I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is. – Albert Camus, French philosopher
It is hard for many people to give up the religion in which they were born; to admit that their fathers were utterly mistaken, and that the sacred records of their country are but collections of myths and fables.— Robert Green Ingersoll, Politician, Orator, Agnostic
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion - several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother’s path to happiness and heaven. – Mark Twain (American author and humorist)
The world should watch India carefully: What is happening here is relevant to every society. It is the spectacle of a people long held in bondage because of their own failings by their elected criminal politicians, realizing at last that a corrupt way of life is untenable.
What ignited the turmoil in the subcontinent and the Arab world? Is it religion, or is something else causing the convulsions? Established religion is restraining change rather than revitalizing these countries. It is technology-driven awareness of their wretched conditions and the yearning for a better life that is driving these revolutions.
In 2008 a sceptical world watched the U.S. elections, wondering, would Americans really elect a Black President? In India the question is, can a nation of 1.2 billion people change its corrupt social order?
India’s anti-corruption activists have succeeded in forcing the government to agree to their demands, but the odds are against the kind of change Indians seek: The country's rot is too deep. People are disinclined to let go of their corrupt ways on their own. They hope that legislation will magically end corruption for them.
Looking around our world today, it seems that few nations can distinguish between right and wrong. This is especially true in countries like India, which is ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world.
The cultural heritage of a country may be impressive but it is worthless without a genuine moral foundation. Corruption, intolerance, cruelty and fanaticism have eaten into the vitals of Indian culture and the highest levels of government.
In 1981 a popular music group, The Police, sang: Poets, priests and politicians, have words to thank for their positions, words that scream for your submission.
A spiritual contest to win people's hearts and minds rages as never before. All the major religions are in the fray, but there are also potent contenders from the media and entertainment world. Better informed today, people are moving away from traditions to options. Individualism and diversity increasingly mark people’s lives, new values that have virtually eliminated the old ones.
People are influenced and empowered by access to improved health, education, travel, technology, and market economies. They constantly assess their career prospects, bank balances, etc. But they rarely examine their core beliefs.
Most folks dislike discussing matters of faith, clinging to the odd notion that they are a personal matter and their traditions must be retained at any cost.
I spent three decades in ignorance, confusion and pain before I realized the impotence of my inherited beliefs and abandoned institutional religion. I'd spent years kissing the backsides of clueless, often unprincipled clergy, calling them “Father,” thinking they had control over my relationship with God.
Christianity has added a suffix to the one name in history that needs no embellishment. Its rules, rituals and traditions divert millions from Christ. Like me, they don't recognize or understand the work of the Saviour and take decades to grasp that understanding.
Where politics and religion have bungled, can genuine faith make a difference? Religion plays a crucial role in people's lives, but if instead of creedal tribalism if we cultivated genuine spiritual values, could conflicts be mitigated or overcome?
When Benjamin Franklin stood before America’s Constitutional Convention more than 200 years ago, he declared, referring to Jesus in Matthew 10:29-31, “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
India’s track record as an ethical society is dismal, but if Indians forsook their duplicity and genuinely turned around as the ancient Ninevites did in Jonah 1-4, what would happen? If the country cannot find a way to stem individual rot, there is no hope for a genuine social revolution. Any gains would be lost.
Is this the test the of a religion's effectiveness? India is a pluralistic country in great ferment, and an experiment might be worth trying.
Exploiting people with religion is an unscrupulous business. But what if India allows every religious establishment that seeks to win people’s hearts to openly spread its message if only it prove their creed’s commitment and worth by helping Indians to be better?
After all, of what use is a belief system if it cannot transform people?
Why not challenge all the major religions to come up with strategies to alter people’s lives and lead them to authentic faith, whatever that maybe?
Let each major religious group furnish the people of India with a blueprint for change, outlining a specific time-limited program for achieving its claims. The objective is not merely to allow them to win converts, but to produce better citizens.
Five years should be time enough to demand from them results.
During that period the government should ensure peace and harmony in the country so that no group tries to intimidate the other. Every organization should be given complete freedom with no restrictions on converting to another faith.
The media should motivate the entire country to encourage the groups and spur them on.
After the deadline, a panel of carefully chosen, impartial experts from academia, media, business, politics, etc., should review the results and declare who has made the most impact in improving the lot of Indians. They should measure not just the number of converts, but all-around transformation in people’s lives.
More evidence of change would be a significant drop in India’s 87th place ranking by the anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International.
After five years the people will be able to figure it out for themselves.
Can you imagine the impact if the highest spiritual ideals were employed to improve the country? Qualities like love, tolerance, kindness, honesty, and self-control?
If such a program were implemented, the entire country would stand to win - including the groups making a marginal impact! They can try again.
Even if only a portion of the population were rejuvenated, it would have a huge impact on religious harmony.
India is already home to the great religions, but it is mere religiosity that governs its society. There are unnecessary conflicts and official policy restraints. If the government is cooperative, the experiment could be implemented by the various organizations on their own initiative.
All religions compete in the battle for hearts and minds, but why does authentic, life changing faith elude most people?
By Frank Raj-The Washington Times
Note: Frank Raj is based in the Middle East where he has lived for over three decades. He is the founding editor and publisher of ‘The International Indian’, the oldest magazine of Gulf-Indian society and history since 1992. Frank is listed in Arabian Business magazine’s 100 most influential Indians in the Gulf and is co-author of the upcoming publication ‘Universal Book of the Scriptures,’ and author of ‘Desh Aur Diaspora.’ He blogs at www.no2christianity.wordpress.com.
