We need a spiritual world, not religious expansion

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Prasenjit Chakraborty

In present semi civilized world, we often hear and speak about religious harmony, peaceful coexistence, tolerance etc. Secularism has become the most uttered and widely accepted term among all these. Rare among the countries, India officially declared herself as a secular nation in the constitution. The USA and several other Christian countries have also propagated their firm believe in the ideals of pluralism. Though, when we look at the world in religious eyes, we find many Islamic nations, Christian nations, Buddhist nations, two Hindu nations and one Jewish nation.

Irony to the so called civilization is that it counts its parts with religious considerations which promote differences, not similarity. Religious consideration reminds people that they are different from each other when they preach religion and worship Almighty. Clerics remind that they are unsafe with the different one and to be safe, they need to bring others within the fold of same beliefs.

I call the so called civilization a semi civilization. Because, it still believes in religious identity and expansionism. When I think of this semi civilized world I find no space for spirituality. Believers in religious expansionism or religious supremacy don’t have spiritual connection. Rather their motive is political. For them, religion is one among the means that can lead to achievement of power. That means, by propagating religious supremacy or expansionism or identity, one looks for political upliftment. And when the matter of political upliftment comes, the widely accepted ideal is ‘everything is fair in love and war’ or ‘everything is possible in politics’. Here everything means everything literally. You can tell lie, you can kill innocents, you can sabotage, you can misuse power or fool people by any means.

Politics gives you credit if you successfully blackmail corrupt leaders in other parties welcoming in your own party. No matter, the previous day you yourself demanded action against him.

The main reason I find behind today’s dirty politics worldwide is erosion of spirituality in religions and the corrupt religious ideas dominate politics. Till this world comes out of this fretful condition, global peace is absurd.

The failure of vague ideas intruded in religions is evident when we look at the discrepancies among the people of various sections of a religion. There are class divisions in terms of economic, social and other considerations. The upper class people do not share the same row with the lower one. Society, even religious places of worship do not give equal treatment to all believers. That means, powerful section of the religion does not follow the spiritual principle that all are equal in the eyes of Almighty.

Also I don’t find logic behind existence of so many nations believing same religious ideals. They all should be united in one broad nation preaching same religion. If religion fails to unite all its followers then what’s its use. If one religion does not give equal treatment to its believers then how can it bring joy in peoples’ life?

The solution before the world is spiritual enlightenment. Global community has to think in this way to uplift the semi civilized world to a civilized one. It has to preach spiritual teachings like faithfulness to truth in all conditions, respect to all, and tolerance to opposition, service without discrimination, promotions of good and corrections of evils. Spirituality does not lead anyone to harm others

well being, violate welfare norms or promote violence. Violence in anyway, in the name of religion or politics or else is against the basic principles of civilization.

United Nations, being the guardian body of the world, should initiate a concerted practice of promoting spiritual ideals instead of investing time and resources in preaching vague idea of bringing religious harmony. Whatever good may be written in the religious books but the oral versions of the clerics lead people to divide and move.

But when the same man practices spirituality and acquires heavenly qualities, he becomes a centre of unity. He then sees no difference and no question of divisions comes in mind.

This spiritual enlightenment is the only precondition for global peace, harmony and ultimate achievement to civilization.

Prasenjit Chakraborty is a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

 

DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed in this article are of the author.

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