Piety and religiosity are not a guarantee against wrongdoing
News is doing the rounds that some young Muslim men, among them a journalist and a DRDO employee, have been picked up on suspicion of alleged involvement in planning unlawful activities.
An hour ago I heard the distraught mother of one of these men bemoan that her son could never do such things because he is so “religious.”
It is more than likely that this young man and others as well are entirely innocent of the crimes alleged against them, but to think, as the truly pious do, that being religious is a guarantee against wrongdoing, alas, is another matter altogether.
Indeed our experience of the world over the last decade or so points rather in quite the opposite direction.
At which I am reminded of how well somebody said “Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.”
And religion here need not have reference merely to denominational identities. What is said might apply to our immersion in any form of totalitarian allegiance that hardens the heart and makes even the best of us brain-dead.
Think of this; Mayaben Kodnani: a svelte, close-cropped modern woman, and a gynaecologist of some repute to boot.
Why should reason have so deserted this lady that she could go from routinely caring for children and women to organising their slaughter? I truly wonder what she would have to say about this in a session with a shrink.
Which also reminds me of that stunning proposition in Shakespeare’s King Lear, wherein Lear, having willingly devolved authority to his two older daughters, and finding himself thrown out of home and hearth by both, speaks to his loyal Fool thus of the younger of the two daughters, Regan: “Let us anatomise Regan to see what is it in nature that makes these hard hearts.”
How often over the last decade have I thought of Narendra Modi in that context. Why is it that the often self-appointed protectors and aggrandisers of one religion cannot muster the imagination to think that they are mirror images and blood brothers of those they set their hearts against? Why is it that the simplest and best of religious teachings never seem to touch them, such as the profound and profoundly simple adage “do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
Why indeed do we not recognise the seemingly paradoxical fact that often men and women of no denominational faith but impelled only by what Matthew Arnold once called “best reason” are far closer to the most treasurable teachings of the great men and books of religion than those hordes that claim suzerainty over both?
Why indeed is it the case that from being “the heart of a heartless world” religion has come to be the most redoubtable curse of humankind, wherever one looks? And why is it that the most impressive leaps and products of humankind’s engagement with nature seem only to further and fuel the murderous power-lust of the most irrational and inhuman?
The nineteenth century French thinker, Auguste Comte, once spoke of the “religion of humanity.”
It is about time that a concerted worldwide effort was unleashed to find and install this alternate form of religion, a project that would simultaneously oblige the pursuit of a political economy consonant with the first principles of great religious teachings, such as the equality of all men and women in desire, aspiration, possibility, and death.
What a beginning might be made to that project were Narendra Modi, like a Valmiki , an Ashok, or an Augustine, to bare all, and release to a beleaguered country the power of soul force.
(Prof. Badri Raina is a Delhi-based writer.)
Keywords: Terrorism and faith, religiosity and wrongdoing, Karnataka terror suspects, Naroda Patiya case convicts, Mayaben Kodnani
It has been conjectured that the evolved trait of in-group
allegiance, which was adaptive in an earlier era (and still is at
the level of national, caste, or religion) and has survived through
natural selection, might be the root cause. There is an incessant
competition with the out-group both for resources (food, water,
jobs, etc.) and reproductive capacity. Religion -- or for that
matter caste (in-breeding) and nationalism -- provides a convenient
vehicle to win resources and lock it up with the in-group. The
interested reader is recommended to look-up literature on
Hamiltonian genetic selection, and more, recently the work done by
E.O. Wilson.
It is heartening to note that there is just a lone dissenting voice in Adhiraja commenting on the article among a horde of supporting communication. It seems Mr. Adhiraja doesn't know what is he talking about when he himself expresses his anger against a new view as opposed to his 'old' thinking. Several statements in the article are worth quoting in serious discussions on religion, rituals and piety. Let us only hope that the world is not short of people like Prof. Badri Raina and his ilk.
I agree with the argument that "Piety and religiosity are not a
guarantee against wrongdoing".
But I don't agree with people who go about bashing religion for all the
evil and hatred in the world. The reason is that I see people
identifying themselves with many other identities than religion and
acting as irrationally as some religious fundamentalists. Take the
example of regionalism, Xenophobia, ethnic violence, racism, casteism,
... heck, IMO even extreme nationalism can be as dangerous as religious
extremism.Also, extreme atheism (e.g. forcing others to shun religion)
can cause much harm to this World.
