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Hindu religion is both fascinating and frustrating at the same time: extremely helpful, and also totally unhelpful. The basic ideas are simple, but not rendered easy of comprehension by the advocates of religion.It has been made complicated by every succeeding philosopher, theologian, Acharya, guru etc.

At base, Hindu Sages said the world is an appearance; there is a greater reality behind the world. Our job is to find it, experience it- not be satisfied with any mental or verbal statement.. We cannot find peace with the world or ourselves till this is done.

But they did not go about tom-toming this to all and sundry. They sat in their place and addressed themselves to the serious seekers. For the rest they gave some toys- some gods, goddesses, some theory some ideas, some rituals,etc, so that they won't harm themselves or others. This would keep them engaged with the world, so long as they liked it that way. But when some serious teachers like Buddha or Sankara attempted to make it the standard for all, it broke down and made society weak.

The Sages found the solution was Individual, not communal. There was no collective salvation. Each one had to work out his way at his own pace. Communal life was necessary to fulfil social needs, but it could not interfere with the personal effort. What one believed personally about God or the world or the devil did not matter, so long as he conformed to the social norms. The Gita clearly says that even the Realised person has no business to unsettle the mind of the common man. 

One can find these two elements in all religions (except perhaps Islam). True Hinduism  or its higher form (Vedanta) was practised by a handful in isolated communities in forest dwellings; or by  lofty individuals in splendid isolation even in society; the rest was a preparation for it. The base was large and so stable; it supported the rising superstructure, getting narrower at the top. Or, rather it was like the lamp. When we say the lamp burns, it is only the tip of the wick that burns; but we need the lamp proper, the whole wick, the oil, etc. But so long as the system could produce such a genuine phenomenon, it was safe and sound. 

 Absolute spiritual  truth and relative existence were reconciled by this device of a two level  approach. Where the organised church tried to impose blind uniformity in alignment with political power, it led to the Reformation and splitting of the Church. Islamic fundamentalism is likewise an attempt to foist one system throughout. It is bound to fail, but not before causing much damage.

Hinduism did not make such  a mistake. It teaches that one has to live in the world as if it were real, but knowing that there is a greater reality behind it. It cannot be reconciled by any neat theory or philosophy. We know the sun does not rise or set, but all our practical affairs are arranged as if the sun rose and set! Or it is like particle physics and Newtonian physics. This is perhaps the most distinct, fundamental insight of Hinduism. It does not go about imposing it on all as the only doctrine. It states the facts and leaves it to one to experience the truth of it.

Nor did Hinduism enter into arguments about God, Creation,etc.: whether God is with or without form, whether he has attributes or no attributes, etc. This was a favourite topic of discussion  among the English educated Bengalis of the 19th century, under the influence of missionary movements and reform outfits. Sri Ramakrishna gave the most effective answer. After him, Sri Ramana Maharshi revolutionised the spiritual quest: he revealed it as an enquiry into  or the discovery of the truth of the Self- which alone is the one incontrovertible fact of existence- which even an atheist cannot deny. This involves no theory, no theology, no dogma, no philosophy, no God, no Church. 65 years after his passing, this is not yet understood.   

The rise of modern thinking since the 19th century has removed the idea of religion and God from human consciousness, and day to day life. The experience that led to the founding of the religions has become alien to the modern consciousness, and nothing else can touch it and hold it for long. Peter Watson has written a magnificent book, chronicling all the ideas that held sway' in the wake of that unfortunate declaration by the mentally unstable Nietzsche: 'God is dead, and we have killed him.' (The Age of Atheists: How We Have Sought to Live Since the Death of God. Simon & Schuster, 2014)Finally, everything is as false as religion was supposed to be  and nothing is ever  certain anymore!  The so called modern philosophers do not know what to make of their own existence, any more than the scientists. They have no idea of 'truth' at all.

Friedrich Nietzsche
Photo by F.Hartmann. Public Domain. Wikimedia commons.
He was a critique of mass culture, said it led to mediocrity and led to the decline of the human species. Some could become superior individuals through will power.

Most of  us are blessed. We do not have to wade through these dense oceans  of modern  verbal nonsense to understand that its authors are unhinged. But even then we are not spared. These ideas and derivatives from them have pervaded all aspects of life and thought, and continue to bombard us through the media in all its forms: the press, invariably owned by vested interests; the TV and electronic channels and media, video and other forms of digital communication,etc. Art, literature, literary criticism, academics, science, the professions- no field now openly acknowledges God or celebrates his reign. 

There is something which C.S.Lewis in the 30s called "chronological snobbery" - the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our age. ( See: The Essential C.S.Lewis. Edited by Lyle W.Dorsett, Simon&Schuster,1996, p.7 and 15) This is now prevailing in India. Established religion is its biggest victim, while any number of cults and whims flourish by the wayside! Educated, intelligent writers have enriched every movement criticising God and religion- like secularism, philosophical materialim, moral relativism, Freudianism,nihilism, existentialism, Marxism, multiculturalism, mass consumerism,etc whereas the religions have suffered from a lack of able, intelligent advocates. And even when they say or write something worthy, they do not get a platform!

Those who oppose religion are united in that goal, but the advocates of religion differ on the basis of faith and dogma. This is indeed a pity because critical studies have shown that it is the mere fact of some religious faith, and not the scientific validity of its theology that is beneficial. Religion is more useful as a sociological  factor, embedding people in a common psyche and it provides sense of security, physical and mental health benefits. 

Every religion in the world flourished in a specific cultural context. Christianity and Islam, in their conversion zeal, imposed alien ideas and landscape on converted people. But this has led to a strange spectacle. In 1900, 80% of Christians lived in Europe and America. Today, 60% of Christians live in third world countries. Educated Westerners are becoming more secular and less fertile, and the adherents of fundamentalist faiths have much higher birth rates! Reasoned, established and enlightened approaches to religion are being replaced even in America by such movements as evangelicals, charismatic persons promising health,wealth, everything; Pentecostals, fundamentalists of many types.

Many thoughtful,decent people have rejected religion on account of the atrocities they have committed through history. If we are a little more thoughtful, and equally honest, we will have to say the same about science: were not the two world wars prime results of science's triumph and God's death? Is not the current ecological crisis the result of science?Religion did not remove poverty or reduce distress- true. But has the progress of science done that? Or any of the other world-conquering ideologies? Not only the God of religion, but every God has failed!