The most cowardly and despicable attacks on the Jama Masjid at Delhi, perhaps committed by the same fanatics that sought it fit to attack the Akshardham temple in Ahmedabad, and bomb the Sankatamochan shrine at Varanasi, goes to show that terrorism has no religion. Terrorism hiding behind the veil of religious sanction is fooling no one; no religion, in its truest element, could ever sanction the killing of innocents, the shedding of blameless blood, the violation of the holiest of the Holies, the shrines of mankind. Georges Duhamel, the great novelist, once said, “I have too much respect for the idea of God to make it responsible for such an absurd world.”
I ask you which faith advocates the adoption of violence against one’s fellow beings. Do not show me the ‘kafir’ and ‘infidel’ phraseology used by the invading Muslim armies and Crusader forces. For to that I shall tell you, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”, and this I quote not from some raving philosopher’s musings, but from the Bible, the holiest text of the Jewish & the Christian faiths. But somewhere down the ages, these words of caution, these syllables of advice have been muted by a more horrendous sound. In the words of the Hungarian writer Arthur Koestler, the most persistent sound which reverberates through man’s history is the beating of war drums. To believe that the one who doesn’t believe in my God is inferior to me and must be forced to adhere to my faith is foolishness, for belief is like love; it cannot be compelled.
I reject those who claim that they are superior to others. It is akin to saying that all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. Know this that in our infinite ignorance of both this world and the world beyond the pale, we are all equal. Or to be jocular about our lack of knowledge, as the French poet Paul Valery puts it, God made everything out of the void, but the void shows through. Know this, and know this well: God has written all the books. Nothing was made by God for man to destroy or spoil. Why cannot we feel like Kant felt, who exclaimed, “Two things fill the mind with ever-increasing wonder & awe … the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me”? Or is it our aim to ensure that in so frivolous a manner the glory of the world should pass away? Maybe, Margaret Mead was right when she says that human beings do not carry civilization in their genes. For a mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, and a hell of heaven.
And that is where we must turn to religion, for that civilizing effect. For in the purest forms of religion, not in the rituals or in the mantras, not in the sanctimonious uttering of the priests or in the sounds of the bells, lies the eternal Truth of life. There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it. This truth was the foundation of the famed City of Camelot, the Utopia we aim to achieve. This truth was “In service of others, we serve ourselves.” Nay, I do not jest. You may quibble that this be so commonplace a sermon that it surely couldn’t be the Truth, but I ask you, is it not a constant struggle to see what is in front of one’s own nose? Can we not say that my country is the world, and my religion is to do good?
In conclusion, I pray to the better wisdom of those who feel that shrines are the best places to torment and torture people, and remind them of the fact that the sanctity of a temple, as in a place of worship, is that it is a place to which men go to weep in common, be they rich or poor, sinners or God-fearing souls. Torment them, deny them their faith any further, and you shall be washed away in their tears. And then shall you be ‘rewarded’ by the ‘Paradise’ of your deserving.
I ask you which faith advocates the adoption of violence against one’s fellow beings. Do not show me the ‘kafir’ and ‘infidel’ phraseology used by the invading Muslim armies and Crusader forces. For to that I shall tell you, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”, and this I quote not from some raving philosopher’s musings, but from the Bible, the holiest text of the Jewish & the Christian faiths. But somewhere down the ages, these words of caution, these syllables of advice have been muted by a more horrendous sound. In the words of the Hungarian writer Arthur Koestler, the most persistent sound which reverberates through man’s history is the beating of war drums. To believe that the one who doesn’t believe in my God is inferior to me and must be forced to adhere to my faith is foolishness, for belief is like love; it cannot be compelled.
I reject those who claim that they are superior to others. It is akin to saying that all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. Know this that in our infinite ignorance of both this world and the world beyond the pale, we are all equal. Or to be jocular about our lack of knowledge, as the French poet Paul Valery puts it, God made everything out of the void, but the void shows through. Know this, and know this well: God has written all the books. Nothing was made by God for man to destroy or spoil. Why cannot we feel like Kant felt, who exclaimed, “Two things fill the mind with ever-increasing wonder & awe … the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me”? Or is it our aim to ensure that in so frivolous a manner the glory of the world should pass away? Maybe, Margaret Mead was right when she says that human beings do not carry civilization in their genes. For a mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, and a hell of heaven.
