1. Karl Marx said that “Religion is the opium of the masses”. Do you agree or disagree and why?

As in all other cases, if religion becomes a fanatical cause, yes it a devastating drug. I prefer looking at religion as a personal relationship which helps me find myself and the One who loves me unconditionally. So for me religion is not a thing for the masses. It is a more personal experience. At the same time relating with someone you love at a spiritual level is bliss. So I crave for this relationship more than opium to soothe some of the rough bumps in my life.

2. Do you believe in religion?

I doubted but I searched. Now I experience it and live it, though I believe it is an ongoing process. Sometimes religion is so obvious, at other times it just plainly running on empty. Looking back, I admit that it gave me an integral part of my identity and quite frankly I am happy about it.

3. How would you describe your lifestyle?

My day starts at 7am, when I go to Mass and then I cycle to work as a scientist in a chemistry laboratory. Back home, I just have time for a shower and snack. Then my life starts again from around 6pm till 10.30pm every day.

I am a member of the Society of Christian Doctrine, aka MUSEUM, whose main aim is helping out others in developing solid and practicing Christian values. I spend the last two hours of my day with a good meal while updating myself on the day’s events, which I find very relaxing.

I live a simple, hectic and yet very committed life. I confront extreme reality and that is what I enjoy. Artificiality bugs me. It is very rewarding and satisfying to spend your life giving. On Sunday I have time to play a game of football or swim with the group of youths I am responsible for.

4. What do you do for fun?

At 31, I still enjoy discovering new pastimes, if I have the time. I cannot say I love doing a particular thing because I prefer being a jack of all trades and a master of none, even with my pastimes.

I do enjoy playing guitar and bass, swimming and talking, but it all depends on the time of the year and my mood. Sometimes I take a day off with friends diving blindly onto green grass letting the sun soak in before starting to cook on stones and a grill and ending with a good glass of wine. In summer I would never change my canoe – going around coasts or crossing over to Comino – with anything.

5. How do your religious beliefs affect your lifestyle and your social scene? Have they in the past?

I admit that my beliefs and values have formed my lifestyle, making me selective as to how to optimise my time and with whom to spend it. This was of sterling importance when it came to choosing friends who are ready to accept me. Furthermore my beliefs helped me to choose a lifestyle that fits my character and my whole life. So, really, religion is part and parcel of my life.

6. Do your beliefs hinder your life in any way? Are there things you would like to do but cannot?

Every lifestyle comes with a package of advantages and disadvantages. It is all about choosing the one that best describes your character and living that life with yourself, others and God. There are issues which I still do not understand, even within the Church. But then, which lifestyle is plain sailing? It is a matter of attitude, of convincing myself as to what is best for me and then investing all my energy in that cause.

7. How do you think religion affects young people in general? And have things changed over the years?

Considering the strong religious cultural background, I believe that faith is ingrained into our being from our early years. Yet still it is a child’s faith, believing blindly and accepting what is given without ever questioning or facing our doubts.

I think that most young people pass from this child faith to an adolescent faith, which rocks the child faith that has been ingrained. Then it’s either a case of “losing my religion”, as the band REM suggests, or emerging to an adult faith where young people believe because they are convinced and have persevered after the truth without giving up.

Things are changing over the years. Unless we strike a balance between the material, spiritual, emotional, sociological and mental aspects which form our being, our growth will be stunted.

8. Does religion dictate people’s value system?

We are born free, invited to live free and die free. I have searched for the religion whose founder was perfectly free. So free that anyone is free to follow. Religion, specifically the Catholic Church, suggests ways and means to attain this freedom and liberty as preached by its founder.

9. Do you have your own value system or do you conform to what your church says?

I have built my own value system and am still refining it. I am quite convinced that without values, life actually becomes a burden, de-motivating and uninteresting. Presently I am trying to get my values as close as possible to the Gospel teachings . Probably this process will take up my whole life!

10. Is being a good person inevitably tied to being religious?

Being good means being happy with your inner self and with others. That means living your humanity as a person. Religion just suggests the pathway to attain this peace. So it is not just being but also doing.

11. Is the Church in touch with contemporary society?

Who is the Church? If it’s me, I try. I sometimes fail to be sensitive to the eyes that are crying in pain, hurt and craving for love. Touching it does not mean adapting to contemporary society in such a way as to lose my life form, but it does mean listening and listening and listening.

12. Is religion in Malta imposed on people or does the Church and society allow them to make their own choices?

Religion is running in people’s veins. Just listen to the number of people who show their emotions in public and there is always a religious tinge to the words they say.

The Maltese church is a sacramental church. After baptism you receive your first holy communion at seven years of age. At 10 you must be confirmed. Preferably it is also wise to get married. This way, you are conforming and rest yourself assured. Your parents in turn, assure themselves they have reared their family the right way.

Who is forcing this lifestyle? Life is all about answering an invitation to experience Jesus – no matter when or how. The Church is simply offering its services based on gospel teachings from which it cannot deviate.

Biography

Chris Darville is a British chef living in Malta with his partner and young son. He has his own reasoned arguments for not believing in religion

1. Karl Marx said that religion is the opium of the masses. Do you agree or disagree and why?

There may be many interpretations of Karl Marx’s theories. He was a philosopher and his theories have long been debated. However it would seem that his work often centred on the exploitation of the oppressed classes.

