For God’s Sake

Late Mr. Sadanand A. Shetty, Founder Editor
(October 9th, 1930 – February 23rd, 2007)

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” 
– Marcus Aurelius, Stoic Philosopher and Roman Emperor
 
There are over six billion human beings on this planet. Two billion Christians give or take a few, a billion Muslims, almost a billion Hindus and a two billion blend of the others including non-believers. Each religion lays a special claim to the Creator, and inside track on His rules and special privileges to the after-life. Thus, sometimes, if you are the prophet of one, you are most likely the sacrilegious villain of a later one. Most religions agree on some aspects and differ on others, but are unambiguous in their essence which is to spread love, peace and harmony among human beings who are uniquely gifted with intellect and compassion. 
The initial influence of religion on humanity was civilisational. It brought peace to warring tribes, it provided a framework of behaviour and it centralised an ordered power structure in ethnic groups. With time this brought stability and development; religious groups developed faster than those without a code; they developed superior armaments, had more motivated soldiers and conquered and converted the unbelievers. Through the first millennium, civilisation rose and fell, fueled by firm religious convictions. Besides conquests, religions were frequently drivers of the development of the arts and sciences and the more humane virtues of peace, charity and education. The Egyptian pyramids, the caves of Ajanta and Ellora, the great Aztec temple pyramid of Tenochtitlan and the Sistine Chapel were born of religious fervour. Peace after the Kalinga war was prompted by Ashoka’s Buddhist leanings. The great ancient monasteries and learning centres were largely sustained by religious orders.
With the progress of science emerged skepticism – and with it uncertainty over religion itself. The role of religion in running the State was the first to be questioned and subsequently came reservations on other matters of liturgical authority. Religions, like other institutions, were sometimes found remiss in ethical behaviour. They seemed to overly influence other institutions, stall the progress of science and occasionally come into direct conflict with the State. The sale of indulgences by the Church, the performance of expensive poojas for the express purpose of appeasing a deity or the slaughter of animals for religious festivals were bound to be viewed with doubt by even a reverential public.  This resulted in reform movements taking life to orient religions in new directions. Adi Shankara, the Arya Samaj, Martin Luther and newer denominations of the church were consequences of the urge for reform, of a corrupt and misrepresented avatar of religion – that were deviant from their original objectives. This unfortunately is occurring again where religious bigots are misusing religion to spread hate, thus turning this beautiful concept into a subject of controversy. Socialists point out that such fanatical behaviour and prejudices arise due to the political mileage that can be obtained from modern problems like urban decay, overcrowding of cities, unemployment and competition. 
Reviewing the evolution of religion in India, over the years, as a civilised society one recognises many a scientific foundation to this life-style concept in our daily customs and rituals. Ritualism is essential and integral to all religions as they preach a code of conduct to bring about a healthy mind and body. Most observe some rituals such as worshiping  the dawn after bathing, lighting of a lamp before the idol of deities, chanting of mantras, singing hymns in praise of God, performing an aarti, fasting, breaking a coconut, offering foodstuffs to images of deities or touching the feet of elders. Occasionally, more elaborate rituals such as havans and yagnas are also practised to alleviate suffering and seek divine favour. Most of these rituals and customs have scientific significance. Our traditions are generally based on living in harmony with nature and maybe termed eco friendly. Planting a tulsi plant in one’s garden ensures abundant oxygenation in ones environs. The practice of fasting for self purification is a means of resting the metabolism which today is proved to be advantageous. Yogic asanas, the surya namaskar and performing namaz,  improve flexibility, relieve stress and provide a host of health benefits. When a person bows before the idol of God in total submission or folds his hands while greeting another or prostrates before an elder, he essentially sheds his ego and acknowledges the omnipresence of a being superior than him. Part of worship is the teaching of humility and discipline, both of which bring equanimity of character. 
Observing rituals is a matter of personal choice; however religion can be understood only when people go beyond symbolism and rituals. To quote Swami Vivekananda – “All who have actually attained any religious experience never wrangle over the form in which the different religions are expressed. They know the soul of all religions is the same and so they have no quarrel with anybody just because he or she does not speak in the same tongue. Are you unselfish? That is the question. If you are, you will be perfect without reading a single religious book, without going into a single church or temple.” 
Appreciating that religion is for love and not hate, can end violence and bring peace to humanity, beginning with ones self.

It’s barely 15 months since the ghastly 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai and we have been hit again. This time it is Pune, where the blast at the German Bakery has claimed 15 innocent lives so far. Despite assurances from the government that its citizens are safe and its efforts to beef up security are a continuous process, terrorists continue to strike at periodic intervals.
However putting the entire blame on the government and security forces alone is not going to serve any purpose as the terrorists keep changing their modus operandi every time. What is required is a concerted effort from all segments of the society, especially every citizen to take our security to a higher level. Citizens will have to be alert all the time. It is also important to train the local police in smaller cities and towns to be more vigilant and they in turn should build awareness among the citizens to report any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood.
Laxity in security should not be acceptable. In Mumbai, most of the scanners at railway stations are non-functional and there is enough space around scanners for people to avoid passing through them. Security should not become a matter of concern only after a strike but should be 24x7. Let us all be on guard!

Mrs. Sucharita R. Hegde