--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Ivie, Lloyd O. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 30 number: 4 published: 1927-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Ivie, Lloyd O., “I Am Not Religious,” *Improvement Era* 30, no. 4 (February 1927): 395." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3004unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera3004unse start_page: 395 end_page: 395 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1927-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3004unse publication_year: 1927 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1927, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # I Am Not Religious "I AM NOT RELIGIOUS" By Lloyd O. Ivie Not so long ago a young man said to me, "I am not religious." I exclaimed in my heart, but not to him, "You know not what you say, or I am sure you would never say that." Then I asked, "Do you know what religion means?" There are various definitions in the minds of people, perhaps, as to just what religion means. Yet, religion is life. This means that religion is a vital power which touches every phase of human effort and activity. Morals, ethics, science — religion embraces them all. Religion is older than all. Religion implies, "Thou shalt not lie," "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not bear false witness," "Thou shalt not covet." It also demands, "Honor thy father and thy mother," and "Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you." Then, he who says, "I am not religious," would lie! He would also steal! He might even kill; and why should he not covet? What power could there be which would restrain him from dishonoring his father and mother? As well might he say, "I am untrustworthy," "I will not tell you the truth," "I have no respect for my parents." He who has said, "I am not religious," may be likened unto a chimney sweep, who after having spent his life in soot and smoke would exclaim, "I" am not black." Or, he may be likened unto a miller who would say, "There is no flour upon me." He who rejects religion is in rebellion against truth. He denies the power which created him. He spurns the very environment which has constructed civilization. He ignores the very tree upon which he has been born a leaf. He tacitly testifies that he is ignorant and foolish, that he is stubborn and self-willed. He stands as a witness that he would rather have his own way than the right way. He has driven a poison sting into his own flesh. In fact, he who says. "I am not religious," certainly does not comprehend what he says; or it would be the last thing on earth he would ever think of saying. Lyman. Wyo.