Of Gujarats, 911s and Irelands
We, the people in India are still reeling I feel under the aftermath of the Godhra riots. The state of Gujarat especially. We lost hundreds to thousand of our countrymen in those riots. Riots in my "secular" land is aomething very common nowadays; especially religious ones. Not something that augurs well for our land.
The face of the riot victim
It's really sad the way people become fanatical about religion. At the risk of sounding both cliched and trite, I would like to say that God is one. I am a believer and a devout Hindu at that. So much so that I am even proud to be a Brahman. But that does not make me look down upon people of different castes, race or religion. Hinduism, sadly and ironically used to preach or rather had been interpreted as casteism; with lower castes being looked down upon. So much so, untouchability was something ingrained in society. It is true that there were segregations mentioned in the Holy Vedas, but never was the issue of untouchability digressed. So how it came into being is something I shall never know and if I do; agree upon.
Similarly, I don't look at myself as superior to the Muslims, Jews, Christians or any other religion of the world. Neither do my parents. Sure, the would not want me to marry outside the religion, but not because they loathe the other religions.
So, the question I ask is, " Why are there so many people around the country, and even the world getting fanatical about their religions?" Why are there wars being waged and innocent children being killed, women raped, house burned down and many other things that God does not advocate?
The aswser to most of my country's problems is illteracy. The remaining: poverty. yet, I was quite startled to hear that some of these fanatics are actually quite well educated. If this is true, we are well on the path of extinction.
The world is no different. 911 happened because of this fanatism partly. Look at Ireland- they too are reeling under clashes between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants.
I believe that fundamentalists arise from bad upbringing or bad company. Both are problems that are solvable. I do not think a child is someone who is born prejudiced about religion. We make them.
Go to any educational institute and you shall find no such hatred. My class is a fine example. Sure, we are the most notorious bunch in the college. But the unity is something that I have never found anywhere else. We have Muslims (Sahul- a great Guy) visiting temples and following all Hindu customs. Froila, our Roman catholic girl makes it a point to invite us on Christmas and we don't disappoint. She is the first person to message me on Diwali. And this is something that I have experienced in school as well. I admire my classmates. If I ever went to a temple, ther would not be a single person who would refuse the prasad that I got from there.
So, I really believe that the key to our problems is lying in our hands, rather our head. Eradicate the hatred and we won't have death. A little compassion and a little tolerance. And we won't have 911s, nor Iraqs, nor Irelands, or Gujarats.
The face of the riot victim
It's really sad the way people become fanatical about religion. At the risk of sounding both cliched and trite, I would like to say that God is one. I am a believer and a devout Hindu at that. So much so that I am even proud to be a Brahman. But that does not make me look down upon people of different castes, race or religion. Hinduism, sadly and ironically used to preach or rather had been interpreted as casteism; with lower castes being looked down upon. So much so, untouchability was something ingrained in society. It is true that there were segregations mentioned in the Holy Vedas, but never was the issue of untouchability digressed. So how it came into being is something I shall never know and if I do; agree upon.
Similarly, I don't look at myself as superior to the Muslims, Jews, Christians or any other religion of the world. Neither do my parents. Sure, the would not want me to marry outside the religion, but not because they loathe the other religions.
So, the question I ask is, " Why are there so many people around the country, and even the world getting fanatical about their religions?" Why are there wars being waged and innocent children being killed, women raped, house burned down and many other things that God does not advocate?
The aswser to most of my country's problems is illteracy. The remaining: poverty. yet, I was quite startled to hear that some of these fanatics are actually quite well educated. If this is true, we are well on the path of extinction.
The world is no different. 911 happened because of this fanatism partly. Look at Ireland- they too are reeling under clashes between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants.
I believe that fundamentalists arise from bad upbringing or bad company. Both are problems that are solvable. I do not think a child is someone who is born prejudiced about religion. We make them.