Did Marx suggest that religion was the opium of the masses because it can be addictive or because the masses could be easily led and do not have sufficient knowledge to make a personal choice?

One must consider whether people select what to believe in as they mature and grow as individuals or whether the religious belief is forced upon a young mind by those trying to influence.

This process may not always prove to be an enlightening or pleasant experience for a child. What is the use of telling children that they must not sin or they may go to Hell or that they must believe everything written in the Bible?

2. Do you believe in religion?

I personally do not hold any particular religious beliefs, however I do consider that each of us has the right to choose what to believe in.

There are many religious groups throughout the world, each one of them holding differing views and beliefs.

Hindu, Muslim, Protestant, Roman Catholics, Jewish, Baptist, Jehovah Witnesses are just a few religious groups that have evolved over the years. Some are based on Christianity and some on ancient long-held beliefs extending back in history for thousands of years.

Each of these practice their beliefs in many different ways, worshipping different gods and prophets. Many of us do not know anything about other religions; therefore how can we make a judgement on which religion supersedes another, without sufficient knowledge? It is quite ironic that people turn to religion only when they are in trouble or want something or are sick.

3. How would you describe your lifestyle?

I would describe my life style as simple; like most people I have a certain number of goals, plans and expectations, most of which involve my immediate family. Their health and happiness is my major concern, together with the upbringing of my son.

4.What do you do for fun?

My idea of fun mainly extends to being with my family and friends. Happiness cannot be bought, it is often doing the simplest of things that prove to give the most joy – having a small child and watching him grow and learn is something I cherish. My son brings so much fun and happiness into our lives.

5. How do your religious beliefs affect your lifestyle and your social scene? Have they in the past?

As previously stated, I do not have any particular religious beliefs; however there are occasions when I am socialising with people who seek to influence my thoughts and those of my young son. I am an easygoing person who aims to treat people with respect and understanding, I ask only the same in return.

6. Do your beliefs hinder your life in any way? Are there things you would like to do but cannot?

My life is in no way hindered by any religion. However, because of the rules dictated by a particular religious group in Malta, I am unable to marry my partner, whom I love very much. The laws of religion do not permit her to remarry.

7. How do you think religion affects young people in general? And have things changed over the years?

It is outrageous that young children are indoctrinated with the beliefs of their parents or family before they have the ability to know right from wrong,or have gained real, unbiased knowledge and can reason for themselves.

Ruling children by fear or through preaching of untruths or unproven story-telling, in the name of religion, cannot be right. Encouraging children to seriously believe unproven facts and unscientific theories by feeding them non-factual information is extremely unhelpful.

Generally, young people in many societies have turned their backs on religion. The extent of children’s knowledge has vastly improved as has their ability to make personal choices and, given this choice, I believe most young people would not wish to pursue the religion of their parents or extended family.

8. Does religion dictate people’s value system?

The values an individual holds must surely have been learnt from the family; people in general know right from wrong.

A small child will copy the behaviour in its immediate environment, within the home.

Parents are the responsible adults who should guide and instruct a child as it grows. What have the rulings of a religious sect got to do with child rearing? There is no scientific evidence that shows a child is deprived or disadvantaged or has no value system because its parents do not follow a particular religion.

9. Do you have your own value system?

I have my own value system formed over the years by my own family’s values and those learnt as part of my growing up and at school, as well as from exposure to other families and the similar views held by my closest friends.

I will be influenced to alter my views and values by strong and overwhelming knowledge, which is hardly something to be learnt from a sect or religious group.

For example, if I had the means, I would help a family member with financial problems. The Roman Catholic church has extreme and unbelievable wealth spread across the world, yet small children in many countries starve to death.

10. Is being a good person inevitably tied to being religious?

It is quite absurd to believe that you can only be a nice person by being a member of a sect or religious group. The world is made up of many people; inevitably one is bound to meet less desirable or even evil-minded people. In my experience there are many, many good and honest people who never go inside a church.

11. Is the Church in touch with contemporary society?

Based entirely on my own experience and observations, I would suggest that the Church in most societies today is struggling. Its power base is diminishing and its congregations are shrinking fast. Thankfully, people are making their own choices about what is appropriate and important in their lives rather than being dictated to.

There is a saying that knowledge is a dangerous thing and in the case of religion this is surely the case. Scientific breakthroughs give undisputed evidence that some of what is written in the Bible is totally untrue.

12. Is religion in Malta imposed on people or does the Church and society allow them to make their own choices?

Again, from my own observations, I would suggest that the church’s influence in Malta is somewhat too powerful. Some of the people I meet feel compelled to try and influence me with their own beliefs. I feel quite aggrieved that my right to choose is not respected.

I would suspect that if all the young people of Malta were permitted to make their own choice about attending church, there would be a decline here as well as elsewhere in the world.

Many religious groups are not moving forward and evolving with everything else in our world. Why should a priest not marry? Why are women not as equal as men in the church? Why is the Church so wealthy and its flock so poor? Why are there so many sick and dying children in the world? Why are Catholics not permitted to divorce or control the number of children produced?

Finally I would like to add that I am fairly sure there was a good and kindly man called Jesus walking this earth many years ago, who was possibly a threat to those in power at the time because of his views and beliefs.

However my limited understanding is that Jesus was a simple man who did not care for personal wealth or the trappings of a famous person. Instead he preached to ordinary people about very basic principles of kindness and humility. Somewhere along the line this simple teaching has developed into the outrageous paraphernalia we witness today.