Religions Are Periodic Imprints in the Annals of Human Civilization

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 02 November 2022 "All faiths are false and this is not a preconceived notion to study religions with. Myths constitute a religion and they (myths) aren't realities, though they become supposed realities as time goes by. It's imperative to analyse religions as periodic imprints and episodes in the annals and spiritual journey of human civilization." -Alfred North Whitehead, though he belonged to a family of Anglican ministers "Be less devout And begin to doubt” -Dag Hammarskjold, former UN Secretary-General, in Markings ... One reader Zama has asked a very pertinent question: 'How is it possible for all world religions to be true?' Hats off to you. At least, you have the brains and gumption to ask and doubt. All religions are false, including your Islam which I presume, you belong to. Anthropologically, all religions are groups peppered with esoteric beliefs and all mumbo-jumbo. Controversial 'spiritual' guru Osho Rajnish would often say, "Dharm daal hai jis mein aap ishwar aur andhvishwason ka tadka lagate hain" (Religion is daal in which you put a dash of god and your irrational beliefs). When you study a group, you understand its dynamics. The dynamics of a group, small or big, depends upon the uniformity of beliefs, esp. religious beliefs. The very root of the word Religion is to bind (Latin Religare: to bind) Religious beliefs have an adhesive quality because anything unintelligible has the power to influence you and it brings people together. The human mind believes when it fails to understand something or some phenomenon. Our primitive ancestors formed groups with members having certain identical religious beliefs depending upon geographical, climatic, and pre-sociological (neo-anthropological) factors. That's why you find striking similarities among a bunch of faiths from the same geographical region. For example, all three Semitic faiths viz, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are content-wise ONE big faith. Islam, despite its outlandish claims of exclusive monotheism, is a mere tributary of parental Judaism. So is Christianity, one more rivulet from a big river called Judaism. In fact, Islam and Christianity are not independent faiths but are cults of Judaism. In the Eastern context, Jainism and Buddhism branched out from Hinduism. All these belief systems are relative and comparative truths. The very idea of an Ultimate Truth is utopian. So, whether monotheism or polytheism, all belief systems are useless and fit to be thrown away with their scriptures and revered characters. Religions survive, thrive, and stay alive depending on the level of human intelligence. Centuries ago, Roman historian, author, and philosopher Pliny the Elder put humans in three categories, Cunda, Ecunda, and Emcunda; unevolved, semi-evolved, and fully evolved respectively. Unevolved are animals in the forms of humans who require a battery of deities, semi-evolved are those who believe in a higher and superior power without believing in deities, books, and rituals. And evolved ones, though a handful, are those who have gone beyond deities and have no faith in any transcendental power or reality. We need more and more humans from the last category. Zama, if you're young enough, you must come out of this suffocating pigeonholing of Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Jainism, and all that crap and inhale the air of religio-godless freedom. Or else, you'll waste your 'intelligence' on descanting upon what's kufr and who's a Kafir! Since all faiths are equally bad and most of their followers are mentally challenged and rationally deficient, it's better not to carry and flaunt the label of any bogus man-made faith. Instead, try to be a good human. That sums up the 'teachings' of all faiths. Learn to doubt and believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. -------------- URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/religions-periodic-human-civilization/d/128323 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism