Salman Rushdie wrote an article discussing how the world would benefit from not having a religion. Rushdie sends a negative message to society as he suggests eliminating religion altogether. Rushdie begins by stating his theory to the six billionth living person “How did we get here? And, now that we are here, how shall we live?” He tells the six billionth person to imagine a heaven with at least one God. Rushdie proceeds to explain the different ways of how God made the universe and as human knowledge has grown, religious stories have become plain and are subsequently wrong. He states how the great wars of the new century will be wars of religion and how ancient wisdom is a modern nonsense. Rushdie, later on, states that people should once and for all put the stories back into the books, the books back on the bookshelves, and view the world plain by eliminating religion. His final approach on the topic ends
He highlights that religion will be the cause of wars. Rushdie says, “The real wars of religion are the wars religions unleash against ordinary citizens within their "sphere of influence".” Rushdie suggests that the world should live as “one,” with no religion while maintaining peace with one another. Rushdie’s ideas are unrealistic and utopian. He also fails to show the tremendous good the religion has provided. Those who follow religion have offered great comfort to those in need. Religion has provided structure and a moral code for people to abide by. Religion has by far done much better for society than it has done