The invention of steam engine started the industrial revolution which is still continuing and has made human life extremely comfortable. But these coal based steam engines are today considered extremely polluting and are gradually being phased out all over the world. In 1992 Indian Railways discarded almost all coal based railway steam engines to help the environment.
In a similar vein, invention of religion by the human specy created a great social impact and changed the human culture enormously. In fact, human species got converted from animal status into a highly civilized entity thanks to the religious revolution. Religion also brought very high moral standard into the human society. Humans are yet to discover anything which is as motivating as religion. Nothing can motivate people as powerfully as religion. When the law and legal systems were not well developed then religion played a crucial role in sorting out human disputes over civil, property and crime matters. It also helped human being to adopt high moral and ethical standard.
But in the last one thousand years, religion has caused great pain to the human species. Most of the wars in the last one thousand years were fought for the shake of religion. More and more people have been killed and massacred in the name of religion. The great subcontinent was divided which caused biggest migration in human history. Over five million people got displaced. The current tension between India and Pakistan and the Kashmir issue and regular riots in Indian cities has strong religious roots. In Ireland, catholic kids cannot walk on protestant streets to go to school and protestant children cannot dare move into catholic areas. The middle east problem created by the formation of Israel has also religious roots. The current fight between US and Al Qaida also has religious background.
When today we have a civilized societies across the world and a well developed legal and education system, do we really need religion? Is religion not causing social pollution today (just like steam engine) and undue tension and threat of a nuclear war? By denouncing religion, I am not denouncing the existence of GOD. I believe in GOD but I don’t believe in the human created division in the name of faith.
Is it possible to phase out religion (just like steam engine) from our life to cure the current social pollution?
The invention of steam engine started the industrial revolution which is still continuing and has made human life extremely comfortable. But these coal based steam engines are today considered extremely polluting and are gradually being phased out all over the world. In 1992 Indian Railways discarded almost all coal based railway steam engines to help the environment.
In a similar vein, invention of religion by the human specy created a great social impact and changed the human culture enormously. In fact, human species got converted from animal status into a highly civilized entity thanks to the religious revolution. Religion also brought very high moral standard into the human society. Humans are yet to discover anything which is as motivating as religion. Nothing can motivate people as powerfully as religion. When the law and legal systems were not well developed then religion played a crucial role in sorting out human disputes over civil, property and crime matters. It also helped human being to adopt high moral and ethical standard.
But in the last one thousand years, religion has caused great pain to the human species. Most of the wars in the last one thousand years were fought for the shake of religion. More and more people have been killed and massacred in the name of religion. The great subcontinent was divided which caused biggest migration in human history. Over five million people got displaced. The current tension between India and Pakistan and the Kashmir issue and regular riots in Indian cities has strong religious roots. In Ireland, catholic kids cannot walk on protestant streets to go to school and protestant children cannot dare move into catholic areas. The middle east problem created by the formation of Israel has also religious roots. The current fight between US and Al Qaida also has religious background.
When today we have a civilized societies across the world and a well developed legal and education system, do we really need religion? Is religion not causing social pollution today (just like steam engine) and undue tension and threat of a nuclear war? By denouncing religion, I am not denouncing the existence of GOD. I believe in GOD but I don't believe in the human created division in the name of faith.
Is it possible to phase out religion (just like steam engine) from our life to cure the current social pollution?