Holier than Thou

People blame a particular section of society for an act of terror, and the sentiments of dissent has and will run deep for years to come. In India, there was a certain haplessly opportunist of a President back in 1947 whose ugly move we still have to bear through. People are divided upon religion because of the relics or so called ‘beholders of faith’ like the Maulanas from SIMI (A students muslim foundation) and Sudarshan who heads RSS (a totally tyrannical Hindu outfit with regressive and outdated principles).

Islam and Vedanta are two profound studies which preach of God and the ways to attain godliness. Still how can it be that they engage people towards fanaticism?

Christianity has the vaguest and yet simplest of all doctrines. Buddhism is mistakenly thought as the religion of peace and compassion. Ask the Neo-Buddhist and you will know. The very lunacy of religion lies in the fact that one man’s god is another’s devil.

It is not hard to follow a religion of convenience. And if you are a clergyman, it is not hard to turn a well found religion into a religion of convenience as well. So all the lawlessness, acts of terror, brutality against animals and men is accounted for people who are godless. But not following any religion, according to many would be blasphemous and makes one an outlaw. But does everyone go about terrorizing and rampaging daily peace? On the contrary most acts of ghastly deeds have been performed by believers of religion. The Spanish Inquisition and witch hunts by the Christians, the forceful conversions by Muslims through the centuries, and recent fanatical acts by the Hindu Right wing.

With the advent of a flurry of spiritual channels featuring ‘godmen’ and clergymen giving away religious discourses with divine confidence, it makes me sit, watch and wonder. How necessary it is to have FAITH! It is the only Hope and Shelter. It’s the provider of Solace. Take away FAITH from your life and everything is lost. We have been programmed in such a way.

And I try to believe.