And that is where we must turn to religion, for that civilizing effect. For in the purest forms of religion, not in the rituals or in the mantras, not in the sanctimonious uttering of the priests or in the sounds of the bells, lies the eternal Truth of life. There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it. This truth was the foundation of the famed City of Camelot, the Utopia we aim to achieve. This truth was “In service of others, we serve ourselves.” Nay, I do not jest. You may quibble that this be so commonplace a sermon that it surely couldn’t be the Truth, but I ask you, is it not a constant struggle to see what is in front of one’s own nose? Can we not say that my country is the world, and my religion is to do good?
In conclusion, I pray to the better wisdom of those who feel that shrines are the best places to torment and torture people, and remind them of the fact that the sanctity of a temple, as in a place of worship, is that it is a place to which men go to weep in common, be they rich or poor, sinners or God-fearing souls. Torment them, deny them their faith any further, and you shall be washed away in their tears. And then shall you be ‘rewarded’ by the ‘Paradise’ of your deserving.
13 comments:
Hmmm, if the Jama masjid attack was carried out by the same fanatics that attached the Varanasi temple then how come no one was killed? How come they used a low-intensity bomb this time? Running on low budget, you think?
Let me enlighten you about Islam and their "holy" book, Koran. It is often said in the media that "Islam is a religion of peace." From this, we all assume that it means "peace between all religions." Right? But the Koran clearly says that "peace between all its [Islam] followers." The Koran also makes an explicit assumption that eventually ALL persons on this planet would be following Islam and therefore there will be peace among its followers. The policy stated in the Koran is this: "convert or be killed."
I will never ever believe that Islam is a religion of peace and harmony. I am proud to be a Hindu because my religion allows me to live and let live. I don't have to pray five times a day. I don't have to convert (often by deceit) people to earn "browny points" from God, like in Christinity. Hinduism is truly about peace and harmony.
As far as the Jama masjid bombing is concerned, it is nothing but a gimmick by muslims to calm Hindus about the cowardly Varanasi attacks. Score of Hindus died because of the Varanasi attacks... why didn't a single muslim die after the masjid bombing? I don't think it's a point to be ignored.
Also, I don't believe all muslims are terrorists, but MOST terrorists are muslims and that is a FACT! You cannot say that terrorists do not have a religion, because they does, and that religion is Islam.
All terrorists are supposedly devout muslims and they only become fanatics after reading the Koran, praying 5 times a day and attending religious schools. And you are saying that terrorists do not have a religion? That, my friend, does not make any sense to me (nor to millions of other people all around the world!)
Muslims, because of their religion, want to live in the past. Democracy is not acceptable. Women in power is not acceptable. Western way of life is not acceptable - and therefore, economic progress is not possible. One cannot hope to get economic progress without modern thinking. That is fine with me! I don't give a damn! But, muslims also want others to live like them. That is not acceptable by me! You can't really blame them for wanting others to follow their lifestyle (or lack of) because, after all, the Koran tells them to do just that.
Anyway, I'm very happy with what George Bush is doing. I don't hate muslims, I just don't like them. I hope Bush has Iran, Pakistan and Bangladesh on his "to bomb" list! :-D
Not being a adherent of the Islamic faith disadvantages me to the effect that I have little or no knowledge about its religious texts or compulsions. As you are proud to be a Hindu, so is it with me as well.
Irrespective of whether people die in attacks, the attack in itself is a deplorable one. You ignore the many cases wherein Muslim caretakers protect and maintain some Hindu shrines, while some Hindus reciprocate in the same manner.
You and I are both Hindus, and yet do you choose to follow the Manusmriti, which until recently was the code prescribed for all Hindus? No, because it is deemed too discriminatory, too offensive to our sensibilities. But those who do, we condemn as fundamentalist. So it is with the Islamic faith as well, with its share of moderates & fanatics.
The IRA also fought in the name of religion, and until recently were involved in active conflict. And so I justify my claim that terrorists have no religion of their own.
Please note that I oppose all those who seek to impose their beliefs on others, and in that I am in agreement with you. Thank you for your comment.
Too bad Vivek is held back by his inherent politeness.
wishing that innocent people are bombed because of their religious affiliation alone, makes you no better than your so called 'Muslim terrorist'
I refuse to believe that the issue is as simplistic as that.
learn to be a little more tolerant. It makes life easier...
rachna, are you suggesting that after muslims kill innocent hindus (including children), we do nothing? do we just continue to engage in meaningless "dialogue"? you're too naive if you think dialogue is going to work.
hindus are too tolerant. muslims bomb our temples, schools, marketplaces, movie theatres etc and we do nothing. muslims have brought violence to us over and over again without us even provocating them. it is high time that we do the same. that is why i like bush - because he brings violence to muslims. let them have a taste of their own medicine!
my first response [to muslims] is bomb first and ask questions later. thank you bush for doing that! he sucks in all other respects except this one.
