Peace and Harmony

By Julliane & Niamh , aged 16 from Nonsuch High School for Girls

Looking Beyond 

As time has progressed, texts have been translated and interpreted, and so are the religions which have been passed down and manipulated to justify wars and oppression truly the same as when they were started? Is a person who has changed themselves fundamentally to fit the idea of what a Christian, Muslim or Hindu looks like still the same person? This piece looks at the fact that most religions are supposed to promote peace and harmony and yet on both a large scale, such as war and colonisation, and a small scale, personal loss of identity and culture, have had negative effects on many. Looking beyond religion can be painful for many as they confront their own views and how ingrained religion can often be within cultures and communities, integral to birth, marriage and death. However painful the process may be, breaking down origins of belief can lead to personal spirituality and may strengthen faith or break it, this piece shows the process of confronting the past and present of your religion and how that conflates with personal beliefs.