“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful”—Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BCE)
Since birth, children’s brains are thoroughly wired with the traditions, morality and values of their society as understood by their caretakers. On the basis of such programming, these young ones become adults and continue to live their existence in the comfort that whatever they are doing is as per their learned norms which, if defied can lead to uncontrollable circumstances upsetting the societal applecart. In the majority of cases, they rigidly follow these teachings without even daring to question their viability. So, for example, in our region, the so-called educated lots participate without any inhibition, in all kinds of wedding ceremonies, whether they make sense or not. Thus, there is no hesitation in demanding, rather negotiating jahez (trousseau) with prospective in-laws or going from home to home seeking a ‘suitable’ match.
Such practices and their likes are considered sacrosanct to be zealously guarded, promoted and implemented in letter and spirit. Those who deviate are marked as rebels or who want to appear different from the usual. They are looked upon with either disgust or with admiration for challenging existing conventions but in both situations, they are potentially viewed as responsible for causing rifts in the cultural fabric of society. The same holds true for followers of an ideology or religion. The deviants are dealt with a stern hand, sometimes punished, sometimes ostracized but most of the time subjected to persecution. Excursive words and acts are simply intolerable but as Frank Zappa said “Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible,” something proven by time.
Modern day scientific advancements are the products of those who have dared to question and who were brave enough to digress from the established theories to discover new realms and explore new areas. Vincent van Gogh, an expressionist painter achieved fame because his great longing was “to learn to make those very incorrectnesses, those deviations, remodellings, changes of reality, so that they become, yes, untruth if you like—but more true than the literal truth.”
In general terms, dissent should not be counted as negatively motivated as it may eventually culminate into a landmark accomplishment for human beings as beautifully portrayed by Aiden Thomas in the following words: “Growth isn’t a deviation from what we’ve done before, but a natural progression to honor all those who make this community strong.”
However, despite these statements, some governments hand in glove with the clergy are hell bent in maintaining status quo and crushing anyone who has the nerve to put up a stand against them. Besides, propagation of existing state of affairs suits their vested-interest. Keeping people in ignorance, stressing on continuance of traditions and accentuating on the ‘righteous’ path through various means including using so-called intellectuals, are the tools to perpetuate their legal or illicit control.
Noam Chomsky’s words: “State propaganda, when supported by the educated classes and when no deviation is permitted from it, can have a big effect. It was a lesson learned by Hitler and many others, and it has been pursued to this day,” highlight the means employed to exercise authority and prevent people from developing the consciousness to ascertain its real intent because once that is unveiled, its survival is at risk.
Efforts are directed towards discouraging attainment of real knowledge, distorting historical facts to promote an ideology, downplaying those who uphold the flag of truth, criticizing dissension, incarcerating intellect and worst of all, playing the ‘religion’ card or in other words, toying with people’s sensitivity.
Of all ideologies, religion is perhaps the most sacred. The ideas of right and wrong, and reward and punishment are so instilled in people’s minds that anything repugnant to them is immediately ruled as sacrilegious. Of course, followers of any faith deem themselves as correct while all others are grouped as misguided, giving rise to the biggest terror today—fundamentalism.
Control freaks in the world have and are still fooling the innocent peoples in the name of religion by exploiting their ignorance, by poising one against the other, by drawing thick lines between communities, by creating complexes of superiority, by inculcating hatred on the basis of faith, by inducing untouchability, by drawing rifts between scholars and neighbors and above all, by encouraging fundamentalism to push destruction to utmost limits.
To the peoples of the world this scribe’s message is to rebel against these nefarious motives. Disparage all attempts to disunite. Know that we are all connected in humanity, made out of same flesh and blood but with varying skin colors and features. Remember that the only binding forces for all living beings are love and compassion. To set aside all differences based on frivolous grounds to give way to one community, one humanity and one world. The main idea should be service because this is the only act that will find its way back to you. Do your duty and your rights would be well-preserved.
In Sai Baba’s words: “Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.”
It is about time that the heinous faces of political and religious bigots be exposed to reveal only their self-interest on the altar of which, they feel no hesitation in sacrificing their disciples. The only path to resurrection is one that leads away from the gullibility of the devious who cannot bear to see a thriving and happy earth.
“Above all, let us not ourselves be pinned down by ill-intentioned creatures with incongruent and disputable forethoughts, trying to submit us to devious manipulations and hinder us from breaking free from contrived mental bondage.”—Erik Pevernagie