Environmental Ethics

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 81

suggested that meetings should begin with prayer, the proposal was turned down. The first amendment in constitution of America in 1791 enjoined on the state that it would not enact any such law which would promote religion. However, things changed in fifth decade of twentieth century. America promoted religious fanatics the Talibans to fight communism considered atheism by Americans. Talibans are now greatest danger for them. President Eisenhour in 1955 inserted words “In God we trust” in currency notes and also in national emblem. Such is the lure of religion that even scientifically most advanced Americans succumbed because it promises gains without efforts, though irrational and not true.
Substituted idol worship :
Idol worship though prohibited in some important religions has been contrived in different ways in form of a holy stone or tombs of saints or holy books and devotees pay obeisance and ask material boons in the same manner as idol-worshippers. In monotheist religions only one Almighty God is considered worthy of obeisance and prayer who alone can grant boons and not even the prophets or gurus. But in practice the followers besiege mortal saints, their venerated tombs, books, stones etc. This is against the very preachings of their prophets, saints and holy books. In some religious orders the concept of one almighty god being creator, controller of universe and actions and interactions of all its constituents, living and non living is not accepted. These religions subscribe to the phenomena of cause and effect and prescribe that it is ones own actions good and bad which cause happiness and misery and it is forbidden to beg boons from the idols of enlightened ones being worshiped, yet their followers by and large violate the fundamental principles and beg material boons from stone or metal idols they themselves have made, consecrated and deified. Such is the slavish psyche of mankind in general, generated by constant allurements from spurious rituals perpetrated by the selfish so-called contractors of fate of people.
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