Faith plays a huge part in many people's lives. Many rely on faith in a higher power in order to get them through tough times in their lives. For centuries, faith in the form of organized religion has persisted. All over the world, there are tons of different religions and sects, each of which views the concepts of God and history differently, but all of which agree on the idea that our lives are guided by a higher power. Faith is also difficult for many because it is intangible and unprovable — the fact is, one can neither completely prove nor completely disprove the idea of a higher power.
I was raised on the premise that there are many gods and goddesses who control various aspects of our lives and help us through struggles. The religion I was raised on, Hinduism, correlates very closely with my Indian culture, so I never really questioned it. Hinduism is, at its core, a way of life — a set of values that guide how we exist and interact with one another. There are also many stories about all the different gods, and those stories relate to our religious and cultural holidays. At times, I definitely doubted whether or not those stories were true, but I never put much weight on it because the fact of the matter is, the stories are only true if I believe they're true — they can't be proved either way.
Faith shouldn't require proof.
It is meant to be a source of comfort regardless of anything else. However, since coming to college, I've had much more experience with different types of faiths, and I've come to realize that it's possible to have faith without participating in organized religion.
In college, practically everyone is in a constant state of stress: about friends, family, school, relationships, and more. To get through these obstacles without imploding, everyone needs a little faith in the fact that everything is going to be okay. Faith can be found in the form of prayer and religion, but it can also be attributed to Fate, Destiny, or just the undulating nature of Life. Life will always have its ups and downs, and it is up to us to believe that when we are down, there is an upswing just on the horizon for us.
For me, even after exposure to many kinds of religions, I still feel strongly connected to Hinduism. Hinduism connects me to God, to my culture, to my parents, to my family in India, and to my Indian community here in the United States. I do not know nearly as much as I want to know about the religion, but I at least know that I want to work hard to stay connected to my beautiful religion. This is not to say that other religions are wrong, in fact, it's quite the opposite. Since Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, and we have many gods who take many forms, I have no trouble believing that a different god took a different form and created many different religions all around the world.
In the end, as long as we are respectful of one another's views, and use religion as a tool for motivation and love, not for hatred and bigotry, then that's all that matters. Faith, after all, only exists because we all believe it exists. Keep believing in whatever you believe, and know that life will be okay in the end!
