It is very obvious to intelligent people that the political culture in general and the quality of politicians in particular, in Sri Lanka, is at a very low level.
Hence it is time that religious leaders closely examined the quality of social and political life in Sri Lanka and the quality of religious instruction and formation given to schoolchildren and the adult adherents and the nature of the religiosity, the human qualities and values instilled in them. Genuine human qualities and values need to be firmly rooted in minds and hearts before their being raised to a higher level by religious enrichment and spiritual refinement.
The widespread prevalence of uncivilized and anti-social life and conduct is evidenced by the distorted relationships triggered among the people by the criminal activities as well as political activities some people are engaged in. Dishonesty and fraud in high places and the great social destruction caused thereby, as well as the petty antipathies among ordinary people contaminate society. All this go to show that the essential interior life of the people in our society is not at all a healthy one. We are great boasters of the exterior life we display before all. Today even prominent rogues and high society swindlers wish even to remain as ministers and appear as people with a good reputation. They proclaim to all and sundry their political ideologies even while they are known to have indulged in highly irregular administrative activities and scams that favoured their kith and kin and political supporters. They are enemies of civilization, liberty, truth and justice. And their barren lives remain devoid of social and religious values.
QUALITY OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Relgious leaders and authorities of education should come together to review the quality and content of religious education imparted to children and the life-changing teaching imparted to the people.
Children learn moral and ethical behaviour at home and in school in accordance with religious doctrine. However good the textbooks may be, the teacher’s instructions could turn out to be detrimental to society due to the harmful attitudes that are communicated to students. Social cohesion and harmony in any community is built on effective communication of the true and just human, social and spiritual values. They should examine the social impact of religious education and dispassionately examine the quality of their particular contribution to society. Do they positively contribute to fraternity, human solidarity and social cohesion and harmony, national unity and peace or do they undermine them and create social communitarian, religious dissension, dissatisfaction, friction, disturbance, disunion and provoke violent behavior among people?
The composite units of society are not homogenous; they need not be.
People may differ in their views, in their choices and way of life, in the goals they pursue. The richness and vitality of any society is also in its diversity, variety and complexity. Yet in spite of multiplicity and plurality there should also be a consistency that pervades large sectors of society that does not militate against incorporation into a cohesive togetherness. It is this overarching interconnectedness that makes of diverse communities one people, one nation. Though Sri Lanka’s people have yet failed to achieve this oneness, there is a felt striving towards it as there is a perception that it is imperative.
They have failed to achieve social harmony due to the ghetto mentality of social and religious communities and due to the reservations and fear they entertain about the other communities they are strangers to and ignorant about. These attitudes are perpetuated by what is communicated and instilled in the minds of the people of various communities. Many remain indifferent to the safety and happiness of others. That they are responsible for the well-being and peace of others is not sufficiently understood nor has it been imparted to them.
Today, it is not enough for leaders and followers of religions only to avoid among themselves antagonistic and warring attitudes in the name of religion. They should see that the acceptable common values in the core of different religions are not numb and frozen but animated and buoyant among them. This would mean that human, fraternal and cordial relations are cultivated and made part and parcel of religious culture. We need to admit that without this ingredient of human warmth and fraternal concern for one another, religions not only lack but unthinkingly undermine the essence and spiritual vitality they should have.
Certainly religion has been a significant aspect of human society and culture since the beginning of civilization. The origins of religious beliefs among our ancestors may remain uncertain, yet the great world religions started as the movements of enlightenment and revitalization for communities seeking more comprehensive answers to life’s problems.
The easiest way to define religion is to refer to it as a ‘life according to a belief in essential values, or conduct of life in keeping with the worship of a god or gods.’ However, whether we choose to believe in a divine power or not, there is a diversity of religious beliefs and practices which capture the minds and hearts of people and have an influence on their everyday lives.
