Four decades ago as a student of philosophy I was shocked to learn the expression, “God is dead” by Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th century German philosopher.
Seeing the addiction of people to religion and its innumerable rituals another German philosopher Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opium of the masses.” Despite being a student of philosophy I could not accept both Nietzsche-Marx because I was also addicted to religiosity and dogma in those days within the walls of the seminary.
After crisscrossing the whole country, learning the life of people from diverse backgrounds, reflecting on the religious practices of people of all faith over four decades, I started understanding things in a different perspective. The rat race of people of all religions to construct worship places, ashrams and organizing innumerable religious festivals to attract crowds convinced me of the power of religion as ‘opium of the masses.’
This religious industry has become a lucrative business in India. The nexus between politicians and god-men of all faith has succeeded to enslave the masses. In order to keep the masses enslaved in their addiction, the mafia of politicians and priests construct temples, churches, mosques and other worship places.
Many of these worship places were erected on the dead bodies of many innocent human beings. Because of this very reason God is not present in these magnificent structures. God is dead. He is murdered when priests, politicians and drugged masses shout slogans of hatred, prejudice and violence against those who don’t belong to them.
The most unfortunate aspect of this addiction is the involvement of the bureaucrats of high rank, judges and the so called educated elite section of society who never valued scientific temper. Many of them have no shame for selling their souls. Nageswara Rao, a former interim chief of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the latest to make headlines for wrong reason.
Rao’s disgusting remarks about Swami Agnivesh’s death show how the ‘drug of religion’ can cause ‘death of God.’ While the whole country was expressing grief over the passing of the 80-year-old social activist, Nageswara Rao remarked, “Good riddance Swami Agnivesh. You were an anti-Hindu donning saffron clothes. You did enormous damage to Hinduism. I am ashamed that you were born as a Telugu Brahmin. My grievance against Yamaraj is why did he wait so long.”
When religions are politicized and commercialized they become industry which thrives on the ‘opium of the masses.’ Then God who is the symbol of morals, ethics and scientific temper is murdered and cast out. However He is made a commodity for sale in numerous names. His statues with diverse faces and shapes are erected for marketing.
From all ages there were prophets who challenged this politician–priest mafia who were drugging the masses with opium of religion. All of them were silenced and murdered. Socrates, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln and many numerous prophets were murdered for speaking against murder of God and running drug industry of religion.
Seeing this opium industry of rituals in His time, Jesus gave a better alternative of worshiping God in truth and spirit. In fact Nietzsche declared the death of God whom religions were marketing after the age of Enlightenment when it was established that the universe was governed by laws of science and philosophy. He realized that man-made religions and gods were not required for the practice of morals and ethics. Many who don’t practice traditional rituals of religions are much more spiritual in their lives.
S Radhakrishan, India’s second president, was affirming what Jesus spoke of “worshiping God in truth and spirit” when he said, “This place would be much more religious if all religions go.” By abandoning the religion with priests and politicians people will be more spiritual. They will see and worship God in living human beings with equality, fraternity, justice and dignity of individual.
Varghese Alengaden
