I think like that because
majority of the times its communication gap and no detailed knowledge which
makes people suspicious of each other. This less or no knowledge about
particular place, personality or religion is what creates a mentality of us
versus them. When we have made up our mind that other person is our enemy then
we majority of the times just try to find faults in them. That’s why ignorant
Christians find so many faults with Hinduism and thinks Islam as their second
rate version, ignorant Muslims find Christianity as second rate version of
itself and doesn’t find Hinduism as a way to worship almighty. Ignorant Hindus
find Islam barbaric and Christianity full of deceit that is just hell bent on
destroying them by any mean possible. Now I am going to let my mind dwell deeper
and write what I think is correct. There is one basic concept in which I believe
in. I believe that there is Ishwar/God/Allaha or any superior force which makes
functioning of this world and beyond possible. That God is one and same for all
and people just have different ways to worship the same reality. You are free to
agree or disagree with me as always.

There is good in every religion.
There has to be good in the thing which calls itself a way to reach God or Allah
or Ishwar. Otherwise this thing is of no use. Religion offers humans an
explanation of the unexplained. It tells you about the things which are beyond
control of science. This topic is of great interest to me. My search for knowing
truth began when I first read commentary on Bhagwat Geeta’s chapter 2 and 3
given to me by my friend. This book was written by Acharya Rajneesh. Those who
have studied Osho’s books know that that it leaves a profound impact on your
mind and you yearn to learn more. I was hooked. I read him days and nights by
borrowing and purchasing his books on all topics. Although I don’t agree with
him on all things but still those books gave me many answers I was looking for.
After that I read Bible, Quran and other Hindu religious books like Upanishads,
some part of Vedas and writings of Vivekananda.

I wanted to go to the
root of conflicts and see why they are there. Why people are fighting in the
name of God which was meant for giving peace to all of us. Human stupidity has
reached its height when anyone murders in name of God. How any God is going to
be pleased by seeing murders of his creation in his name? Why anyone like God
would have problem in way people worship him? All religion say God is almighty,
omnipresent, who knows each and every thing in people's heart and beyond then
why religious fanatics believe that its only their version of God which is true
and all others are false? Why some fanatics believe that its particular name of
almighty which is important? How any God like thing can say that he will protect
a particular community or person who belongs to certain geography of the world
even though they can be bad and criminal but will not hesitate in punishing good
people who are worshipping him in some different way? Those who have problem
with the way God is worshipped by people either that section of people in world
hasn’t understood what God is all about or they are misusing Gods name by
dragging him in their own fight for obvious benefits. Why?? Because its such a
basic thing in which people don’t even think that there cant be different
supreme reality to different people. Any God who claims that he is the only true
God and all others are false can not be a God. God is God because he doesn’t
involve in human like competitions of being number one or two. He is God because
he is beyond all. God reveals himself in each of his creation. Its all him
everywhere you see and whatever you see or don’t see or experiences through your
senses. Each of us shares a special bonding with him because we are from him. He
cant differentiate between Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists,
Jews, Atheists, low or high caste, black or white race. He cant , he simply cant
do anything like favoritism. If anyone is trying to impose this differentiation
human feeling on God then he is actually doing a great disservice and greatest
sin towards God.

Yes God does justice like an honest judge and no one
can hide his or hers rights and wrong from him. The God will punish the wicked
and reward the righteous and caste, creed, community or a particular way of
worship shouldnt matter for him. If these things matters for any one like God
than he is not a God. He doesnt deserve to be known as God. The simple fact is
its us humans who have degradded his name for our own selfish narrow
interest. He has given humans lot of freedom by giving them power of thinking.
He hasn’t done that with any other creation. A simple example is animal baby is
born without any protection and assistance from anyone. A particular geography
and climatic condition has that type of animals. When its cold God has given
them lots of fur. When its hot God has given them smooth skin and capability
gather food in their own ways. On the other hand humans don’t have that natural
protection but God has given us brains to use. With this brain we have changed
climatic conditions, used animal skin to protect us. It means we are God’s
freest creation and he has put a lot in our hand and brain. Its up to us how we
use that intelligence. But seeing all this fighting in name of God makes me
wonder has he done a right thing? Wouldn’t the world have been a better place
when we would have been living like animals do? With no bomb blasts to worry
about, no ideological battle to fight, no money to run after, no concern for
Ozone layer hole, global warming and terrorism, just two needs of gathering food
and reproducing babies when time comes.