So, we should fight against any form of extremism. IMO, better
education would go a long way in achieving that goal. Make everyone
realize that they are humans just like others, nobody is inferior to
others in any respect, there is no 'us and them'. The boundaries that
separate us are all artificial and can broken with very little effort,
we just have to be little broad-minded.
I think you are confusing religious identity with piety/religosity.
The crusades, partition, riots etc. was due to religious identity
Religious identity is a way to define who is part of "we" and who is
party of "they". It does not require piety or even belief.
An otherwise agnostic person could still participate in "religious"
violence, due to their identifying themselves with a particular
religious group, and being influenced by the demonization of the
"other" .
Piety on the other hand inspires people to do what is good.
The test of religion is are you developing Love towards God and all of his creatures? Srila Prabhupada used to say ' Religion without philosophy is sentimental and philosophy without religion is mental speculation'.
Hence we must be more spiritual than religious. i.e. every religious principle must be understood scientifically like 'you are not this body but the eternal soul' which is the most basic principle to be understood.
Indeed a good article. Someone has rightly said,"Nothing is constant in this world except change." But we think that whatever written in our religious books, the culture we have been following since old days are true. Everythings needs a change, old culture and even a religios book. Lets us make these changes according to humanity because humanity is above all.
For those who say this world will be a jungle without religion. I
differ. I was never compelled to follow all those religious ceremonies
at my home. Whatever love I have towards others is because I have learnt
that from my parents.The children learn and do what they learn in their
home. You don't need a book for that. Religion is a good political tool
for the rich to keep the poor as poor. That is all.
very good article..upholds reason and rationality very well.
very well written. Very true that if you are religious it does not guarantee that you are a good human being.
Take example of Bajrang dal leader or Maya Kodanani or Ajmal Kasab or Osama bin laden etc, they are/were very religious but they have commited one of the most heinous crimes.
Religion has led one of the biggest and fierce wars of human race. A person without faith in religion always guides himself with his conscience.
It is the hypocracy of the so called "religious" people, the real god fearing and god loving person will never commit any atrocity agsint any human. There is nothing wrong in being religious and practising your religious duty. When they become fanatics and terming other ideology as "agaist" then the hatred leads to enemity and justifing all atrocities committed agaist others. The Mullas, Santh, Gurus are responsibile for fanning such hatred. We all must respect each other and practice our beliefs to live in peace. Without religion the world will be a JUNGLE.
I agree with author that if good person doing wrong things, it is due
to religion.
But, if a bad person doing good thing, it is also due to religion.
Neither does secularism guarantee goodness.
The rich wall-street banking companies ripping off the world today, the companies
tearing up the environment, and the governments waging eternal war, and those
scientists who created atom bombs, anthrax, and sarin, all did so in the name of
secular progress.
So secularism is also leading to a world of suffering - just like religion...
Dear Prof.Badri Raina, A wonderful article. You have made an effort to tell all what it means to be "religious" in the present socio-religious context of India. Thanks for your enlighetning article. India is safe in the hands of people and tribe like you.
@ Tajamul Islam - Yes, it is beyond belief. But for some reason, we humans seem to need being shocked by extreme elements amongst us in order to realize how imperfect humanity is. Your point about Kasab is well made. Such a person is a known devil and much more simple. But this woman is most deviously evil, considering the investment society has already made in her, and the position she held.
This is a wonderful article. In India it is fairly common within our cultural psyche to equate 'goodness' with 'religiosity'. Be they Muslims, Hindus or Christians .......our Indian psyche erroneously equates that a person who is religious would be necessarily or mostly be good. Although real life experience proves to the contrary - this perception is difficult to erode. Fraudulent godmen exploit this perception to the hilt by fooling people. As somebody once said "Common sense is uncommon amongst common people" - our semi literate Indian populace easily gives up their common sense to perceive goodness amongst the religious types. I myself have known men and women, from within my own religious group, who are known to be excessively religious and ritualistic who really are scheming, vengeful, spiteful and full of hatred.
I am sort of perplexed as to why author has understood in a sense of being a categorical mistake. Religion doesn't wage war, it is perhaps a mix of religion and nationalism (justified on the cultural pretext). Symbolic religiosity i agree is no indicator of piety but religious people are pious as well. I am also not sure what author meant when she said "humanism" be unleashed? I am a bit scared as to what its operationalisation would entail, Hope not the Bush's way of unleashing democracy in Middle East.
very good and unbiase article. india have to think, we loose harmony of being indian, in past we live together, but problem just started.
some evil hatche their thought on religion, we have to identified them, and fight them, we, specially youth have to grow and understand that difference on religion,caste are meaningless, if wont understand them nature will teach, like flood,earthquake where no one spare.
