THE WAY OF LIFE

By Apolinario Villalobos

Somebody asked me if I have a religion, and when I told him, I have none, he told me, so you do not have a way of life…because according to him, religion is a way of life. I did not want to embarrass him as we were in the company of his friends, so I just told him, we will talk later about this.

The poor guy is obviously ignorant as regards “the way of life” which is generic and does not apply only to religion, but in everything as to HOW a person lives his life, HOW he “carries” himself, or HOW he acts in a community, or better, as a citizen. It is about attitude, character, behavior, mannerism, health, ideology, and philosophy being followed.

There are people who follow the philosophy of Confucianism which is not a religion…and their life is based on that. Vegans are people who prefer vegetables than meat and fish…that is their healthy lifestyle – their way of life. Communists behave according to their political ideology…and that is their way of life.

Belonging to a certain religion is JUST ONE OF THE WAYS OF LIFE. Christians and Catholics should behave like Christ. Buddhists should live their life according to the teachings of Buddha. Muslims should live according to the teachings of Mohammad. Protestants should live according to the deviations from Catholicism….etc.

Finally, it does not necessarily mean that if a person has no religion, he is leading a bad life, because, as many thought, HE HAS NO WAY OF LIFE.  On the contrary, many people who do not belong to any religion, IN FACT, act and behave better than those who belong to one.

It is the ACT that should be considered in judging a person, and not the teachings that many of those who are religiously fanatic are taught BUT NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE, as expected of them.