Religion Minimum Competency Testing:
What Any Religion Ought to Provide
If your religion doesn't provide the following, you're missing out and you have two possibilities to change that: learn to live your religion better or find a new one.
Peace. The world is tough. Life is hard. No doubt about that. But Jesus said "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my hoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) He also said "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) and "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27). Note that Jesus said that His burden is light. He didn't say there would be no burden. He wants us to make choices and to grow--there's no getting around that, but your religion ought to point you to how to find this peace. With a little sincere effort, you will find some. With continued effort, it will grow.
Direction. Does your religion help you to know what is expected of you in this life? Do you know what the point of it all is? Answers to these questions have great power to help you remain calm and determined in the face of trials. They also point you to solutions for dealing with those trials that we all experience. You are not alone. We all travel roughly the same paths.
Hope. Peace, direction, and power all create hope. Hope means that you have confidence that with the Lord's help, you can accomplish what's expected of you. Never think you have to be perfect now. If you think something is too hard for you, you're probably right. Have patience and keep trying and give yourself the time to become and do what you want. That's exactly what this time of mortality is designed for!
Power. Do you find power in your religion? Power that supports you and gives you faith, hope and charity, for example? Power to help your prayers find answers? Just as governments are formed to empower people to coexist and school are designed to empower students with learning, so religions are designed to empower you with the ability to become better, happier, more successful, kinder, wiser, more perfect people. Along with empowering information and ideas, religions should point the way to find spiritual power to help you along the pathway.