Religion and Politics

  “The Religion and Politics”                                                                    20 Feb 2009 

Introduction: The happening across the world clearly indicate that Religion controlling Political power is equally or more harmful and dangerous than Politics interfering in religion.   The hyper active wings of dominant religions with the patronage of political hierarchies indulging in anti-secular, anti-democratic and anti-minority activities have become a common scene. The apprehension of hard core religious activists of loosing their strength by  many of them crossing over from their fold to other religions is quite understandable. However, the political parties enticing religions and encouraging them to resort to violence against other religions for their political gains are totally reproachable and therefore unacceptable in any society. The results of such uncanny approach of political parties and the resultant actions and counter reactions are mainly the root cause of the religion involved terrorism in this country. Therefore, instead of trying to suppress individuals who are puppets in the hand of some perverted factions in political groups, religious extremists and regional  fanatics, in isolation with draconian laws, terrorism should be dealt with far deeper insight by identifying  the root causes and treating them accordingly.  

1. Politics vis-à-vis Religion:

For the socio-economic upper class, there is always the hidden agenda to obstruct the efforts to give education to poor by government and NGOs so as to keep them illiterate, dependant and oppressed.  The majority communities also influence governments that come to power with their support, to rule over the people according to their agenda.  Equally reproachable is the oppression of women by male chauvinisms where it exists in the name of religion in any form.  The factional ideologies being formulated and promoted by some political leadership, irrespective of who started those and when, are becoming catastrophic to cause permanent damage to the secular fabric of the Nation.  

2.  The Communists:

It is unfortunate that even the Communists started playing religious cards looking to gain political milage here and there.. Some of the current clashes in some parts of the country between the Leftist political parties and the Religious organizations are irrational and hard to comprehend. What dared the Communists now to openly come out against Religious leadership in some regions? Is it not weird that Theist beliefs that have deep roots here for over 5000 years in case of Hinduism, about 2000 years incase of Christianity and Islam, are being challenged by an ideology even in its original form, facing death in it’s infancy across the world? Or is it just the clash of beliefs of the “Creation Theories” about origin of this planet and the mankind, considered by some as a God’s special creation, against those who believe in theories that  these are just a natural or an accidental Evolution? Or is there a sudden reckoning by a section of the society, that Theism as followed by the present day Religions is repressive and anti people? Or is there something else? 

3.  Is Theism in all its forms is slowly approaching its death? 

The questions arise are; if Theism as approached by humans is dying, can Atheism or Deism be alternatives? What does God look like beyond a dying Theism? Does such a God matter?  By rejecting Theism, does one necessarily become an Atheist? Is stepping beyond Theism necessary to follow Secularism? To propose one to move out of Theism need not be to join the secular sojourn in a meaningless Deism.  Then, can Theists and Atheists approach and coexist hand in hand in Secularism?

There should be no problem for a theist to be secular. It has to be, according to saying of Jesus “Give to Caesar what Caesar’s is and to God what is God’s”. This proclamation of Jesus clearly indicates that His manifesto is more about a “Way of Life” that could be practiced without discretion of religion, cast or creed.  

However, Theism when misconceived in the hands of fanatics is worse than Fascism. Where Theism and Atheism refuse to coexist harmoniously under Secularism or in the worst case under an Autocracy, it leads to anarchy. 

4.  Experience God’s effects, not God’s being. 

One never can see God as a disincarnate or separate Self.  A famous writer wrote an analogy of  'Essence of God' with the ground water flows beneath the surface of earth. The springs, rivers, lakes, wells and oases; no matter how differently it tastes from one location to another, and no matter how the water is used, it still comes from the same source and it is ultimately of the same radical oneness.  One shall visualize and experience God’s effects, not God’s being. 

5.  God being life and love transcends all boundaries. 

If God is not a ‘Being’ but the ground of ‘All Being’, the Source of Life and the Source of Love, can any one any longer claim that the fullness of God has been captured by any particular group; without practicing it? Will it not be anything but idolatrous and foolhardy if any one claims to know God and then do just the opposite? The fact is that human beings try to approach God only with human analogy, nothing more. Even some dared to create Gods in their own image and of many other different shapes and characters.

One cannot begin at a point where he is not; one must begin where he is. Can God be contained within any one religious system, or can any people continue to live as if God were the tribal deity of their particular nation or group? See how political divisions in different parts of the country found expressions by religions to historically make much of these divisions that are part of their tribal mentality. Are many of these religious propaganda we see around now bordering fanatic ideologies, sustainable? 