Go to any educational institute and you shall find no such hatred. My class is a fine example. Sure, we are the most notorious bunch in the college. But the unity is something that I have never found anywhere else. We have Muslims (Sahul- a great Guy) visiting temples and following all Hindu customs. Froila, our Roman catholic girl makes it a point to invite us on Christmas and we don't disappoint. She is the first person to message me on Diwali. And this is something that I have experienced in school as well. I admire my classmates. If I ever went to a temple, ther would not be a single person who would refuse the prasad that I got from there.
So, I really believe that the key to our problems is lying in our hands, rather our head. Eradicate the hatred and we won't have death. A little compassion and a little tolerance. And we won't have 911s, nor Iraqs, nor Irelands, or Gujarats.
posted by Sunil Natraj at 5/14/2005 11:31:00 AM
9 Comments:
Thank you for the comment.
It sounds as if you have a very healthy attitude concerning religious beliefs. My Christian faith teaches free will on religious beliefs and matters. It also teaches disciples to respect governments as well as dieties. ("Render unto Caesar the things that are caesars, unto God the things that are Gods")
However, around tax time I wonder about the scope of "what is caesars!"
There is no doubt a religion is the least qualified institution to run a country. Maybe the terrorisms of which you refer are proof of that.
People are different, no doubt, as are religious beliefs. Keep searching for the answers and if you find them, be sure to let me know.'chuckle'
The problem isn't religion but how it is interpeted. How could you have factions within religions. Muslims are a very peaceful people and don't believe in violence. Protestants and Catholics are tought thou shall not kill. Yet some people read these great holy books as the Bible and the Koran and interpet violence as being justified. Look at all of the crusades that were justified under a christian God by people who knew it wasn't God will. People see what they want in these great books. Others see differently. The problem isn't religion its the people who interepet it.
You can read hatred all day long. I don't know what the solution is, I just think when the fanatics are safely in hell the rest of us will have our heaven.
Its noce to have you back, Mr. Nixon. Interpretation though, I feel is not as much an issue as much as possessiveness or belonging.
Regards,
Sunil.
Simple in theory, ridding humans of hate is a messy business, in practice.
To reduce the problem to 'interpretation of scriptures' is just as problematic. To be sure, the Bible and the Koran lends itself to intolerance as exemplified by Exodus 23:24 (Do not allow others to worship a different god. Conquer them and destroy their religious property). In 'The Family of Imran', the Koran warns, 'Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers.'
Probably one way to get around the intolerance springing from intepretation is to discriminate between the right and wrong in religions. Granted, most religion preaches good but it is an act of grievous naivety to assume that religion is infallible, per se.
Mr Fzian,
Are we not spiralling back to the same question of interpretation when we try to distinguish whats "Right" and whats "Wrong"? I cant speak for all but I am of the firm belief that ones upbringing is invariably the cause.
Regards,
Sunil.
This is hardly a problem of interpretation, really. This is more of 'questioning' instead of 'blindly accepting' a religious doctrine just because it is sanctioned by the God(s). I believe that the spirit of inquiry is essential in human advancement.
To bring the issue of 'upbringing' into the argument adds nothing to the debate -- instead clouding the issue. I think it is pretty obvious that upbringing is a factor in most, if not all social and sociological problem. Social debates will be hollow if it were to be reduced to mere problems in upbringing.
The more important question is the aspect of upbringing which causes this problem -- i.e. religious intolerance, misintepretation, inability to think independently of scriptures,....
great post.i agree,unfortunately illiteracy is not the root of all the prejudice and fanaticism coz if it were it wud be much easier to put an end to all this insanity. It is always more difficult to try purging the prejudiced human mind of its irrational thoughts .like u said good upbringing in right environment can definitely induce the right effects and who can vouch for it better than us like u exemplified in ur post.
Most wars are started (during medieval times) were for land but gained acceptance when sold as holy wars. The problem doesn't resolve in religion its the fact that people use it to cause war and violence. And a lot of those people misinterpt the words. Some people even theorize that all the other religions are misinterpetations of Christianity (which I find bullshit). My main point is religion isn't bad its how they justify there own beliefs through it.
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