Do we all need a spiritual life? The huge numbers who celebrate Diwali and Halloween each year show that religious festivals matter whatever people believe.
Light and soul sweep material world
Do we all need a spiritual life? The huge numbers who celebrate Diwali and Halloween each year show that religious festivals matter whatever people believe.
Two major festivals are taking place tonight. The first is Halloween, when people remember the dead. The second is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, when the victory of good over evil is celebrated.
In America, around 70% of the population plans to take part in Halloween, and around a billion Hindus celebrate Diwali worldwide.
Not everyone who celebrates either festival is religious, and around the world there are signs that religion is in decline. In Western Europe, the number of people who never engage with religion is at record high levels.
Religions often promote old-fashioned ideas about the role of women and the treatment of gay people. They can also fuel hatred between different groups and even inspire violence.
But religious beliefs also make people happier and healthier. People who regularly attend church are at a lower risk of depression, anxiety, and suicide, as well as cardiovascularRelating to the heart and blood vessels. disease and death from cancer.
Of course, nobody is celebrating Halloween or Diwali for health reasons. But their popularity suggests that people still care about non-material matters. And the fact that believers and doubters can both take part makes them perfect festivals for the modern world.
Do we all need a spiritual life?
Yes! The material world is made up of material things: it cannot provide meaning, morality, or comfort in times of crisis.
No! Reason, science and a practical approach to life bring much more happiness than religion.
Cardiovascular - Relating to the heart and blood vessels.
Light and soul sweep material world

Glossary
Cardiovascular - Relating to the heart and blood vessels.