Why Do I Need Religion

As I am maturing and trying to figure out what I want to do in life, religion plays a role in my decisions. Like I have mentioned earlier, I was raised in a Christian household, specifically Catholic. My family would go to church every Sunday. My family raised me to worship one God. I still face the same experiences as Istak during his journey. Istak was “drawn to the Church, to seek not salvation but a future that was not limned by hunger” (José, 141). For me, I am drawn to the Church to seek for a healthy life and blessings. Istak and I pray for our wants and needs to be heard. We believe in God, who will grant us what we ask for. In other times, I am also drawn to the Church when I feel lost. I attend mass and hope that God has great plans …show more content…
Istak’s beliefs are also challenged after his father dies from a venomous python. When Dalin, Istak’s wife, asked if he still believed in God, “he was not sure that he still believed” (José, 143). After a tragedy hit him, he contemplated. In a similar case, my belief is challenged when something bad unexpectedly happens. It leads me to think that maybe there is no God after all. Maybe it is my actions that create opportunities and misfortunes, and religion has no correlation to it. Moreover, in When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Nida “[is] not religious, and never was… [Her mother’s] prayers were never answered” (Brainard, 113). I feel the same way as Nida, considering herself not religious, when my prayers are not answered. Nonetheless, I keep coming back to reviving my faith in God, just like Istak does. We continue to question what His plans are. Although misfortunes happen, we seek for an answer why. Istak asks “What was really my suffering? If You are the God of my people, how could You also be the God of those who oppress us?” (José, 164). Istak and I continue to believe in God, although we do not know exactly what His plans are for us and the people around …show more content…
Education is wealth. This idea is reiterated in Dusk when Istak encounters and helps Apolinario Mabini. Apolinario told Istak that “[Istak is] very rich, and [his] wealth is [his] and [his] alone. No one can take it from [him]” (José, 221). What Apolinario meant is that Istak is wealthy because of his education, knowing how to speak Latin and Spanish. Apolinario served to enlighten and encourage Istak the same way my parents did to me. It is obvious how important education is nowadays. I am constantly reminded; to get to where we want to be, we must get education first. Those who are educated are wealthy in terms of knowledge. They are intellectuals who will lead the future of their nation. Apolinario considered Istak to be an ilustrado – an educated elite. As an ilustrado, Istak accepted his fate to join a resistance against the Spaniards. With his wealth, he is able to teach and help others defeat the