Over the years, I have often wondered at the magnificance of God and Religion. Is the concept of religion different from the belief that a single supernatural power exists above all of us guiding and keeping a check on our morality? I dont think so. I think the reason why God was created or exists is to guide and make sure that everybody acts morally. Lets think about the ancient past when no laws, no control existed. How on earth and most importantly why on earth did the people act morally during that time period. I believe the answer is simple - due to the fear of GOD. My personal opinion is that, God was created by the wise men of ancient past to make sure that people act morally.
So how is it that and why is it that religion was created? What was the need for the existence of different religion, different faith, different beliefs and different values when the ultimate purpose was to maintain morality amongst people? To be honest, I do not know the answer to these questions. I can only think of two reasonings:
1. Many civilisations existed simultaneously and each civilisation came up with their own religion or so-called GOD. I find it hard to go by this reasoning primarily because of the fact that even within the same civilization or sect there existed more than 1 religion. Was it religion that superceded civilisation and community or was it civilisation that superceded religion? I will leave that question to the historians but again I find that reasoning hard to believe.
2. The second reasoning and my personal favorite is based on the core theory of economics - Every Human Being is selfish and acts in his own self-interest. The wise men along with the motive for maintaining morality in the society were also hungry for power, control and wealth. They knew that if people believed in religion (GOD), it could also give them a lever to control the society. As the closest to God (as the priests, pujaris and saints claim) they could gather enormous respect and power from the people. Hence the need for religion, different Gods.
The same selfish need that sends two countries on war, the same need that fuels the arms race, the same need that makes two brothers kill each other. Be it myth or reality, the fact is we definitely need a GOD now to save us all from destroying each other.
So how is it that and why is it that religion was created? What was the need for the existence of different religion, different faith, different beliefs and different values when the ultimate purpose was to maintain morality amongst people? To be honest, I do not know the answer to these questions. I can only think of two reasonings:
1. Many civilisations existed simultaneously and each civilisation came up with their own religion or so-called GOD. I find it hard to go by this reasoning primarily because of the fact that even within the same civilization or sect there existed more than 1 religion. Was it religion that superceded civilisation and community or was it civilisation that superceded religion? I will leave that question to the historians but again I find that reasoning hard to believe.
2. The second reasoning and my personal favorite is based on the core theory of economics - Every Human Being is selfish and acts in his own self-interest. The wise men along with the motive for maintaining morality in the society were also hungry for power, control and wealth. They knew that if people believed in religion (GOD), it could also give them a lever to control the society. As the closest to God (as the priests, pujaris and saints claim) they could gather enormous respect and power from the people. Hence the need for religion, different Gods.
The same selfish need that sends two countries on war, the same need that fuels the arms race, the same need that makes two brothers kill each other. Be it myth or reality, the fact is we definitely need a GOD now to save us all from destroying each other.
2 comments:
Quote from the blog: "My personal opinion is that, God was created by the wise men of ancient past to make sure that people act morally.....So how is it that and why is it that religion was created?"
I think maybe the wise women would have created God and Religion. They would have not created it to acquire power. Maybe a regular and brutal onslaught by the men of ancient times would have induced infinite fear in the souls of women. Deprived by nature of physical strengh on one side and assaulted on the other side by ancient men but blessed with a high moral sense, they would have invented the first God. They would have infused the fear of God into savage man to civilize him. The instinct of self-preservation of women would have been the first reason for the creation of Religion.
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