Over the years, we have witnessed the religious groups establishing powerful and persuasive motivations in people by creating conceptions of what is right and wrong, moral and immoral. It seems apparent that for a great number of people, religion provides the strength and help required to deal with persistent challenges of life. Nevertheless, the hypocrisy presented in some of the beliefs and lack of any concrete evidence for their basic teachings can appear naïve to those not raised in such a community which practices their religion with devotion and commitment.
It is important to recognize that religion and religious movements have a massive impact on our society. Generally, these influences are varied; both negative and positive influences can be found. It is right to remain tolerant to the harmless or beneficial effects of religious practices. However, following the recent attacks against religious groups, it is apparent that negative aspects sprouting from a religious tradition which create mayhem in the community, which usually are rooted in extremist groups, should be ultimately controlled and eradicated.
Majority of the religions are exclusive to their beliefs and that distinctiveness may remain so. But unfortunately, some religious leaders openly or subtly, encourage fanaticism and even violent intolerance against the people of other faiths. This is perhaps the most unmistakable display of hypocrisy. The idea of religion being a force for peace and reconciliation gets negated as it is opposed with the violence and wars allegedly fought for the preservation of a religious tradition or in the name of God. The sense of self-righteousness seen in some religious movements could lead to a sense of superiority which justifies violence and even killing in the name of religion or God.
FREE TO EMBRACE OR REJECT
This is manifestly opposed to the frank and civilized dialogue among religious leaders and believers in which one comes to a better knowledge, understanding, appreciation, evaluation of the enlightenment in the teachings and practices of another’s religion. In any case, every human being should remain entirely free to embrace, practice and propagate one’s religious beliefs, philosophical or political beliefs without causing any violence to others. At the same time, everyone should be free to remain uncommitted to or non-violently reject a religion or adopt a religion, philosophy or a political ideology of one’s choice. That is a human right.
RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION
A minority of religious extremists have been known to practice terrifying and repulsive acts of hostility and sadism to promote their goals, in the ways that are exploited by the ones in power, reinforcing the negative stereotype in the media which portrays religion as a narrow-minded and dangerous cult. Another example of a negative effect which religion has on the lives of individuals is the discrimination against certain minorities.
Religion has been criticized over the years for its harmful effects to both individuals and society, such as brainwashing, holy wars and terrorism. Many argue that all religious beliefs are irrational and unreasonable having no scientific explanation. To some, Marx’s description of religion being “the opium of people”, still appears relevant as some religious movements in some parts of the world seem to lead their adherents to control others through inhuman, anti-social terrorist ways as if they are drugged by religion. Marxists such as Lenin, Stalin and Mao too, to carry out their political projects, resorted to the most despicable ways of eliminating human beings in addition to eliminating any other political view, making Marxism itself an opium.
PURE RELIGION ENHANCES LIFE
For many, their religious beliefs are the stimulus to become better people and to make the world a better home for all. Most of the people who strive to live according to their religion not only experience a serenity as a result of liberation from interior and exterior shackles but also derive strength to do good to humanity.
They overcome their fears, maintain a hope for better things to come; they see their Teacher or God as a benevolent protector, a refuge and a loving strengthener of the upright and just life. Often overlooked, one of the most positive aspects of religion may be that individuals and communities find comfort through their belief in a divine power, finding strength to endure even incorrigible injustice rather than creating disturbing dissension and even more unjust social anarchy and class war and turning to more popular ways of numbing the mind such as lust of the flesh, worship of mammon, drugs or alcohol.
Religious leaders without yielding to the temptation of partisan politics, or getting captured by gifts and entrapped in the snares that cunning political leaders lay, should fearlessly denounce wickedness, dishonesty, hypocrisy, selfishness and criminality in politics and boldly summon their people and the political leaders to righteous living in accordance with the teachings of their respective religions.
Researchers have found that a vitally spiritual life contributes to hopefulness and ability to cope with life, less sadness and worry, enhanced relations with others, better health and more interior peace.
These should permeate the whole of our society especially due to the religious leaders’ active promotion of truly religious values clearly showing what uncontaminated and pure religion is that enhances life.
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