Reigns of Religions

Lalit A Patel

God and gods mean different things to different people. Hindus believe God to be an abstract current underlying the universe, and godify (worship as a god) any body or thing significantly affecting or explaining happiness. Egyptians did not believe in God, and godified celestial bodies and their kings. Jews believe God to be an abstract thing powering the people, and revere their saviors. Buddhists negate the concept of God or gods as a futile exercise outside jurisdiction, and worship Buddha as a guide. Christians believe God to be the affectionate first-father of people, and worship Jesus as a messenger of God. Muslims believe God to be the disciplinarian owner of all, and prohibit anything against that discipline.

Most human civilizations have been led to believe in concepts of God because of mind-boggling questions relating to the existence. Depending upon their thought capabilities, personal inclinations, and prevailing circumstances, different preachers of God have narrated God in different words. Preachers of God did not confine their attention to God. They also advised the methodology for happiness and relationship. Depending upon their thought capabilities, personal inclinations, and prevailing circumstances, different preachers of God have advised different methodologies for happiness and relationship.

Religions arose out of these different beliefs about God and related methodologies for happiness and relationship. Even though most followers have been interpreting the religion to their own benefit and many reformers have tried to reform their religions, boundaries between different religions are becoming sharper in time, because most people find it safer to side with some religious groups battling to strengthen their religions.

If God exists, God is great and reasonable. God punishes and rewards all human beings and groups for their bad and good acts. However, God has to prolong the existence of the creation. Hence, God does not punish or reward a human being or group immediately upon bad or good act, but defers the punishment or reward in a way that can prolong the existence of the creation. Human being and groups act as puppets of God.

Religions have played crucial roles in formulating human civilizations. They have been providing solace to many in need. They have been diluting personal egos in favor of group activities. Consciously or subconsciously people find it comfortable to take shelter under a religion, let it be inherited or selected or induced or forced upon.

No religion is perfect. All religions have some shortcomings. For example, Hindus tend to over-classify Hindus based on their birth; Christians tend to over-emphasize the human existence; Muslims tend to over-ride rules of the land. These shortcomings of religions have been causes of wars and bloodsheds.

However, everything changes or is changed in and with time. Religions have been strong but not so strong that they can get over the winds of time. All religions have undergone drastic changes or have caused other religions to arise, in time.

Often a religion changes too drastically to be compatible with its earlier version. Despite such drastic changes, religions find it strategically necessary to be referred to by the same old name. Christianity renewed after the industrial revolution is much different from the Christianity that blinded Galileo (for telling that the Earth revolves around the Sun).

It may be interesting to analyze the lifecycle phases of religions. Human generation ranges over about six decades. Religion generation ranges over about six centuries. Every six centuries or so, new religions have come up or existing religions have been reformed.

Six centuries BC came Buddhism. Six centuries later came Christianity. Seven centuries later came Islam. Six or seven centuries later came renewed Christianity. Six or seven centuries later may come a renewed Islam.

Religions affect and are affected by other factors shaping the human civilization.