If the truth is spoken by a liar, it is no less true. Rejecting reality based on our distaste for the messenger that presents it to us is almost as foolish as accepting a lie based on the merits of the great philosopher or saint that spoke it.
Religion is the opiate of the masses, but the spirit of religion hides in hard to see places. Science is a religion, atheism is a religion, even new age spirituality can be a religion. So what is religion anyway? The answer behind that question holds the key to true freedom.
If you look religion up in a dictionary you'll find a wide range of definitions. I took the time to look the word up myself before writing this article, but I found no dictionary that pointed out what I see to be the real core of religion. Hence, I am left with no choice but to create my own definition.