Jain Journal 2007 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 16

THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN HUMAN UNITY AND WORLD
PEACE (A JAIN PERSPECTIVE)
Dr. Sagarmal Jain
The Present Panorama of the world :
We are living in the age of science and technology. The advancement in our scientific knowledge has removed our religious superstitions and false dogmas. But unfortunately and surprisingly, side by side, it has also shaken our mutual faith, and faith in moral
rtues as well as religio-spiritual values. The old social and spiritual values of life, acting as binding on humanity and based on religious beliefs, has been made irrelevant by scientific knowledge and logical thinking. Till date, we have been unable to formulate or evolve a new value structure, so necessary for meaningful and peaceful living in society, based on our scientific and logical outlook. We are living in a state of total chaos. In fact, the present age is the age of transition, old values have become irrelevant, and new ones have not been yet established. We have more knowledge and faith in atomic structure and power, than the values needed for meaningful and peaceful life. Today, we strongly rely on the atoinic power as our true rescuer, and discard the religio-spiritual values as mere superstitions. For us human being is either a complicated machine or at least a developed animal, governed by his instincts and endowed with some faculties of mechanical reasoning. Thus, we have developed a totally materialistic and selfish outlook.
The advancement in all the walks of life and knowledge could not sublimate our animal and selfish nature. The animal instinct lying within us is still forceful and is dominating our individual and social behavior and due to this life is full of excitements, emotional disorders and mental tensions. The more advanced a nation, the more is the grip of these evils of our age over it. The single most specific feature by which our age may be characterized is that of tension and conflicts. Nowadays not only the individuals, but the total human race is living in tension.