Don’t you all think that we have
made this world a disaster? Is this God would have wanted when he has created
us? May be he might not be having fun with all goodliness of animals and their
regular things. Well if there would have been no human on earth than we all
wouldn’t have been discussing God at all. It means he wanted us on earth and
wanted us to know the best by use of our brain. But I guess majority of us is
not using this wonderful gift of God in proper way.

Well while going
through all these different religious and philosophical books I came to know a
lot about different amazing things. It’s a personal liberating journey of truth
which makes your mind open with wonder. You feel like you know so little in vast
ocean of knowledge. I wanted to become a monk but I guess that desire wasn’t
strong enough. I just want everyone to take that journey. It makes you think
about lot many things and perhaps this is the reason India has produced so many
towering personalities. When mind is free from a sense of victimhood it lets you
do wonderful things. Otherwise you will forever going to remain in miserable
condition.

The common problem with some Muslims in India is they think
that its state and police which is acting against their interest and justify
bomb blasts as a way to avenge that sense of victimhood. I have seen many
educated Muslims using the same argument. But I would like to tell them that
this sense of victimhood belongs to every poor and less privileged in India. In
India people with money and political power many times abuse their fortune by
indulging in extortion of masses. It happens. It happens with every common
Indian when they come in contact with any government office for doing their work
and police and administration is part of that. So this sense of victimhood
belongs to everyone who is less privileged in India and its not a Muslim
specific problem. Majority of common Indians tried avoiding this sense of
victimhood by sending their children to private schools and many times at cost
of their good life style. They made every resource available with them in good
education of their children. Even though they were poor they borrowed money or
took up any other job but made their children study. On the other hand lots of
Muslims send their children to Madarasa. I am not against any Madarsa education
but education in Madarsa is of no practical worldly use. How can you expect
someone having a Hafiz or Pandit course to be employed in an engineering firm?
Its easy to have a sense of victimhood and blame all your troubles on someone
else. But wouldn’t it be nicer that people just stop complaining and become
partner in growth of India like all others?

I am not turning my blind
eye towards stupidity and generalization that has crept in common population in
India. I wouldn’t have believed that discrimination but it happened with one of
my dear friend. He was denied a house on rent since he belonged to a particular
religion. It made me sad as I know my friend is very good person and I
complained and written to new paper editors about it. I went with him to argue
with land lord but to no avail. I went again to land lord alone and asked why he
is doing that after talks with him I realized that there is a general impression
that many people although eat non vegetarian food but don’t like cutting of any
goat in front of them. I couldn’t do anything and felt so helpless. It was a
good thing that my friend got house just near by. I thanked God for this. People
are generalizing a lot and situation like involvement of educated and well to do
young boys in bomb blasts is not helping situation in any case. I am for co
mingled community housing societies. Ghettos filled with one particular
religious community or people from one region are bad for country as diverse as
India. Housing ghettos like those just reinforce sense of victimhood and create
misunderstanding towards other view points. It generates feeling of us verses
them and not good for a country like India. The solution of this type of problem
can be open declaration of any housing society rules and clear definition that
there would be no discrimination on basis of caste, community or religion. Yes,
a housing society can declare that there would be no cutting of animals in their
society complex and other external things like that and I hope no one would have
problem with this kind of rule and many people including me don’t like seeing
animals being cut either in any temple or other religious activities. As I think
there are enough butcher shops available if you want to cook non vegetarian
food.