With the spread of rationality through scientific education the number of atheists is ever on the rise the world over and there are so many ex-Muslims who are now preaching the gospel of reason as opposed to the clerics who preach hateful fanatical doctrines that have neither validity in truth nor positive application today.
The same is the case with Christianity, especially in Europe where humanism, atheism, agnosticism and anti-theism is on the rise and attendance has drastically dropped in churches. All this in a sense augurs well for the future of humanity as it shapes up to adopt a rational stance in life en route to absorbing the higher spiritual principles of the Vedanta which do not contradict reason but rather transcend it to lead one to unitary Self-experience.
Faith-based Semitic religions of Abrahamic origin, namely, Judaism, Christianity and Islam are now going to be subjected to increasing scrutiny before the searchlight of reason and they will find it hard to survive the scars thus suffered. All this augurs well for the Indian dharma traditions as they will allow thinking humanity a rational philosophical base to rest their reflections on before they are ready to storm the citadels of the heavens in their own divine selves and come to the ultimate objective of life on earth, Self-realisation. The religion of the rishis is about to triumph.
But, first, materialism in these partially awakened personalities will have to be overcome through fulfilment of desires to an extent and simultaneous discrimination on the transitory nature of earthly existence. That will prove a big hurdle, though, and will take time to reach its natural end-point. However, the first major step these daring souls have taken in rejecting all that is irrational in the belief-systems that had been thrust on them by regional and familial culture. They now stand on more secure ground and may think out their way ahead in their own way. After all, spiritual enlightenment does not come overnight. Let them tread their own paths in their own way with reason as their sure guide for the while.
When the thirst for solving the riddle of existence develops deep in their beings, they will be ready for the Vedanta in real earnest. Till then, at least, they have done the world a world of good in rejecting their exclusive fanatical faith and openly exhorting others, who are similarly disposed but are yet standing on the fringe of desertion of faith, to do the same and join their community of ex-Muslims.
Written by Sugata Bose
No comments:
Post a Comment