Religion – My perspective
Like most of the Friday afternoons, today also I was spending time with my dear friend Ali. We were accompanied by Ali’s elder brother Mahmoud and one of his childhood day friends Ezzat; both of them are very dear friends of mine too. We were having our normal chit chat along with some very normal discussions when we started discussing Ezzat’s life in America and his various experiences there. Soon we started speaking about each other’s religion and during the discussion; I came up with this perspective of mine which today I would like to share with you all.
From the beginning, I was always taught that all the religions are the same, they teach us to be a good human being and how GOD loves us all and expects us to behave in certain way. All my life I have tried from the bottom of my heart to follow this. But where ever I go, be it India or Kuwait, I always do find people having confusions about other religions. They question other religions, and some they question even their religion. The first thing they have to understand here is that all the religions were meant to bring good to the human kind and not the way it is being used by humans these days.
I will elaborate my thinking in form of a simple example. Any religion can be compared to be like a traffic department. A traffic department has certain set of rules, which off course depends on the local conditions of that country or place. Some of the basic rules are permanent like those of the traffic signals, but some other rules like that of speed limit and heavy traffic bans can be modified considering the prevailing situations. In any country, in order to drive a vehicle, you are required to have the licence from that country’s traffic department. For getting this license they put you through various written and driving tests, to ensure that the prospect driver understands all the traffic rules which shall ensure his safety and more importantly other’s safety. A traffic department, however strict it can be can only tell you the safe way of travelling. Ultimately how you drive is completely your choice.
Religion too like the traffic department, is a set of principles and rules that we have to follow in order to reach our destination, which is GOD. They too have some basic rules which can never be changed or challenged. But some of the minor rules like prayer timings and way of praying can be modified depending on the local conditions. Life is a like a journey, a very long and tiring journey. We know all the rules, but it is completely on us how we choose to follow the rules. You can see various sign posts in your life which says to stop, or to slow down. During the journey you will face the climb, slopes, pot holes, short-cuts, opportunities to overtake other cars, but always the steering is in your hand. The religious leaders can be compared to be like those patrolling traffic police cars. Even after all this signs and provisions, if we chose to play with the rules, to break and bend the rules, then how can the Traffic laws or the Traffic Department be responsible. It doesn’t mean that the laws were weak or faulty; it means simply that the people were wrong at the first place.
My point is that, no matter which traffic department u follow, the steering (choice) is always in the individual’s hands and hence all the comparisons between the religions is in my view is a total waste of time and purpose. And even if someone is adamant that a comparison is a must, then try to see the positive part of other religions.
God never divided the people; no religion speaks about any kind of divisions. HE only speaks about people who have faith and people who don’t have it. Those people who have faith in HIM, will know that for eternal life, it is more important to know how to prevent breaking the rules and to follow as closely as possible all the basic rules.
PS:
1. I am neither a religious scholar nor an extremist. All the comparisons given above are random and are not aiming any religion or community in particular.
2. It’s just a thought, a simple example to simplify the complexities involved in religion. It doesn’t answer all the questions, but it tries to clear the minds of those people who think that just because they were born into a certain religion can ensure their eternal life.