Hindus and tolerance? My dear fellow, had you known of the travails that the neo-Buddhists had to undergo in the aftermath of the Hindu revivalist movement during the Gupta reign, this word would hardly have come into the picture. Hindus tolerated the Muslims for so long merely because there was no one, with the exception of Prithviraj Chauhan, Maharana Pratap, and their likes, who had the guts to stand up against the military might that the Muslim conquerors commanded, and not because they were tolerant by way of religion.
I understand your angst, and maybe in anger, one may wish to resort to violence. But it is important to understand that violence begets more violence, and we will be caught in an endless cycle. The calm of Varanasi has to be our ideal, not the crazed crowds of Mumbai in '93. Bush may end up bombing Iraq, Afghanistan, and maybe even Iran, but in the end, he will have the uneviable legacy of having created the worst cesspools of humankind in the wake of his 'terror'. A war on terror must be conducted, no doubt, just I don't feel comfortable with this approach of his.
not naivety, idealism.
Dear Anonymous,
You seem to suffer from an overdose of what you may like to call "calling spade a spade". It is this myopic vision that is being exploited by war mongerers in teh west(and perhaps in India when they are not busy praising Jinnah!!)
As much as I my like to BJP, I refuse to accept the simplistic view of "Muslim terrorists" killing "Hindu innocents."
You may have a point when you say that a large number of terrorists today are hindus. But when they massacre people by bomb blasts on busy roads of Delhi and Mumbai, they are not targetting "innocent Hindus"
They are targetting "innocent Indians"
It is this psychology of "us" and "them" that is leading us to the state we are in today. To view muslims as a homogenous mass or hindus as one mass is the biggest mistake(in fact - sin) one can do.
Dear anon., if you define yourself as a part of a homogenous mass called Innocent Hindus, please clarify whether you will be pleased to associate yourself closely with some other "innocents" like Mr. Praveen Togadia or Mr. Modi?
Don't you dare calssify them as mere abberations since you know as well as we do that they do have a following among Hindus(and not just the illiterate ones but also well educated ones)
With regards to you comments about Koran. It is true that there are people who are preaching their own interpretations of the Koran. If you are unaware, the interpretation of the holy book being taught by various components of Islam vary by amazing proportions. Under such circumstances, it is no surprise that a few fanatics by preaching this militant interpretation(not version) of Islam are able to inveigle impressionable minds onto teh path of destruction and terror.
Don't you see flashes of that in Hinduism? There are people who would like to tell kids that just like Lord Ram killed Ravana to end "paap", they should also fight for their cause and kill off their "enemies." Is this the Hinduism that you and I beleive in? NO!
So it is these fanatics that need to be sidelined. By considering Muslims /Hindus as a homogenous mass, you are not only granting these people legitamacy, but also the granting them the right to represent the interests(as they see it) of the community they claim to represent!!
So Dear Anon, do I see a Praveen Togadia as your representative??
hey anon...
islam in essence is a beautiful religion...
it's only the wahabi or the saud strains tht r bent on violence and jihaad...
just lyk wot israel is doin in america...the saudis r doin in their sphere of influence...
it's as simple as tht...
first of all, get ur hands on a real, original unbiased version of the koran...
ppl lyk u shd be placed in the army, for a couple of years...thr u'll kno wot brotherhood is lyk...
regards...
well vivek, the hindu religion is more tolerant than islam and christianity. one thing i dont like about christianity are its missionaries (funded by rich americans) and its conversion program in india. i would like those dumbass missionaries to start convering people from middle east and pakistan and leave hindustan alone! i encourage everyone to join RSS and support BJP.
and rachna, unfortunately in the real world idealism does not work. it's only a theoritical concept. besides, muslims are too evil for us to be idealistic with them. muslims are out of control and they need to be intimidated so they stay within their limits. chinese government has done exactly this. did you know that the chinese government has forced chinese christians to sever ties with the grandmaster fool, pope. india should do the same!
