People across the whole world are the followers of mainly four religions such as Sanatan, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity. All those followers obey a creator from their religious point of view. It can be called as their belief in religion or theism.
Now let us come to the point of religion. Religion is like a support or well-structure on which people organize and smoothly regulate their lives. Religious culture is the means for conducting their lives in good ways. We observe religious culture for our self-purification.
Religious differences among the followers of four religions had been prevailing for a long time. Everyone is eager to prove their religion as the excellence while disapproving of other religions. In this way, humans at a time become aggressive to the followers of other religions.
A man is not born in brutal condition; rather they become brutal at certain stage of life. Social system, illiteracy, bad education and ignorance are mainly responsible for it. Fanaticism is one of the elements of it. Communalism grows from fanaticism and extremism grows from communalism. Extremism is always hindrance to establishing world peace.
Religious difference is one of the main reasons of war across the globe. I apprehend that Third World War may happen due to behavior of extremists and fanatics, which may create more catastrophe than before. Supporting or sustaining own religious existence is generally given priority over humanity. But what is the way of avoiding such a situation?
Twin Tower in USA was damaged in a terrorist attack in 2001, and holy artisan in Bangladesh came under militants’ attack on July 1, 2016 because of communalism. Brutal attack and torture on Rohingyas in Myanmar is a much discussed issue in the world. Attack on devotees at a mosque in Christchurch in New Zealand took place on March 15, 2019 due to the communalism.
Incidents like bomb explosion took place in at least six places including Colombo in Sri Lanka soon after the New Zealand incident. Minorities at different parts of the world are facing oppression in their own countries owing to effect of communalism. In Bangladesh, incidents like attack on houses and religious places of Hindus often take place. Persecution on Muslims in Syria, Palestine, Israel and India is taking place.
In the world, there are sects among the followers of four major religions. Among Muslims, there are two sects such as Shia and sunni, while there are shariati and marfati among the sunni.
Conflict among the followers of the two sects of Muslims is sometimes reported in the media. There is caste system among the followers of Hindu. There are categories of lower and higher caste and the members of lower caste are sometimes neglected and tortured by the members of upper caste.
Humanity is the main pillar of any religion. If anything excluding humanity in the name of religion takes place, it cannot be termed as religious act. Humanity is an important issue. Mystic singer Lalon Fakir sang a song highlighting the importance of humanity. Humanity is importance for eradicating savagery in the society.
Showing love and feeling of sympathy to each other should be the main characteristics of the followers of any religion. There cannot be any religion excluding the matter of humanity.
May be, someone can follow certain lifestyle, opinion and belief, which may be called their religion. If they forcibly put their belief on others, it is called fanaticism and extremism.
If there is difference, conflict and fight may occur there. If religious difference leads to communalism, we should avoid it and should follow universal thought being a part of humanity.
All the human being was created by one creator. We the people have created divisions among us on religious basis. We should uphold humanity by rising over communal hatred and any parochialism.
When the world is plagued with communalism, Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church at Toronto in Canada recently set a rare example by opening the church for Muslims for offering their prayer there. A Hindu temple was also opened to Muslims to offer their Eid prayer in Indian state of Kerala when Eidgah was inundated by flood water last year.
There are noble and liberal people among all the faiths. People should not be discriminated only based on their faiths. Every religion, including the Islam, teaches its followers to be liberal. A true Muslim should be liberal. Followers of all the faiths in this country are living with harmony due to congenial atmosphere.
Religious difference is considered as the main obstacle to become real human being. Hence, steps should be taken to motivate people to practice cultural activities for freeing them from the path of fanaticism. It is also imperative to introduce subject-wise education system for free thinking at every educational institutions for building people based on humanism.
Let it be our determination to enlighten people based on consciousness.
The author is a social activist
