Religion Vs. God

Does religion really lead one to God? No. A resounding ‘No’ is the answer. That is what the Bible says; that is what the Quran says. That is what the real thinkers who were really interested in the welfare of the mankind have expounded.

Christianity

Abou Ben Adam awoke one night from a deep dream of peace. There was beautiful moonlight. A star was flickering in the sky and it was getting bigger and bigger. Soon, he saw that the star was an Angel flying towards his room. It sat on the windowsill of his room and started writing something in a book of gold. Adam asked what it was. The Angel replied that it was a list of “those who loved God”. “Is my name in that list?” he enquired. “No”, replied the Angel. Adam said, “Okay, please write against me as a person who loves humanity”.

The Angel wrote down his name in a separate list as he desired and vanished. “The next night it appeared again and sat on the windowsill. There were three lists in its hand. Adam was curious what the third one was. The Angel said, “This is a different list. This contains the names of those who are loved by God”.  Adam said, “Is my name there in that list?” The Angel said, “Yes, on the top of it.”

Thus, Christianity shows that the outward appearances of being God-loving or proclaiming to the world that one is God-fearing, or doing all the rituals, performing all the penance, etc., do not really matter, and one cannot go to heaven just by flattering God.

Islam

There was a Mullah in a village. He was just doing his work in the mosque. The villagers had been indulging in various sinful activities, like theft, adulteration, cheating, adultery, etc., But, the Mullah who was aware of the entire on goings did not come forward to inform the villagers of their folly. He did not make any efforts to reform them. He thought that none would listen to him. He, however, guarded himself not to commit any such sinful activity.

Soon, there was flood. It washed away the entire village. It took away the Mullah too. All of them appeared before God. God punished everybody according to the nature of his or her crime. When Mullah presented himself last, he was imposed double the punishment. Mullah pleaded that he had not committed any sin and that he had been doing only the work for God in the mosque. God did not agree. It was the duty of the Mullah to inform the villagers of their wrongs. The villagers were not aware of the extent of their sin. To some extent they were ignorant too. But the Mullah was an informed man. He was, therefore, duty-bound to inform the others. Whether the others would listen to him or not was a different issue. Mullah had not done his duty and had not made any efforts in that direction. God said that he, therefore, deserved double penalty. “When a sin is committed before an individual or a group and they do not prevent it, in spite of having the capability, then Allah inflicts a severe punishment on them…” (Virtues of Tabligh -- Chapter II – Sayings of the Prophet).

Thus, Islam shows that even a priest cannot go to heaven unless he discharges his inherent duty when on earth. Generally, no one would observe the religious formalities more punctually and more systematically than the priest. Yet, the doors to heaven do not open to those who observe only those formalities and do not perform their duties towards humanity.

Saivism

In Tamil Saivism, the Siddha Saint Sivavaakkiyar says,

இருக்கு நாலுவேதமும் எழுத்தை அறவோதினும்

பெருக்கு நீறு பூசினும் பிதற்றினும் பிரான்இரான்

உருக்கி நெஞ்சை உட்கலந்திங் குண்மைகூர வல்லிரேல்

சுருக்க மற்ற சோதியைத் தொடர்ந்து கூடலாகுமே.

According to Sivavaakkiyar, the outward appearances of the so-called pious man do not count for anything. The religious formalities observed by him would not carry him anywhere. What counts is that one must be honest and truthful.

Poet Bharathiyar says that it is a folly to resort to the formal prayer without having any love and affection towards fellow human beings. His poem ‘kolamittu vilakkinaiyetri…’ describes the concept very forcefully and effectively.

கோலமிட்டு விளக்கினை ஏற்றிக் 

கூடிநின்று பராசக்தி முன்னே 

ஓலமிட்டுப் புகழ்ச்சிகள் சொல்வார் 

உண்மைகண்டிலர் வையத்து மாக்கள் 

ஞாலமுற்றும் பராசக்தி தோற்றம்  

ஞானமென்னும் விளக்கினை யேற்றிக் 

காலமுற்றும் தொழுதிடல் வேண்டும் 

காதலென்பதோர் கோயிலின் கண்ணே 

There is, therefore, nothing to feel pride of oneself about one’s being a theist. There is also nothing to fell ashamed if one chides another to be an atheist. The issue is totally irrelevant either for the present world or for the next world.

Ramalinga Adihal and Vivekananda have also said a lot on these lines. Be a theist or atheist! That is not an issue at all. But, be a humanist. Do your duty towards the humanity. That alone - and nothing else - decides whether you can reach Heaven.

" படமாடக் கோயில் பரமற்கு ஒன்று ஈயில்
நடமாடக் கோயில் நம்பர்க்கு அஃது ஆகா
நடமாடக் கோயில் நம்பர்க்கு ஒன்று ஈயில்
படமாடக் கோயில் பரமற்கு அஃது ஆமே "

-திருமூலர்.