World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 331

most of the human activities are far from the essential living of the normal human life. In reality, these activities do not orient men in meaningful quest of the supreme value. In fact danger signals loom heavily in such forms as population explosion, ecological imbalances, increasing military stances against each other etc. etc. These are the consequences of the age-old animal drives itching to dig man's own grave.
All this shows that religious institutions are failing or that their utility and efficacy do not march at all with the colossal predicament of man. Hence the question is do the followers of respective religions have such basic universal con-commitments of moral goals? Do not the followers of religions who visualize the order, harmony and the unity of supreme being, have some primary concerns for the elemental values of mankind and get united in their quest like politicians and businessmen? Why should they not continue to follow their goals even if they feel being treated with indifference by those bigwigs whose socio-political and economic authority is writ large? Simultaneously agreeing with the empirical approach taking its own course in the various sphere of life, the religious spokesmen have to hammer the eternal and transcendent values too. It is not only believing but also living practically the essentials of their faith.
This in other words, suggests a great melting of the age-old religious differences and the conditional complexes gained otherwise by physical, economic and political might. Again, it is setting an example of not being party to the socio-political power games and unabashed consumerism. A conscious initial beginning, may be of only speaking out unitedly would help in blunting the sharp edges of the emerging problems in advance.
Some serious religious queries for those who concern: are they reassured daily that they approach their religious vision truly or just get bothered by external trifles? Religion is an inner becoming but do they take note of this initiative carefully? In this sense is it not that, the religious process seems to be regressing in the historical sense? Whereas the science and technology have contributed much to the outer unification of mankind, still the individual and national interests do not recognize the genuinely increasing interrelationship of the global society and acting to the tune of the moral and spiritual imperatives of the time.
The conclusion
Thus, the crux of the problem has been that the dominant socio-economic and political directions in the present world operate in an area of darkness. For the future of mankind is not as reassuring as it should have been. Many elites and intellectuals too become conscious or unconscious supporters of the blind self-centered operation. The ruling class as usual adapts itself with the prevailing utilitarian ethos. It is the religionists alone
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