For many people, religion is a very sensitive topic. For the most part this is a personal decision; people choose a faith that aligns with their beliefs, ideas and beliefs. Although people would like to think that religion is a personal decision and they can tailor it to how they feel and what they believe, in practice this is not the case. Religion represents a commitment to a set of principles that are not moldable, adaptable, or flexible. Religion, while it may be a personal belief, is extremely defined, with little to no room for flexibility. If people try to change their religion based on their beliefs or ideas, the reaction can be severe. The boundaries in religion and faith regarding what is acceptable and what is not are clear, and crossing them can lead to serious consequences. In the novel Things Fall Apart, religion prevails over individual thought and common sense, as people desperately scramble to take control. . In Umofia, religion is not a personal belief, but a lifestyle. Religion is how life is run and if anyone goes against these principles, they will be exiled from their community. When Okonkwo breaks the weak peace by beating his wife, he has committed a sin and “The evil you have done can ruin the entire clan. The earth goddess you have insulted may refuse to give us her fruit and we will all perish…” (TFA 30). Although Okonkwo did not harm anyone else by beating his wife, he was vilified by the community for his actions. While the general belief in the community is that violence during Peace Week is prohibited, how can they (or we, for that matter) know that this is what Okonkwo believes? Maybe Okonkwo doesn't believe in peace week or maybe not even in... middle of paper... either side of the coin. When is religion not black and white? Religion is not black and white when there is a personal clash between two sides, when the value of the debate becomes so high that it becomes a personal issue rather than a superficial one. When the stakes are high, the personal side of things comes out. Sometimes, people cannot put their personal opinions on the line due to the nature of the society they live in, where they would be punished for doing so. But the fact remains that religion is rigid because its structure and the society in which it is involved require it. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things fall apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print.Brown, Dan. The Da Vinci Code. Np: Doubleday, 2003. Print.Power, Carla. "Muslim women demand an end to oppressive laws." TIME.com. Np, 17 February 2009. Web. 29 October. 2013.