RELIGION ?

“Yaha insaan ki pehchan uski jaat se hoti he”. This is a very powerful dialogue from a popular Bollywood movie. Is this statement really true? Are we so stereotypical? Is our nation so resistant to other religions? Do we look at the religion before looking at the person? Is it the language of the common masses? These are some of the questions that need to be answered. India is a multi religious country and the simultaneous existence of multiple religions incites feelings of antagonism. Religion plays a very important role in the life of every Indian as it is involved in the conditioning of the minds of people. From childhood, people are taught to follow the ideologies of their particular religions. Thus, consciously or subconsciously these ideologies contribute in our thought processes that eventually leads to our actions. In India, the dominant religion is Hinduism. It has an ancient history that has lead to the development of a certain culture that is now recognized as the only acceptable culture. But when there was growth of other religions, they were not welcomed and there was constant friction between them. Over a period of time this kind of ethnocentrism has increased considerably and the debate that goes around with respect to the topic of religion is becoming worldwide. If we look at the global scenario today, we will find that 60% of the major global issues are pertained to religion and its politics. Religion is responsible for most of the wars and acts of terrorism that are happening in the world. History has time and again depicted how religion forms the crux of the society and how it can affect human psyche in a positive or negative way. We, living beings with a real heart and real mind are being controlled by something that is created by us. We are killing our own brothers and sisters and are turning a blind eye to their misery and helplessness. The best example for this would be the Hindu-Muslim conflict that has become a part of our routine. Media had fuelled this spirit of animosity and its now trying to bridge the confusion and perception regarding this through movies, magazines, books etc. but our hearts melt only when this vulnerability is shown on the wide screens of a theatre. Once we are out of it, we again transform into insensitive, heartless people. Thus, religion has become a menace in the society which needs to be cleansed. Discussing this topic would just make me waste my time and yours. It’s better to shut my mouth and let you decide the future of our country, our people.