As a religious person, being asked would that defeat dystopian realities I am obligated to say no. Religion is believing in a higher power and putting all success and defeat in the hands of an entity to give reason. This is not what would defeat dystopia, but the characteristics of religion like hope, kindness, and faith would. Those key ingredients that make up religion are what keep it going.
Having faith, hope, and love in your life are what fights against the dystopian realities one may face throughout the day. Dealing with an unfair work environment, but just a phone call from one you love can lift your mood. The never ending failing of a test you have to pass, but keeping the hope that you will. Experiencing a family tragedy and having faith that you’ll make it through it. Those fundamentals are what we use, not our beliefs.
In fighting oppression, not only is religion used in a restrictive way that does not allow all to fight with it, but it’s also used as a tool of oppression. When the church does not accept you because of your shortcomings or weary circumstances, that is a form of oppression. When the church does not allow LBGTQ+ to attend its gatherings because of their “beliefs” (which is honestly just a blanket they use to cover themselves because the very religion they use to reject people is the same one that was created to accept those people but that is off subject), that is an example of not allowing someone a tool they might need to get through this wonderous world of dystopia we live in. How unfortunate these conditions may seem, they set up the argument that religion is not a relevant tool.
