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Religion and Secularism
way today. It has failed and is failing. Call it a crisis of spirit in the world or a moral vacuum or whatever you like. Modern life is so regimented, so full of hurry and noise, so soul-destroying in its lack of ideals, that it is rapidly taking away from man any conception of the purpose of life, any solace that he might find in the things of the mind and in the things of the spirit. Concerned mainly with many difficulties and with frightening increase in strain and stress, life has become as much a survival of the fittest as it is in the jungle. The uncertainty caused by economic crisis and threats of war leaves the average man little to live for. His ancient faith in moral and ethical values have been discarded and their place has been taken by unsatisfy. ing ideolo zies or by nothing at all. Religious purpose and piety of life have been undermined by hedonism and utilitarianism. We have to recapture the lost values of ethics and morality and work out national integration through it, halting this mad march through enthronement of religion. Every religion has some mission to fulfil and nothing can thwart its aim or annibilate its purpose. In order that religion may be a perennial living force, one should esteem and revere all the differe 't creeds, doctrines and theories and realize that they are like so many radii proceeding to the same centre-God. I cannot best conclude this short paper without quoting the famous lines of Thomas Paine: "The world is my country; all mankind are my brethren and to do good is my religion."
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