Essays

Man, an animal with human instincts, is at the epicentre of the civilized human societies that assert their claim to refinement through the acts of the very being who create

it. Talking of societies, the evolution of a civilized body of human beings started with man turning from nomadic traveler to man as a member of a community, a village or a country and most importantly, a member of human race. The order that gave man a sense of belongingness also gave him a set of rules to distinguish himself from the other creations of nature. These rules not only governed his actions but also led him to cultivate a persona that spelled perfection.

Religion can be more appropriately, if not accurately, called a part of those rules set by the society man lived in. From worshipping the elements of nature, man found God in being that appeared in human form and showed him the right way to live. These Gods demanded none for themselves but for the best creation of nature, their dream being Man serving Man. Religion emerged as the book of values that aimed at bringing order in the otherwise chaotic world. Not that it eliminated darkness, but it served to illumine its followers with the brilliance of wisdom. It served not to divine God but to unite the ones who worshipped him in several ways. Evidently as people were located apart, geographically, culturally and intellectually, their perception of God, and hence religion, varied. Though the colour of the skin varied, yet the body remained the same. The religions throughout the world till today preach the oneness of God.

As time rolled through centuries, religion, or rather say religions, gained prominence over the one God who created

humans and called them his children. The civilizations that claimed sophistication became the very cause of provoking the evil instincts in man to overshadow his humane makeup. Myths, blind beliefs, customs, traditions, ignorance and senseless rituals came to substitute the morals and values that were to guide man through the dark arenas of weak conscience, temptations and illusions. Guided by blind beliefs instead of faith, people began sacrificing not desires and addictive comforts but animals. Led by vain ceremonies, man began burnings woman, not greed. Blinded by ignorance, he started believing in the loud, deceiving voice of dressed up preachers, disregarding the weak, agonizing cries of his fellow men. And in the midst of this chaos came voices that yelled assertions, 'My religion is the best', 'My religion is the ultimate,' 'Only my religion is true. . .'

God being divided, faith shattered. People forgot the true mission of religion. No religion ever meant to divine God.

All of them point towards one supreme power. Be it one religion or a group of them. From every corner of the world, the message remains the same -Serve the creations of God. Religion works to instil fraternal bond among people. Its

ultimate aim is to bring people together, as it will be only when man starts serving man that the earth will be free from the burden of miseries. Religion eliminates the worldly distinctions between men and unites them in a relationship of love and harmony where one man, devoid of vain beliefs and delusions, lends his hand forward to

serve and help many other men like him find true happiness in the service of humanity.