Let Us Protect Religious Sanctity

Muslim Murasu, December 2011

Religion provides answers to every want in life. Noble thoughts get their due place under the influence of religion. Hearts are cultivated. This reflects in good character and activities among human beings. This can put a stop to corruption, swindling, sexual aggression and looting public property.
Holy Book, its translations and commentaries constitute foundations of religious preaching. Each Muslim in Tamilnadu is surrounded by 14 Hindus. Muslim community is invariably influenced and guided by the ‘character’ of the majority community in matters of culture, money-mindedness, discipline, public service and God-consciousness.
24 hours entertainment channels set aside one hour in the morning for religious preaching. Remaining 23 hours are filled with debauchery, false propaganda, frantic news and half-baked expertise.
Stress was laid on personal character during the times of Rajaji and Periyar EVR. The political leadership that came after them did not pay attention to character and discipline. People with lust for land, lady and money became politicians and started leading the nation. Power went into the hands of people with habits of drinking. Sexual discipline nose-dived and infringing on rights of fellow citizens surged.
First condition in eradicating black money is God-consciousness. First requirement in religious teaching is introducing Sacred Texts. Tamil books on morality, ethics and values were completely ignored and brushed aside. Religious preachers were humiliated. Now it has become difficult to find knowledgeable experts to preach divine thoughts.
Religion has two aspects – ideology and rituals. Those doing rituals and enjoying the shade of ritualistic importance are occupying and dominating the religious scene today. This leads to dissent, dissatisfaction and negative view on religion. Principles and ideals that can help and raise humanity are pushed to backseat.
Muslims willingly assemble on every Friday afternoon to pay heed to moral preaching. Christians congregate every Sunday morning to listen to noble thoughts. But six crore Tamil Hindus are not obliging to listen to weekly speech or moral lessons. This reflects in increasing selfishness, attitude for vengeance, exuberance and excessive consumerism.