We are constantly in search of hope, help and mercy from the Almighty. We hope for better love, better life, better children, more money, good looks, and Lady Fortune to pass our way. But wait a second, is this all about religion? I ask the 'learned' and the holy saints, "Why do we need religion?" Among the various answers I received like, "Its God and you cannot question him"(Is he Osama Bin Laden), "You have to, that will make you great"(Just when I thought Zuckerberg and Gates were not priests), I heard an argument that opened my eyes, "It unites people".
That is one of the most un-agreeable statements I have heard. Religion unites people. No. Religion divides people. It creates teams across the entire globe. Team Hinduism. Team Islam. Team Christianity. Team Buddhism. Team Judaism. Blah. Blah. Blah. Team Atheism. There is a constant battle over which religion is better. No matter how much we shroud this topic on grounds of secularism and global peace, this topic has been a heated decision and will remain.
Look at the world's defense programs. Around 37% of the entire defense expenditures of the world are spent to combat religious fights, most of them against the Islamist terrorists who seek to gain influence over the entire world. Now if we call all our Gods has the ever-right, omnipotent and omnipresent, do we think that the Almighty doesn't have the guts to come down here, go ka-boom on anyone who opposes him and go back to his throne up there.
This is where I questioned the priests in my city, "Do we need God or do we need Religion". You see, people can make religion the biggest market on earth. Come to India, we have VIP systems in temples, offerings of gold diamonds and all things that can be labeled expensive, being given as offerings. Why? God plans to wear gold earrings? Even if so, YOUR gold earrings? Does he need money to buy a Mercedes? I asked my dad and he said we do so as our respect to God, and for the running of the temple/churches/mosques. I respect temples/churches/mosques being a place where God can dwell on Earth, but I really can't digest the fact how some people play with sentiments of the common man in the name of religion.
I am not an atheist. I love God. My birthmark doesn't label me as a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian. My parents gave me that, and I have to keep that. But I cannot accept the fact that I am different from my crush who is a Christian or my best friend who is a Muslim or different from any person on grounds of some imaginary classification system. We are humans, different ideas, different principles, different beliefs, different imaginations, different powers.... but not different blessings.
That is one of the most un-agreeable statements I have heard. Religion unites people. No. Religion divides people. It creates teams across the entire globe. Team Hinduism. Team Islam. Team Christianity. Team Buddhism. Team Judaism. Blah. Blah. Blah. Team Atheism. There is a constant battle over which religion is better. No matter how much we shroud this topic on grounds of secularism and global peace, this topic has been a heated decision and will remain.
Look at the world's defense programs. Around 37% of the entire defense expenditures of the world are spent to combat religious fights, most of them against the Islamist terrorists who seek to gain influence over the entire world. Now if we call all our Gods has the ever-right, omnipotent and omnipresent, do we think that the Almighty doesn't have the guts to come down here, go ka-boom on anyone who opposes him and go back to his throne up there.
This is where I questioned the priests in my city, "Do we need God or do we need Religion". You see, people can make religion the biggest market on earth. Come to India, we have VIP systems in temples, offerings of gold diamonds and all things that can be labeled expensive, being given as offerings. Why? God plans to wear gold earrings? Even if so, YOUR gold earrings? Does he need money to buy a Mercedes? I asked my dad and he said we do so as our respect to God, and for the running of the temple/churches/mosques. I respect temples/churches/mosques being a place where God can dwell on Earth, but I really can't digest the fact how some people play with sentiments of the common man in the name of religion.
I am not an atheist. I love God. My birthmark doesn't label me as a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian. My parents gave me that, and I have to keep that. But I cannot accept the fact that I am different from my crush who is a Christian or my best friend who is a Muslim or different from any person on grounds of some imaginary classification system. We are humans, different ideas, different principles, different beliefs, different imaginations, different powers.... but not different blessings.