6. God is real.  

None other than hard core atheists, would doubt that. The fact is that human words, human formulas, human made systems never could fully capture that reality and meaningfully pass it down through the generations. Mostly, this is the basis of the ill feelings between some of the present day religious practices. Being it so, how can the religions stand up and fight those who oppose Theism? 

7. Disorientation of the belief. 

The basis of any Religion that matters, cannot preach or practice the doctrine; “I am OK, you are not OK”,  which carry the implication that you will not be Ok until you become like me. Unfortunately, such has become the posture of many religious factions for decades now.  It is quite obviously the stance of the superior to the inferior. It is judgmental, rejecting, negative and hostile. Surely,  Love the embodiment and the “Essence of God”, cannot be professed amid judgment and hostility.  It is because of the above reasons; some of the Religious leadership, had been perceived as disoriented from the thought processes of main stream humanity with their irrelevant religious sideshows of promoting factional thinking and therefore are in drastic need to be reformed. 

8. Love is the foundation of every righteous religion. 

Love is the embodiment of every righteous religion leading to the Essence of God. A religion of Love without boundaries and barriers, Love without divisions, Love without discretion of cast, creed, rich or poor, Love without animosity and an ultimate state of Love that make one love his foes more. Where there is Love there is Forgiveness, Compassion and Kindness.  

It cannot be believed that either skin pigmentation or ethnical background and regional disparities constitutes a matter of superiority or inferiority, it is regarded that any traditional or social system or any religious system that operates on that assumption is unworthy of communal life and will not fit into the agenda of humanity. 

9. "Christianity" is more a way of life than a religion.  

I have no scholastic wisdom of various religions; don't mistake me that I am trying to propogate any particlar religion. Being happened to be Christian by birth, please allow me to mention how I understand  the essence of Christianity and practice it in life. As I understand, Christianity in its real sense is more a “Way of life” than a “Religion”. It is the Religion of Christ’s Ways”. Sadly, the literal faith stories across the generations, simply do not communicate meaningfully the pathway of Jesus that represents the “Essence of Christianity” and the “Essence of God” through it. It is therefore, that the “Christianity” being misunderstood, by many including its current followers such as few of the new era groups taking religious conversion as their main agenda.  One do not become a 'Christian', merely by changing his name or attire or being get dipped in some water by few other mortal beings.

 A true 'Christian' is the one, and only the one,  who has faith in the teachings of Christ, and  follows the path shown by Him, whichever may his worldly religion be. Christ has made everyone to understand the “Essence God” and the effects of God and the relationship between man and God  and the true meaning of “Essence of Life” , Death and Life after Death Christ has made everything that really matters in our life, simple, easy and practical for others to adapt and follow, without discretion of cast creed or traditional faith order.

10. To summarize:- The need of the day for all real believers, who embrace, adore and adhere various traditional and righteous faith orders and beliefs, irrespective of the religion, faction or sect they happened to be in now; is to escape the harmful influence of vested interests of disparate fundamentalist groups, ignore the legacy of confrontation, and explore the path of re-conciliation.  United they shall seek in a similar manner, in the light of Love and Forgiveness, and move on to share the “Essence of their Religion” and the “Essence of God” through it, harmoniously amongst themselves and others. When the formations of righteous humanity stand united and tread in the pathway shown by the founders and fore fathers of their Religious faith orders, with staunch desire and intention to meaningfully become part of this secular nation, the so called Religious hierarchies as well as the misled Political leaderships, will inevitably have no other choice than to fall in line.

I have full faith in the younger generation in India, who will definitely safe guard the culture of this country and continue to upkeep the magnanimity of Hindu and other religions, the like of those one can seldom see elsewhere; and take this country marching forward with  renewed unity,  with all its diversities. 

 Abraham Paul 

Do God need help of one set puny humans for protection from others?  According to scriptures, the “MAN” whom He made in his own image, is the one that God loved the most among His creations. Then God would definitely despise his loving creations indulge in hatred and hurt and kill each other living in fear, pain and sadness. The opposite to hate is Love, the most valuable thing in the eyes of God. Only deeds evoke and involve Love please God.  Where there is Love there is Forgiveness, Compassion and Kindness.