Hey! How are you? I know you are not sick. I know you don't need to get tested for COVID-19. I know you are at your home and that you are not panicking. Now, I have a simple request here. Please don't lose your state of unstable equilibrium after reading this post. Yes! Unstable equilibrium because these are truly volatile times. In my opinion, we are heading towards the times when being unstable will be the new constant. No disrespect is intended.
We are homo sapiens, the smartest race of sapiens ever to walk on the Earth. A breed of living beings which beliefs in perpetual progress. Progress of our society. We are symbiotic beings. We live detached from each other (many times emotionally too) but we live off each other. According to what Dr Harari wrote in his book 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind', one of the biggest factors that distinguish us from early humans and some other primates present today is our ability to cooperate in large groups. He rightly indicated that we possess the ability to carry out something like the United Nation Conferences comprising of hundreds of humans in the same confinement whereas it would be devastating to gather a similar population of other primates in such an arrangement (Go on, imagine it a bit).
In simple words, we have evolved into beings who largely depend on the cooperation of others for our individual developments. But it is not an unknown fact either that we have our egos, difference of opinions and whatnot that acts as a repellent between us. In my opinion, we simply couldn't exist as we do today if it wasn't for religions and stories. Religion definitely acts as a cohesive force between us. It provides us with common habits. Sometimes, helps us to inculcate discipline in our lives. It helps us to cooperate among ourselves, in turn, helps us to progress together. Stories used to be an instrument for the development of coordination in groups. These helped people to synthesize rapport and all kinds of harmonious relations with others. Unfortunately, the scenario has morphed and not for good.
Source: Pexels
Gods these days come with price tags. Stories are now weaponised. Religions have become a medium for venting aggression. Facts and teachings are being manipulated to gain publicity, trust and control over large groups, mislead communities and maybe for the sheer sake of enjoyment too. So who is affected by all of this? The crooked storytellers? The shameless aggravators? Dumb politicians? Well, I would say none but us.
Who are we? We are people. Are you a Hindu? Maybe yes. Are you a Muslim? Might be. A Christian? OK. But still, we are people. People get hurt. They die. People sometimes become happy and many times they get sad. We have matching traits in us. We are born the same way. The things which can classify us either as perpetrators or civilised beings are the impressions that we leave on the beaches of our lives. Here are some questions, how should we deal with these societal vandalists? Should we hear them out? Boycott them? Discuss them in media? Should we clamour in front of their houses? Mob them? Just point fingers at the ones who listen to them? Or, something else? Think for yourself.
I have written 'think for yourself' because my observation has taught me that we have three kinds of people among us. The first kind likes to indulge in controversial discussions, likes to point fingers at people who are apparent wrongdoers, and sometimes takes part in vandalism and other such activities. The second kind likes to keep it simple and regularly utter words like, "Don't point fingers at others. You don't know how oppressed they feel. You don't know how bad women are treated. You don't know how much good this political party is doing for us. You have no right to do so." And then there's this third kind which is rare and observes the other two kinds. These people observe, analyze and work for the betterment of humanity as a whole.
I know that these are tough times. We all know our future is uncertain. I am not much of a theist as you might have guessed by now but I request you to pray. Pray for the safety of yourselves and your loved ones but never request your God to abandon the ones who apparently deserve no prayers. Because in my humble opinion, although we pray in different ways, from different worship houses and to different God(s) we must only pray for boons.
I believe that we are well aware of the group of miscreants who harass the ones who are an infidel in their eyes (In states around New Delhi), leaders who regularly give hate speeches, politicians who proudly carry charges for heinous crimes on their heads, big names who advertise 'Gau Mutra' as the ultimate cure for everything, the not-so-religious leaders who assemble thousands when they have been told not to, the people who plot clandestine policies for the division of our nation and last but not the least, the goons who stand at the gates of election booths chanting slogans like 'Hamara Dharm Khatre Mei Hai.' I have no words for them and for the government who's supposed to take care of them. In some places, the government is clearly taking great care of them. What religions do they follow? Well, in my eyes these inhumane beings aren't loyal to any religion at all. Not only that but these are the true infidels to humanity.
If there's something that you must take away from this post then it is the fact that 'A religion can define a group of people but never can a group of people define a religion.'
Amen
P.S. Thanks to my friends. I could write this because of them.
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