World Religions Conference November 1957

Author(s): Sushil Muni
Publisher: Achal Singh Seth

Page 13

Background
Misuse of Righteousness
The very reasons that have led to the bankruptcy and the consequent failure of Politico-economic measures to achieve the desired results, apply equally to religion as well. If these Politico-economic conditions made mankind selfish and tyrannical and thirsty for the blood of others, Man has, equally, in the name of religion wrought a lot of mischief. At one time, religion was held in great esteem in all the countries, wars were waged for the sake of religion and thus made man the enemy of man. In the name of Crusades or wars of the Cross much blood was shed in Jurasalem, over the sepulchre of Jesus. This bloodshed continued for no less than 120 years and millions of sepulchres were dug just to save one sepulchre. It is nothing short of villification and travesty of religious ideals, to do so much killing and rapine in the name of one who was himself a prince of peace, and preached all his life--to turn the other cheek also if one were to smite us on one cheek.
Similarly, the Roman Catholics and the Protestants carried on untold atrocities in the blessed name of religion. Even at one time in Japan, the cradle of Budhism, there existed much ill-will between the Budhists and the Christians. In their religious frenzy, the Muslims of Arabia too did a lot of havoc and depredation in the non-muslim world. Even in our own country, the followers of various sects and creeds of one parent religion, have not hesitated to play the cut-throats to each other. Shivaltes, Vashnavites, Budhists and Jains have had fierece wranglings and disputis amongst themselves and looked askance with distrust at each other and spent all their time and energy in razing to ground the holy temples and places of Worship Just to put up their own instead. The State religion was forcibly thrust upon the people. Every-one considered his own religion as the best and the truest and regarded other's as a figment of the human brain and a mere chimera, with the result that there followed in society much unrest, doubt, sceptism, ill-will, jealousy and class-hatred that rendered life intolerable. The very religions which were to give solace and comfort to the life-weary became the means of agony and despair.
Even in personal life, as well, religious bigotry made a deep mark so as to make it painful and distressing to the extreme. In brief, it may be said that the very core and purpose of religion was altogether lost in the mighty swirl of passions and prejudices. Vedic Dharma, Sanatan Dharma, Jainism, Budhism and Islam, in course of time, became mere decorative pieces for a museum hall. With the loss of one faith, one religion, one worship, there could be no single scripture. Religion itself came to assume so many diversified forms with various hall marks, with the result that people began to fight over mere rites and rituals, signs and symbols, rosary, the sacred thread, the the hair-truft on the head etc. Even the names of Rama and Krishna served