Time To Pay Heed to Naseeruddin Shah and Ashok Lal's Concern

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 18 April 2024 Achchha Hai Abhi Tak Tera Kuchh Naam Nahin Hai Tujh Ko Kisi Mazhab Se Koi Kaam Nahin Hai Jis Ilm Ne Insaan Ko Taqseem Kiya Hai Uss Ilm Ka Tujh Par Koi Ilzaam Nahin Hai Sahir Ludhianavi, from the song " Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalmaan Banega," Film, Dhool Ka Phool, 1959 (Lucky that you still don't have a name/ You've no truck with any faith/ The 'knowledge' that has divided humans/ Hasn't yet cast its sinister shadow on you) All people, esp. young parents, must read Naseeruddin Shah and Ashok Lal's thought-provoking article 'Religion Is for Adults Only' that appeared in The Indian Express on April 16. Both opine that the law that mandates registration of a child's religion at birth damages the democratic fibre, promotes patriarchy and majoritarianism. The duo further argues that " A child supposedly has to grow to adulthood to make an informed choice about voting or marrying. There's no law, though, which compels anyone to vote or marry. The adult child has the freedom to refrain from making a choice. However, organised religion imposes, sometimes surreptitiously, but often directly, dos and don'ts, as also rights and wrongs. The hapless child has no choice but to accept the mythological 'truths' and the traditional 'wisdom' of the parents and other elders, and social pressures- the so-called 'Sanskaar ' or expected norms, rituals and rites. Such subtle but intense brainwashing interferes with the child's innate scientific temper, spiritual and individualistic growth. " The Amendment also mandates the registration of the religion of the parents, if they belong to different religions, against the column of the child’s religion. (Illustration by CR Sasikumar) ----- American philosopher and writer Daniel Dennett is of the view that if a child grows up without any faith and fear of god and at the age of 18 to 21, when he's grown up and asked to choose a faith, most probably he or she will choose none and will also have no fear of god. Society, parents and elders emasculate a child by giving him the crutches of religion and god right from the cradle days. So, he grows up as a terribly frightened individual reading the Quran, Gita, The Bible and parroting inane mantras and verses from all useless and discarded books just to please an ever-angry, egoistic and egotistic god who's immensely happy to see humans' servile and cloying devotion. Since religion is inextricably entwined with god, the moment an infant is religiously indoctrinated by the parents and elders, the fear of god also becomes a part of its consciousness. Such an ill-fated (on this count, almost all children are ill-fated) child will never be a free individual. He'll be a god-fearing (what a disparaging term!) and ritualistic individual till death. Parents have no right to stymie their children's natural development and mental growth. An infant's mind is a Tabula Rasa (Latin for A Clean Slate). Don't inscribe god and religion on it. Bring your child up sans any god and religion. Here, I must mention that there're couples in India and across the globe, who've no religion and they don't impose any faith on their children. But such advanced as well as evolved couples are few and far between. I interviewed at least 10 godless couples in Poona who've no religion and their children also don't follow any man-made faith. Nor are they fearful of an imaginary god. ---- 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/religion-adults-gita-quran-sanskar/d/132152 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