Evolution has proved that the underlying nature of existence
is curiosity. Curiosity often leads to unprecedented but almost welcomed
accidents that later on set the path for discovery. Its this very accidental
nature of knowledge that has helped the mankind survive and even emerge as the
most powerful of all species on earth. Maybe its this desire to know, evaluate
and create that sets humans apart from all other forms of life on earth, so
much so that it has evens pushed us on the top of the food chain. When history
shows that intelligence is exploring the unknown and being able to make a
judgement on its fairness, I fail to understand how dismissal of anything
without a proper analysis of the subject is even deemed to be smart.
This brings me to mention one of the most misunderstood
concept of religion; not just in our nation but across the world. People have
taken to streets to tag people of belief as radicals and even deem as
terrorists. Religion, in its very foundation has an innate virtue of belief. A
collective composition of that belief, shared by community, lead to a design of
a way of life which is the formalisation of religion. Artists nurtured these
beliefs into an emotional canvas of literature, poetry, paintings, music and
even sculpting. And thus emerged religion a very creation by man as a
reflection of his experience on earth and his aspirations from his brief stay
here. Borne by man and collapse into man. A belief system so strong that it
sprouted across different places across the globe, isolated from each other but
uncannily similar.
But somewhere along the line we grew into insolent offended
bunch of people, who have decided to overlook and even insult this achievement.
Yes I am deeming religion as an achievement. Not for the rules and directives
it has been incorrectly identified with, but for the unparalleled amount of raw
wisdom and intellect it took to brew. Did I just relate religion to intellect?
Yes and I am in my sane mind! Religious texts or so as they are called are a
treat for people with a penchant for art. There is no other phenomenon that has
stirred the creative juices so much so as religion has. It gives a freedom of
imagination, choice and peace. Religion is not Buddhist, Christian, Muslim or
so on. It’s the school of thought that a person chooses to identify with. What
we mistake religion for is nothing else but political vendetta.
In these schools of thoughts an absence of one is also a
belief system. So, all the self-proclaimed atheists who so proudly believe that
they have overcome what is referred to as “conservative society” and so
vehemently trash those who still have faith are nothing but as religious as
anyone else. What they don’t realise is that in the absence of a coherent
thought process, they are no different form political opportunists. While one
uses religion for personal gains, the other use it to hide their growing
intolerance and pea sized intellectual horizon. Its nothing but folly to
dismiss what you don’t even understand entirely.
I am by no means an ardent supporter of a religious school
of thought. But I am a human. Its in my very core to be curious. I know, I
understand, I evaluate and then I decide. I stand neither with nor against any
religion. I exist as an entity spiritual in its existence, persistent in its
discovery. I do not stand against the atheists but I do stand with the people
of belief.
