Calgary, October 15, 2016 (GMN) - Everything in this world, is thus, subject to be a part of this change, and so is the case with our concept of secularism. Laws are idealistic, concepts are idealistic, the Constitution is idealistic, unfortunately, and Society is not.
Change is the nature of this world, mutating, discreetly, sometimes with very visible implications. Politics and religion should be kept away from each other and it is realized by those who exploit religion, that it is a very personal choice.
Who doesn’t believe in a superior force? As Einstein once said, “Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible, and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion. To that extent I am, in point of fact, religious.”
Religion is not idol worshipping, rituals, or ceremonies. It is, in fact, a reason for righteousness, for doing good and leading an honest life. So it can be said that religion instills a certain fear of penalty and punishment if the person strays from the right path. However, I do believe that each one is entitled to their own interpretation of religion. Thus, if a person coerces another to pray and participate in the rituals by threatening about the ramifications of not wanting to do so, I feel sad that it brings religion under the ambit of superstition.
Applying Freud’s psychoanalytical theory on consciousness about the id, ego, and superego, we can place religion as a stimulating factor in the superego. It’s the silent whisper in our head that helps us distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, truth from lies, and violence from non-violence.
Religion and spirituality are not two completely different concepts. ‘True religion’ propagates truth, peace, harmony, and non-violence. Spirituality is no different. However, the term religion has now come to have several connotations, leading us to believe that rituals and ceremonies, shlokas, and chants are an essential feature. Religion is simply a ‘way of life’. It is a means by which those who practice it derive energy, confidence hope, and faith. There are times in a person’s life when one feels that matters have gone beyond human control. One feels that complete surrender to a supreme being shall give hope and assurance.
It is extremely heart-wrenching to see that even though some of us call ourselves Christians, we are still unable to segregate religion from politics. There have been divisions based on religion and politics, which lead us to even judge people solely by the religion they practice.
In reality, it is not religions that fight; it is the vested interests of extremists and other unscrupulous persons who encourage and instigate vulnerable people, and closed minds to do ‘God’s bidding,
By Gur Omot, Managing Editor of Gambella Media Network (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://www.gambellamedia.com )