Religion - Moral Ritual / Superstition / Feel Good Belief.

Religion has been in existence since the evolution of humans and has been evolving with humans. Religion has advanced by leaps and bounds and has become very modern as compared to us humans. I had read somewhere that religion is a set of practices or rituals often based or centered upon supernatural and moral claims and it lays down a law which encompasses our ancestral and cultural traditions and if it is so then the religion has to evolve because the people following it are evolving and changing daily and the ancestral cultural traditions which were followed before are now just a tradition or in some cases just a cliche. So if we think practically religion can't be a part of something that is ancient as we still see millions of people of modern era throng Temples, Masjids, Gurudwaras, Churches etc. So in reality what is religion?

Is it an ideology to terrorize people? Is it an ideology to discriminate? Is it an ideology giving rise to superstitious? Well to be truthful, according to me religion is nothing but a belief one has, which could help them decide between good and bad and give them an encouragement in choosing the right path from the various paths that we are accosted with during our lifetime and at the same time feel happy about it, in short it is nothing but a feel good factor.

Religion has such a powerful aura that it attracts people from all walks of life, whether it is a business magnate or a laborer toiling for his daily needs, whether literate or a illiterate, everyone at some point of time have turned towards religion either for thanking God for the happiness He has bestowed or to given an account of problems that have befallen. This aura does not need any agents in the guise of God-Wo/Men or for that matter neither saffron outfits are required nor a Kufie (Muslim headgear worn during Namaz) is required.

I read in an blog that before the moon-mission was launched, a miniature of Chadrayaan was sent to Tirupati Temple for blessings. Our top-notch scientists are top-educated and yet so religious? This would be completely incomprehensible for few who argue that science and religion does not go hand in hand. So, is this superstition? But then again superstition and science are not exactly hand in glove. The simple reason and logic behind this gesture can only be feel good factor and not that it would help in any kind with the technical operations.

Religion is nothing but a feel good factor and a ritual where in we feel satisfied and happy and thinking about this, I realize that religion is not about a set of supernatural and moral claims, it is not about reading some books or preaching, or changing your name. There is nothing superstitious or conservative about choosing a path which gives you happiness and it certainly does not matter whether you wear a tilak on your forehead, a kufie or a turban on your head or a cross in your neck

After all, its all about feeling happy.....

Is Religion A New Hotspot On Terror Maps?

The face of terror is seeing a shift with Pragya Singh Thakur being detained in connection with the bomb blasts in Malegaon and Modasa. But is the changing profile of the terrorist sending alarm bells ringing across the city? Most of us feel that the religion has come to the fore as a terror tool. Religion, is peaceful and sacrosanct, but the people must band together to face this growing threat.

Terrorism is the work of a deviant mind that is ridden with supernatural beliefs. Terrorists presume that by pursuing a cause in the name of their religion they will go to heaven. These days, some of the convicts are well-educated, young people. But irrational ism prevails among all people. Their beliefs are enforced by fanaticism and religion. A terrorist is nothing but a fanatic considering that whatever he is doing is for a good cause. There will always be people who believe that counter-attack is the best way to get revenge. Today, even after the arrests have been made, people are not convinced that they are safe, as everyone is aware that the brain behind the attacks is still at large. We require a scientific and foolproof method of investigation. Only then can we pin down the main criminals. Whenever arrests are made, there are contradictions. So people are losing faith in the the police investigations. If such contradictions keep recurring then, soon, nobody will have faith in the police. If terrorist attacks and bomb blasts keep occurring with increasing regularity, it will result in a fear psychosis among people. But citizens need to be aware and take precautions. Along with the police, people, too, need to be vigilant about the ongoing investigations.

Religion does not encourage terrorism and there is no connection between religion and terrorism. Some people commit hideous acts and to cover up their selfish motives use the name of religion. People need to understand that no religion has ever propagated terrorism as a path to heaven, but it is a direct path to hell where in the near and dear ones of the terrorist are the one who always suffer the most.

It amazes me as to why these questions about religion and its connection with terror is being raised every single time an act of terrorism takes place. This terrorists simply have no religion and it is their own prejudices that pushes them over the hill and in to the murky world of terrorists. It is utterly rubbish for us to brand the terrorists as a Muslim terrorist or a Hindu terrorists. At the moment the arrest of Pragya Singh Thakur should open up our eyes and we should realize that the terrorist should not be worshipped upon as religious zealots but should be looked upon as a person with an abused background or a person with mental illness.

Even if for a second we believe that the Malegaon and Modasa blasts are a mode of Hindu retaliation against Muslim terrorism, it solidifies one fact even more that Hate can only breed more hate and who ever the terrorists or whatever religion they belong to they should understand that outbursts of their hatred against the other religion will get them only hatred. What the Hindus did to Christians in Orissa and Karnataka is the same thing as what moghul empires did to Hindus in the past and what would happen if the Christians go about attacking Hindus all overt he world in order to take revenge. It's up to each individual to think for themselves and not follow the mob blindly. People with vested interests will use religion to their advantage to divide and create havoc in this country.

One of the culprit is our own media, ever since the arrest of the Malegaon blast-accused, Pragya Singh Thakur, news channel are beaming headlines calling her a Hindu Terrorist. I don't understand why the media is associating terrorism with religion. We have been still trying to deal with religious fanaticism and so there is no point in increasing communal tensions by associating terror with a particular religion, race or caste. Media should be more careful before branding any terrorists and we are all very aware of the ways of our politicians and their vote bank politics and the role that is voluntarily or involuntarily played by the media.

Let's remember that these terrorists have no religion and in order to curb these cowardly acts, we should all be vigilant along with the authorities. The day we learn to distinguish ourselves as humans first, rather than Hindus, Muslims and Christians, we will win the war against the terror. The time has come when we should not revel in self pity and join hands against the terror and tell the world and the people to stop all these violence as in the end we innocent people are the only victims.