WRITTEN BY SUBHENDU BIKASH TAHAL
Religion is an emotive issue. It is the opium of the masses. It is what it is without having any parallel in the real world. For seers, it is the only way to a dream paradise and the shrewd, use it as a tool to make the people taste the taste of a hell. It is a faith in the supernatural beyond the bounds of reason, a shelter for the oppressed and a shock absorber for the oppressor. Since the inception of the Homo sapiens as a dominant species, religion has been the most important connector that has connected the discreet yet disconnected individuals. However, the opposite is also true; it is the most potent divisive force that has created major fault lines in the society, tearing them apart like pieces of paper. There is no shortage of example. India as an independent country took birth from the churning of river of blood that flowed because of the fault-line created by religion.
The history of religion is as old as Homo sapiens. It had dominated the entire socio- political landscape in the past. However, the ‘Reason’ gave a death blow to the force that had hitherto dominated, in the form of Enlightenment; ushering in a new era of hope, of progress and of optimism. The age of reason began. It began as the progress in science enlightened the human mind, unleashed its true potential. The superstition gave way to the logical thinking, it took the men away from the ocean of ignorance towards the shore of knowledge; the reflection was evident everywhere, society and the sphere of politics were no exception to it. Society became more rational, questioning the hitherto unquestionable and Church withdrew from the sphere of politics as a result of defeat in the fight between the Sword and Crozier.
Democracy further reinforced the case of reason by facilitating discussion and deliberation which gradually led to its triumph. The Reason triumphed, but religion had not taken a backseat; rather it coexisted, it had remained dormant for years because it couldn’t pass the scrutiny of reason. But the irony is the reason has been receding at an accelerated pace over the years. Public sphere seems to have been captured by the force of religion. From America to India and Iran, everywhere religion is again on the rise. The recent overturning of the Roe v. Wade judgment is a prelude to the events that are going to unfold in the land of reason and liberty. The Shia-Sunni conflict in the international arena is an open secret. Even, India is no exception; the recent killing of a man is a significant testimony. The influence of religion in the public sphere is at its maximum today than ever had been in the recent centuries.
In the tussle between the force of reason and the force of religion to occupy the narrow space of consciousness, the force of reason seems to have lost to the antiquated force of religion. But what led to its decline /defeat? Who are responsible for it? The decline in reason is not a decline that generally results because of the natural cycle of rise and fall. The decline is deliberate. It is due to the attempt of a few academician and politician who strive to maintain their hegemony. They deliberately push the agenda, taking the mass media to their fold to divide people on the religious lines. The intellectual academician and acclaimed journalist make concerted attempt to dig graveyard for the same ‘Reason’ of which they are product of. The situation is further exacerbated by the faulty education system which instead of promoting critical thinking and logical abilities produce robot who say yes to the boss in every matter.
Science has progressed; technology might have taken us to the moon, nevertheless, the human mind is still primordial in the matter of supernatural, and there is no dearth of people to stoke the fire of religion to further their goal. Religion is no doubt a unifying force, however, using it for the reasons that the societies of today are using would take us further back in time.
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