It is hard for many people to give up the religion in which they were born; to admit that their fathers were utterly mistaken, and that the sacred records of their country are but collections of myths and fables.— Robert Green Ingersoll, Politician, Orator, Agnostic
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion - several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother’s path to happiness and heaven. – Mark Twain (American author and humorist)
The world should watch India carefully: What is happening here is relevant to every society. It is the spectacle of a people long held in bondage because of their own failings by their elected criminal politicians, realizing at last that a corrupt way of life is untenable.
What ignited the turmoil in the subcontinent and the Arab world? Is it religion, or is something else causing the convulsions? Established religion is restraining change rather than revitalizing these countries. It is technology-driven awareness of their wretched conditions and the yearning for a better life that is driving these revolutions.
In 2008 a sceptical world watched the U.S. elections, wondering, would Americans really elect a Black President? In India the question is, can a nation of 1.2 billion people change its corrupt social order?
India’s anti-corruption activists have succeeded in forcing the government to agree to their demands, but the odds are against the kind of change Indians seek: The country's rot is too deep. People are disinclined to let go of their corrupt ways on their own. They hope that legislation will magically end corruption for them.
Looking around our world today, it seems that few nations can distinguish between right and wrong. This is especially true in countries like India, which is ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world.
The cultural heritage of a country may be impressive but it is worthless without a genuine moral foundation. Corruption, intolerance, cruelty and fanaticism have eaten into the vitals of Indian culture and the highest levels of government.
In 1981 a popular music group, The Police, sang: Poets, priests and politicians, have words to thank for their positions, words that scream for your submission.
A spiritual contest to win people's hearts and minds rages as never before. All the major religions are in the fray, but there are also potent contenders from the media and entertainment world. Better informed today, people are moving away from traditions to options. Individualism and diversity increasingly mark people’s lives, new values that have virtually eliminated the old ones.
People are influenced and empowered by access to improved health, education, travel, technology, and market economies. They constantly assess their career prospects, bank balances, etc. But they rarely examine their core beliefs.
Most folks dislike discussing matters of faith, clinging to the odd notion that they are a personal matter and their traditions must be retained at any cost.
I spent three decades in ignorance, confusion and pain before I realized the impotence of my inherited beliefs and abandoned institutional religion. I'd spent years kissing the backsides of clueless, often unprincipled clergy, calling them “Father,” thinking they had control over my relationship with God.
Christianity has added a suffix to the one name in history that needs no embellishment. Its rules, rituals and traditions divert millions from Christ. Like me, they don't recognize or understand the work of the Saviour and take decades to grasp that understanding.
Where politics and religion have bungled, can genuine faith make a difference? Religion plays a crucial role in people's lives, but if instead of creedal tribalism if we cultivated genuine spiritual values, could conflicts be mitigated or overcome?
When Benjamin Franklin stood before America’s Constitutional Convention more than 200 years ago, he declared, referring to Jesus in Matthew 10:29-31, “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
India’s track record as an ethical society is dismal, but if Indians forsook their duplicity and genuinely turned around as the ancient Ninevites did in Jonah 1-4, what would happen? If the country cannot find a way to stem individual rot, there is no hope for a genuine social revolution. Any gains would be lost.
Is this the test the of a religion's effectiveness? India is a pluralistic country in great ferment, and an experiment might be worth trying.
Exploiting people with religion is an unscrupulous business. But what if India allows every religious establishment that seeks to win people’s hearts to openly spread its message if only it prove their creed’s commitment and worth by helping Indians to be better?
After all, of what use is a belief system if it cannot transform people?
Why not challenge all the major religions to come up with strategies to alter people’s lives and lead them to authentic faith, whatever that maybe?
Let each major religious group furnish the people of India with a blueprint for change, outlining a specific time-limited program for achieving its claims. The objective is not merely to allow them to win converts, but to produce better citizens.
Five years should be time enough to demand from them results.
During that period the government should ensure peace and harmony in the country so that no group tries to intimidate the other. Every organization should be given complete freedom with no restrictions on converting to another faith.
The media should motivate the entire country to encourage the groups and spur them on.
After the deadline, a panel of carefully chosen, impartial experts from academia, media, business, politics, etc., should review the results and declare who has made the most impact in improving the lot of Indians. They should measure not just the number of converts, but all-around transformation in people’s lives.
More evidence of change would be a significant drop in India’s 87th place ranking by the anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International.
After five years the people will be able to figure it out for themselves.
Can you imagine the impact if the highest spiritual ideals were employed to improve the country? Qualities like love, tolerance, kindness, honesty, and self-control?
If such a program were implemented, the entire country would stand to win - including the groups making a marginal impact! They can try again.
Even if only a portion of the population were rejuvenated, it would have a huge impact on religious harmony.
India is already home to the great religions, but it is mere religiosity that governs its society. There are unnecessary conflicts and official policy restraints. If the government is cooperative, the experiment could be implemented by the various organizations on their own initiative.
All religions compete in the battle for hearts and minds, but why does authentic, life changing faith elude most people?
By Frank Raj-The Washington Times
Note: Frank Raj is based in the Middle East where he has lived for over three decades. He is the founding editor and publisher of ‘The International Indian’, the oldest magazine of Gulf-Indian society and history since 1992. Frank is listed in Arabian Business magazine’s 100 most influential Indians in the Gulf and is co-author of the upcoming publication ‘Universal Book of the Scriptures,’ and author of ‘Desh Aur Diaspora.’ He blogs at www.no2christianity.wordpress.com.
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