The relativitistic approach that you have towards the issue of tolerance somehow exposes your stance. You unfortunately stand in the same camp as the Wahabis & Deobandis that you oppose so vociferously. You do not approve of the conversion campaign indulged by the Christian missionaries. Remember, if Hinduism were such a haven, no matter how much one were to offer, no one would leave its fold. Rather than cursing the man who is offering the bribe, introspect as to why the bribe is being accepted.
As regards your remark on China, although the Chinese Government has forbidden Chinese citizens to maintain any sort of contact with the Roman Catholic Church, you must realize that a powerful underground Catholic movement very much exists. The more you attempt to suppress something, the more it will attract people.
You term people evil, but I would like to remind you of an episode in the Mahabharatha. Krishna asks of Duryodhana to seek one good man & of Yudhisthira to seek one bad man in the kingdom. The two search all day, and return empty handed. On being asked the reason, Dharmaraj replied that in his eyes every man had some goodness in him, and there was no man with only blemishes in him. Duryodhana replied that he saw all men having some or the blemish in them, and so could find no man who was good. Krishna smiled and spoke that one sees only that what the mind comprehends, for the world is but a mirror of our inner consciousness. If you see good in everything, it is because you are good at heart. Care to understand the message?
So you are saying that I'm like Duryodhan? lol
I'm not offended at all... you are absolutely right. But I can't help feeling the way I do about them because I was raised that way. I don't like it when muslims kill Hindus just because they are Hindus. That bothers me and I feel that if we don't retaliate and take some preemptive measture, then they will continue to do it. But I will try to think more positively about them!
As for introspecting why bribes are being accepted in return for conversion... I don't like it when poor and vulnerable people of my country are being exploited by selfish and rich missionaries (funded by USA) by giving them false hopes of a secure future. Most missionaries convert simply to raise their "numbers" and have no intention of helping poor people. But, nevertheless, there are some good missionaries that do help.
I'm concerned that if the missionaries succeed in their goals (i.e. of converting all Indians to Christians), then Ramayana, Mahabharata, Hindu temples, our culture etc will be lost forever and will be replace by the Bible, sermons and churches. I hope you are concerned too!
Unfortunately, Hindus have a past of treating Dalits and people of "lower" caste unfairly and the missionaries are taking full advantage of that. Can't really blame them for that.
Please check out this site about what the missionaries have in mind for India:
http://www.goodnewsforindia.org/
To me, it's actually bad news for India!
I am not suggesting that you are Duryodhan, nor do I wish to claim the mantle of Yudhisthira. I have been raised a Hindu myself, a very conservative, religious, at times even ritualistic Hindu. But that doesn't mean that I haven't bothered to understand the more deeper philosophies underlying my faith. What I believe is that one must do unto others as one would want others to do unto oneself. Whether or not this goodness is reciprocated is irrelevant, what matters to me is that I be true to my beliefs and my values. Just because someone views me as a Hindu first and then as a fellow human being doesn't necessitate me alos viewing him/her through such a prism.
The poor and vulnerable people of your country are also exploited by the selfish and in many cases rich clergy of the Hindu faith as well. They also assure these souls of redemption and deliverance. I do not seek to defend the process of conversion. But don't demonise them unless you are absolutely sure of your own angelic nature.
The princely state of Avadh lies in the heart of what is traditionally considered to be the seat of Hindu civilization. The cities of Varanasi and Allahabad , the holiest of Holies, are part of this region. And yet, despite being ruled by a Muslim Nawab, despite being in a region with the highest per capita Muslim population, this region still maintains its culture, its heritage, and its religion. The state of Goa may be a predominantly Christian state, owing to the Inquisitions by the Portuguese, but should you visit the temples of Mangeshi, Shantadurga and others in Goa, you would never realise that you are in a predominantly Catholic state.
I am glad to see that you have accepted that there is a reason why people are dissatisfied with the Hindu religion, even going to the extent of leaving it altogether. Accepting the matter is the first step towards solving it.
The site that you have mentioned undoubtedly is a site run by fanatics and I have always affirmed my firm opposition to fanaticism of any sort.
Ranjani,
don't get me started on religion again! but i'm worried that you're more concerned about the masjid attack than the varanasi attack. is it a mere coincidence that no one died in the masjid attack and scores were killed in the temple attack? i don't think so. masjid attack was not an act of a coward, but an act of a muslim instigator.
i haven't read the koran nor do i give a damn to. but i have read numerous essays on koran and what's in it.
and btw, i'm an engineer. please do not reply to my comment. i really don't want to have to reply to you about religion. it's nothing personal.
Post a Comment