There is a reason scripture says, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” Because when religion meets illiteracy, the result is often not faith, but control.
Religion, at its best, is a source of strength. It offers moral grounding, a sense of purpose, and community. But when people are denied education, the ability to read, to question, to verify religion can become a dangerous weapon in the hands of those who seek power.
All over the world, in villages and cities alike, people gather in places of worship, trusting that what they hear is sacred truth. But what happens when they cannot read the texts for themselves? What happens when they are discouraged from asking questions, told to obey without understanding, or led to believe that curiosity is a sin?
In that silence, manipulation thrives.
Even the Apostle Paul urged believers to grow in discernment and intellectual maturity. He wrote, “Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults” (1 Corinthians 14:20). Paul knew that a strong faith required more than emotion or tradition; it demanded conscious thought.
We’ve seen the consequences when that awareness is stripped away. From the Taliban’s ban on girls' education under religious justification to cults that promise salvation through violence, the pattern is global. In Kenya, the Shakahola tragedy offers a chilling example. Dozens of followers, many with limited or no formal education, died after allegedly being instructed to fast to death in the name of spiritual obedience. That tragedy wasn’t born of faith it was born of illiteracy, blind trust, and unchecked religious power.
When people are stripped of the ability to think critically about their faith, they become easy to control. And when those in power claim divine authority, questioning them is not just discouraged it’s framed as rebellion or blasphemy. That’s not spirituality. That’s authoritarianism with a halo.
Religious scholars across traditions have long warned against this. Islamic thinker Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl stated, “When people lose the ability to read texts for themselves, to question and interpret, they are at the mercy of those who claim exclusive access to truth.” Christian theologian and activist Rev. Dr. William Barber adds, “A misinformed faith is the devil’s playground. It blinds people not only to their dignity but to their duty to challenge injustice.”
The truth is, genuine faith does not fear questions. It welcomes them. It grows stronger in the light of understanding. Faith without awareness isn’t devotion, it’s submission. And when we normalize blind submission, we create fertile ground for abuse, oppression, and manipulation; all in the name of God.
This is why the link between education and religion is so critical. If belief is to be meaningful, it must walk hand in hand with enlightenment. That means making sacred texts accessible. It means encouraging literacy, reflection, and dialogue. It means raising a generation of believers who are not just obedient; but informed, awake, and thoughtful.
We must insist on education not just for employment or economic mobility, but as a form of spiritual protection. Whether Christian, Muslim, traditionalist, or otherwise — belief must be conscious, not coerced. It must be rooted not just in tradition, but in truth.
In a world shaped by misinformation, disinformation, digital preachers, and rising religious extremism, we cannot afford to ignore this conversation. Enlightenment and belief must walk together or we risk losing both.
This is not an attack on religion. In fact, it is the opposite. It is a defense of its purity and purpose. Because without knowledge, faith loses its depth. And without depth, it is no longer a personal journey; it becomes a tool in someone else’s hands.
