Why Bother About Religion?
Many people today are apathetic toward religion. A part of this is religion’s fault. What does the true religion really offer, and what should it mean to you?
MANY people question the value of religion today. Its values, they think, are mainly social, psychological, psychiatric or perhaps moral. Thus if they are mentally well adjusted and consider their morals satisfactory, many of them see little reason for doing much about religion. Even when the churches try to offer methods of preserving the economic system, of challenging communism or of staving off another war, their proposals do not meet the response they would like, for many people think that those things could be handled better by experts in the particular fields that are involved.
But true religion has a far more important mission. It does not try to get God to serve us, but shows how we should serve him. It is not just a means to an end, a device through which one can get God on one’s side in business, social, political or other activities. Rather, it includes a submissive obedience to the universe’s Supreme Sovereign.
It is only through having a knowledge of the instructions the Bible contains that we can know what God’s commands are and how to serve him. For this reason true religion must involve Bible education. It must provide the Biblical knowledge that is missing from so many lives today. What further information will the Bible provide? It shows the reason for earth’s present difficulties, that ours are the “last days” of Satan’s wicked rule, and that the present “critical times” spring from Satan’s anger at knowing his destruction is near. This information marks ours as an important time, and stirs its hearers into obedience to the Scriptural command to preach this good news earth-wide.—2 Tim. 3:1; Rev. 12:12; Matt. 24:14, NW.
Those who understand God’s Word will be stirred, just as first-century Christians were, into active participation in the work of voluntarily teaching others about this good news, really obeying the command to be “always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you.”—1 Pet. 3:15, NW.
This right knowledge about God’s Word offers a great deal: the explanation of earth’s present difficulties, a firm understanding of their outcome, and an understanding of the facts that Jesus said really do lead to everlasting life. (John 17:3) Vast multitudes of people have recognized that this information is vital, preaching it to the amazing extent that other material in this special issue of The Watchtower relates. Will you follow their good example, studying God’s Word, learning his purposes, and teaching these to others?