Yesterday the entire world saw protest against the Western world on publishing the cartoons of Prophet Mohammed. Todays Times of India carried pictures of Denmark flag being laid on the steps of Jama Masjid. The act of Denmark publications have irked a lot many eyes and there have been protests and demonstrations al over the world. People have demanded apology from those who published the controversial cartoons and the newspaper has made a public apology tryin gto play down the comments. Further the editor has been sent on a vaccation too. Arab countries have acused the west of trying to maligne their religion.
Similar furore was evoked when M. F Hussain painted controversial pictures of hindu deities. That incident too evoked many a protests by VHP and Bajrang Dal. Breaking down to voilence and riots is not very uncommon when such kind of religional controversies break out killing many people. History has many instances to quote where lots of lives were taken, thousands were killed, many made homeless, hundreds of children were made orphans and as many women were rendered widows.
But what i wish to to know is that is religion so big that we end up killing people and taking lives for it.
I agree that religion is important and everyone should respect each other’s religions. But we do have to draw a line between religion and fanatics. We should not be so fanatic about religion that we resort to violence for it.
Further, to my surprise i see that religional issues raise so many controversies and that too very quickly but there are lot many other issues on which even an eye lid is batted. No one raises his voice when a 6 month old girl is raped. No voice is raised against the militancy. We see our muslim brothers declaring fatwas every now and then but why hasnt a fatwa being declared against terrorism and people who do such heinous crimes.
When will we all grow up?? When?? When will we all treat humanity above all religion??
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Religion is a very personal thing to any and every human being. Everyone has the right to follow one’s own religion. There is nothing wrong in being a follower of a certain religion and it is evident that everyone is possessive about one’s religion. The controversy arises when people start saying derogatory and unacceptable things about others’ religions. No one has been given the right to comment on anyone else’s religion. It is but obvious to provoke religious sentiments.
As for the Danish act of publishing portraits of Prophet Mohammad goes, the same is not at all in good taste. Islam forbids idol worship, and the Danes or anyone do not have any right to play with the religious beliefs of others. And if there would be an action than there would be an equal and opposite reaction; a well accepted theory.
But the question of concern is that why should there ever be an action so harsh so as to invite an equally harsh reaction???
The same is the case regarding the paintings of M.F.Husain. It is a simple rule, which says that if my religion is dear to me then someone else’s religion is dear to him.
An Atheist also has no right resting in him to say any thing against anyone’s religion because it is all a matter of faith, and if people following a certain religion have faith in it then there faith need not be disturbed by anyone else.
The worst part is that the religious riots are always ignited by a handful of people and the shameful part is that it takes an enormous shape.
What is required is that one should follow one’s own religion within confines of one’s house and to shun the practice of criticizing others’ religions. Religiousness is not to be mixed at all with fanaticism, as being religious is totally apart from being a fanatic.
The need of the hour is to understand that all religions in the end teach similar values; only the paths or means are different. No religion has ever preached against any other religion. If we will realize this fact then the world would definitely be a wonderful place to live in.
Religious matters do invite more actions than any other social matter, but what the followers of different religions have to understand is that their religion does not promote anti-social acts and being a follower of any religion, one must eradicate all the anti-social issues first rather than fighting for religion per se.
India has always been a place, which has given equal weightage to all religions, we are known for our secularism. But a wave of communalism has gripped our country. It is for each one of us to realize that actions of a few fanatic leaders cannot be generalized to the whole community.