Typically when we think of religion, we think we should stick to the one we were raised with, right? We would be betraying our family's values, and even our own, if we considered dappling into another faith. That would mean we weren't dedicated to our own worship.

We would be sinning.

But who's to say one can't study, or even peruse over the written beliefs another religion has to offer? It's not like you're worshipping more than one higher power.

Why should we only have to read from one particular Bible for the rest of our lives? Why are we closing the doors to learning more? Why should we be close-minded to others' beliefs? Maybe none of us are right about our God. (I'm saying God because he's the entity that I pray and thank to.)

We use religion as a means to figure out the meaning of life, and to give us comfort when there are troubles. Why do we get defensive when someone doesn't believe in the same thing? If we use prayer to connect us to a higher power and bring us back to ourselves, when does it become wrong if it's in a temple, a church, or in our houses?

If we are such small beings roaming on this Earth, how come we think we are so knowledgeable about our creator and our purpose in the world?

That's why religion is such a forbidden subject for humans to bring up in casual conversation, unless they practice the same faith. People are so ready to judge, point fingers, and call out people for being wrong. I don't think we have enough incite or authority, despite how committed we are, to bash others for their morals or beliefs.

I was raised into a family where we didn't go to church every Sunday like my other friends' families did. We would pray together at the table only for holidays, and my mom told us that it's important to learn The Lord's Prayer. I was taught to develop my own personal relationship with God, so I only prayed in my head to Him and sometimes out loud if I was alone. To me, that was when I felt more of a meaningful connection as opposed to praying with a bunch of people.

Growing up, I learned that a church is a place to go celebrate our lives and our creator. I believe that by us living passionately, meaning that we do everything with love in our hearts, we can make the world our church, no matter the religion.

For instance, I have met countless people who attend church every Sunday and still go about their days full of deceit and negativity. They judge those that dare to be different or don't have the same beliefs as them. I'm not bashing those who do go and mean well because some practice what they preach.

I'm saying that those who claim to be faithful to their religion and go by the book should also focus on being a good person, instead of strictly trying to do good in the eyes of God.

I can say that I have found comfort in the religion of Buddhism. I don't pray to Buddha, but I do appreciate the concepts. It has made the purpose of living clearer to me and has helped me to see things in a different light. I feel more connected to my heart and spirit when I read into meditations, so how could that possibly be so wrong?

What if there was a heaven? What if there was a such thing as reincarnation? Destiny? Karma? What about all of them at once?

To me, the Bible can be interpreted in multiple ways, which is why I find it so hard to pick it apart and understand the verses. I have tried studying them, but some simply don't make sense.

One day at work, I was under a lot of stress dealing with customers, and I turned to my manager that was running the shift and said, "I should really start meditating." He looked at me with anger and said that I'd be getting into a whole other realm that involved the devil.

Baffled by his words and knowing that he's a Christian, I responded with, "No? Meditation is just a way of bringing you back to yourself by taking conscious breaths. Praying could even be considered a form of meditation. It could be any activity that makes you feel enlightened." He responded with a quiet "oh."

This just proves my point that those that are close-minded to others' beliefs are so ready to shut them down. We need to be more open-minded. If you think about it, most religions share the same thing: love. If we love one another and do good on this Earth, we couldn't possibly be wrong.

Therefore, we were only given one precious life. We should live it the best way we can by just being and coexisting with others on this planet.