The purpose of a religion would seem to be that of giving people an ideal towards which they can direct their energies. We can search for the source of the inspiration of the 'messages' that enable a religion to form, or an individual to become receptive to an ideal or pattern within oneself or between oneself and the cosmos. It is this search process that forms the basis of the notion of pilgrimage.
What happens is that some one tells some one else that they should go somewhere and if they do, they will be inspired by either the journey to that place or by the place itself. Often, it is the very act of trying that makes the search meaningful.
Its like trying to experience sex for the first time. One tells you that you get a wonderful thing happen to you if you have sex. They prescribe the ideal conditions in which sex is to be performed. Until you actually try to have sex or someone intervenes and shows you what sex is all about, you are ignorant as to what sex is all about. The fact is that within each person there is a potential for having sex.
There is also a potential within each person for having inspiration. This potential for inspiration is strongest when one is not yet ready for sex being immature to the normal bodily functions that make sex a normal function. There seems to be a progress of development in the human being that moves in stages and being inspired occurs before being sexually active.
In a very real way, it is probably possible for people to move in the direction of seeking inspiration and away from seeking the sexual experience, just as there may be a way to avoid eating as a pleasure for the sake of exercising one's other faculties.
Development of Our Senses
We have the sense of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. From these senses, we derive sensations that inspire, awe, please, disgust, attract, repel, and so on. There is a normal pattern to the development of our senses, but we may or may not be in control of this pattern.
Religions tend to try to control the pattern in order to create meaning out of experience. In this they may or may not be successful, the potential differences between development situations being enormous or gargantuan.
Religions Interpret the Cosmos in Ways That Define Order
To the religious mind, there is an order within the cosmos that can be tapped by the individual following rules that the religion presents to its followers. The big issue is whether the rules of a religion are fair to 'newcomers' to the religion.
Fairness to Newcomers as a Measure of Grading the Value of a Religion
A religion is unfair if newcomers to that religion are not treated in an even handed way. There is no room in the cosmos for disparity of treatment within a religion. Biased treatment of newcomers to a religion predisposes the religion towards a destructive exclusiveness that is harmful to an intelligent community.
For example, if a religion were to say that every fifth child joining the religion were to be killed and the blood drunk by a select group of the other members, we would say that the religion was unfair to the child who was killed. We would say that almost irregardless of whether the drinking of the blood allowed the other members of the religion to have eternal life.
Or, for example, if a religion were condone the practice of killing non-members, we should grade the religion as being unfair whether or not the religion gave eternal life to members of the religion. Taking of the life of 'infidels or outsiders, or potential newcomers to a religion is unfair.
Many Unfair Religions Go Unrecognized As Unfair
We often hear that the world is unfair. "Get used to it," some people say. "Be Real," others say.
No!
We Need to Deal With Unfairness Within the Scope of Religion
When we see, hear, smell, taste, touch a process that is unfair, we should all as human beings sense repugnance with that process. If a religion is to have any value whatsoever, it needs to be constantly on the watch that it promotes fairness to potential newcomers, the so-called infidels and outsiders. A religion that is fair, is also one that is inclusive, and is seen to be inclusive by potential newcomers, or the sponsors of potential newcomers to the religion.
When a religion is fair, it is open to newcomers and to new ideas that define it as a religion. If a religion remains a constant in its refusal to provide an even path of entry for newcomers, it is unfair and should be rejected by present participants of the religion. Inclusiveness is the standard by which religions should and need to be judged.
Ineffective or Temporary Religions
A religion might be regarded as being ineffective if it has only a temporary message or if its message requires that the world stand still for the religion to survive. Potential newcomers to a religion need to be aware of whether the religion is capable of coping with the challenges of many new people joining it. An effective religion is one that develops the capacity within its membership of inspiration, good living, or good works.