Today I decided to touch on a rather controversial topic; it’s something that I’ve always found fascinating, but never had a chance to discuss it with other people and get their views on this topic, perhaps it’s because I’ve been too scared to touch on this topic because of its sensitive nature. Anyway here goes nothing *takes a deep breath*..... Is it possible for our religious beliefs and our cultures to co-exist?
Conflict: religion vs. culture
(pictures sourced from google)
More often than not, I find that there always tends to be conflict between cultural practices and religious beliefs, but what is the reason for this conflict? Is it really necessary for the two to clash? I come from a rural area and my family is extremely religious, but on the other hand they are also a staunched traditional Zulu family, who still practice traditional customs and there has never really been an incident where our religion clashes with our culture, because we know that above all else, we are first and foremost a Christian family, hence everything that we do is guided by God and prayer.
As much as religion is important, we shouldn’t completely reject or look down on our culture and cultural customs because whether we like it or not, culture is an inherent part of our identity, it is one of the things that define who were are and where we come from. I firmly believe that as long as the things that we do are guided by prayer and done with pure intentions, then there is no need for our cultures to clash or be in conflict with our religious beliefs. At the end of the day both religion and culture are important aspects of our lives and it all boils down to finding a healthy balance between the two.
What is your opinion regarding this topic? Do you think that it is possible for our religious beliefs and our cultures to co-exist?
Leave me a comment on this blog post or hit me up on twitter: @Enhle_Mbalee
