"The Future of The World Is Bleak Because Of Religion"........Milan Kundera

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 2 August 2023 The behaviour of these killers makes us wonder whether Islam is a disease that requires intensive psychological treatment! The aforementioned comment of a learned and level-headed Muslim gentleman applies to all religions. But before that, I must condemn the latest bomb blast at a political rally in Pakistan that killed 44 people and injured many more. Islam immediately needs psychological treatment and after that, followers of all faiths need to seek the help of shrinks. Just a year ago, Milan Kundera was interviewed by Le Figaro. The interviewer of the famed French daily asked him what was the future of religion. With a wry smile, the great novelist said, "I'm not sure about the future of religion but I'm sure that the future of the world is bleak because of religion!" So very true. What's happening in Pakistan, India and elsewhere can be called an outcome of ' universal explosion of religions' (Salman Rushdie's phrase). This is alarming. According to Harvard's team of psychological study, the entire world is in the vicious grip of religion and this is ironically happening when scientific as well as technological advancement is also taking place simultaneously. When youngsters of all faiths are deep into Bible-study, Gita-classes, Torah-meetings, Buddhist chanting, this Pravachan, that Pravachan and Tilawat-e-Quran, it's natural and normal to ask whether it's a good and healthy sign or some sort of an escapism? It's escapism. Followers argue that religion provides a sense of bliss. But these morons are unable to distinguish between 'manufactured bliss' and spontaneous bliss. Religion provides 'manufactured bliss' to its followers. It acts like an opium, LSD or Ecstasy (MDMA or Molly; a party drug). In short, religion is a hallucinogenic drug for the addicts, i.e, religious addicts. It's an alternative (fake) reality. Sociologists as well as neurologists believe that the early signs of excessive religiosity are escapist tendencies that further degenerate into destructive behavioural patterns. This is happening across the world. Young as well as ostensibly mature humans are rapidly sliding into the pits of sickening religiosity. Sigmund Freud believed that the day religion came into being, the progress of the world got stunted. That's why he termed religion as universal neurosis. It's time, we got rid of this neurosis or else, the Frankenstein of Faith will devour mankind. Mind you, there's nothing wrong if one believes in some supernatural power. But believing in the spurious books of all faiths and their so-called revered figures is something that is universally regressive and absolutely unproductive. ---- 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 the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/future-bleak-religion-milan-kundera/d/130356 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