There is enough dynamite in the exclusive faiths to blow up the world. It is ignorance of their doctrines by their followers that has preserved peace in whatsoever measure it is there. Scriptural strictures, if rigidly followed after proper education in these fanatical faiths, will never allow amity and fellowship among adherents of divergent faiths.
The Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) is a marked exception to this rule for it is in no way fanatical. In its pristine form it is universal in outlook and recognises all religions of the world as valid paths to Godhead. The Semitic religions, on the other hand, namely, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, outright reject the validity of other religions. They reject each other as well and remain exclusive avenues to God. There has been much bloodshed on account of such doctrinaire narrowness as each of these three Semitic religions have fought the other for temporal control of this world and presumed redemption thereafter. Judaism, being not a proselytising religion, has not historically converted populations by force, though, an inhumanity to which Christianity and Islam have both been culpable. Consequently, the Crusades and the Jihads were fought over 150 years in the Middle Ages.
The coinage of the words 'infidel', 'kuffar / kaffir' and 'mlechchha' have all played their respective roles in dividing humanity along religious lines that has played havoc with human civilisation. Archaic absolutism, dangerous dogma and psychic practices that raise the vital energy of a person in an unbalanced way have paved the way for much fanatical violence, war, destruction and decimation of flourishing cultures.
The absence of rational substantiation or philosophical principle that upholds experiential spiritual truths makes these faiths vulnerable when faced with scientific challenges for they are entirely based on unique personal dated revelations by the Almighty to His chosen messengers or messiahs which may not ever be experienced by any other spiritual aspirant be they of whatever exalted order. Herein stems the exclusiveness that then runs down like poison into the body politic and perverts possibilities of peaceful coexistence among members of the same human family but having differences in culture and faith.
Faith-based these Semitic religions are and they reject all rational propositions that seek to counter their doctrines in the light of scientific findings. Equally they reject the universal philosophical principles of the Sanatan Dharma that are rooted in the realisations of countless rishis (seers of truth) and are as impersonal and scientific as these Semitic faiths are personal and opposed to science. The Sanatan Dharma is based on spiritual realisation that is attainable by any sincere aspirant unlike the religions of Abrahamic origin which have only exclusive faith as their basis. While faith may work wonders in individual life, it often conduces to fanatical violence when malicious forces in the shape of ministers and mullahs guide the collective mass of the followers along lines of preset scriptural prescriptions designed originally for political supremacy.
End of Part 1
To be continued ...
Written by Sugata Bose
Photo : Vivekananda in Greenacre, 1894.
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