"mazhab nahi sikhata apas mein bare rakhna
Hindi hai hum, hai hindustan hamara" Dr.IQBAL
above are not just for reading we have apply it.
Well said sir. To quote Karl Marx "Religion is the opium of the people". Religion is the reason behind hatred between man and man. It is the reason behind poor being still poor, for it provides justification for their plight and gives them false hopes of an illusiory paradise.
Sir, This artical is so logical and dangerously close to truth. It is very disturbing to realise, in the name of religion the mankind has,since early days, done unthinkable atrocities against the set of people whose thinking differs. They twist the sermon to suit their action. Basically all religions teach, how to live harmoniously but it is a few indivisuals whose intolerance results in shaming the entire group of believers. The voice of majority peaceful is low whereas din of indifference is so high that it drowns the low pitch. Peace loving desist to openly rebel therefore this hatered prevails. Sad but true.
It is a mistake to consider people like Modi as religious. They are not
particularly concerned about their own faith. In fact Gadkari has
confirmed that he never visits a temple. These people are motivated by
hatred of Islam. Since no religion teaches mutual hatred, they cannot be
considered as Hindus.
This woman is a disgrace to her community,disgrace to her society and more importantly disgrace to the womanhood.One is surprised to hear that this woman was a gyneocologist.How could she lead the group of rapists and in fact encourage them to do,what they have done?Shame for this disgusting lady.In fact one feels reluctant to use the word woman for her.The womanhood is characterised by love,compassion and their tender hearts.It is shocking to see the way this brutal lady lead the massacre.How could she bear it that other woman in front of her were gangraped?Didn't this woman had any conscience to reproach her?Being a doctor and more importantly the specialist for feministic ailments.well this makes it difficult to believe.This woman deserves the highest level of punishment.In fact higher than Ajmal Kasab,who is an uneducated and illiterate person.The point here is not to vindicate Kasab but to emphasize the gruesomeness of the crime Maya Kodnani has committed.
A really non-sense article. The typical of a so called "Intellectual" class who believes they have understood the meaning of life by sitting in their living rooms and who themselves have closed their minds to any new views.
Very well said. Being religious does not guarantee acceptable behavior. Aren't people who are corrupt, exploiters, religious? The world would be a better place for many if all the people who participate in religious activities were committed to basic virtues like honesty and integrity in both public and private life.
Although frivolous to bring Shakespeare into this realm of extreme reality, the author has done a commendable job of highlighting the stupidity of equating "religious" with "goodness". Religion and the concept of nation state have both done tremendous harm to all that is good about the collective human spirit. Patriotism is another close contender to religion when it comes to separating one human from another. Highly questionable subscriptions.
Well a wonderful analysis of a hypothetical link between religion and wrongdoing. But I defer to it, as this is the recent propaganda that the most religious are the worst of humans. To relate this I strongly sugest that you reflect on the definition of a religious person. By nature, a true religion will never be against the welfare of humanity.
It shall never spread hatred between two humans. History has seen umpteen examples of this type.
Here "religion" and "piety" are presumably used in the sense of a belief in a higher power and/or the fear of god/punishment etc. Piety has never been a guarantee for good conduct, in any religion or faith. This is nothing new, as the byline seems to imply. From Ravana in the Hindu puranas to the "Islam-saviour" bin Laden, most demons and monsters have been god-fearing and yet destructive. Religion, faith and moral teaching are like medicines. You don't get cured if you just possess them, you should absorb them. Else a pious man is as good as a non-pious man.
Often religiosity and piety are used to cover immorality and even vice. While taking the obligatory swipe at Narendra Modi, the author ignores the most prominent exponent of religiosity and piety in politics-- Mahatma Gandhi. His ventures into religious politics beginning with the Khilafat and his heartless advice to Hindu and Sikh refugess of the Partition to return to their homes in Pakistan and face death caused more death and suffering than Modi ever did. His fanatical espousal of non-violence was the root of some of the greatest bloodshed in modern history.
It was no different during the Crusades-- its proponents were religious leaders. Religious wars are the bloodiest of all.
The world would be a much better place without any religion at all.
For those who might be curious-
It was Steven Weinberg the famous Nobel laureate in Physics also an atheist who said,"Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or
without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people
doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes
religion.”
so well put..thank you
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