RELIGION AND FANATICISM

I had heard a lot about Taslima Nasreen’s novel Lajja, so finally after so many years the book finally came up and I have just finished reading the so called controversial novel. I really didn’t understand why was it called controversial, just because it put into words what was a reality? (I guess reality is considered controversial nowadays) just because it mentioned about the brutalities committed against one set of humans by another set of humans who had the numerical superiority in Bangladesh. Somehow I found that the book is not at all anti Muslim or anti Hindu in isolation it is rather anti communalism and pro patriotism and carried a message of peaceful coexistence of all humans irrespective of their religion. It was rather a statement of facts giving out a explicit and very detailed account of how fanaticism in any religion weather Hindu or Muslim or any other, breaks the very fabric of secularism and nationhood. It describes how a systematic degradation of a patriot takes place in a communal setup, weather he is a Hindu in Bangladesh or a Muslim in India. Also how religions can divide and create walls between humans, how humans can lose their humanity and humility in the false sense of being religious and go to the extremes of behaving in a animalistic manner par excellence. One of the readers of this novel, who happens to be my wife, before I started reading this novel, warned me “it is a very disturbing novel, I could not finish it because the atrocities mentioned were too much to handle”. With this presupposition I had started reading the novel. I had thought to myself that I can handle all this. But to my surprise, I was very much effected and pained by the reality of the things that would have happened and those that found their mention in the book, but I did manage to finish the book. The thing which pained me the most while reading the book was the description of how helpless young girls and women were subjected to rape and murder during these riots and the emotional trauma their family member’s went through. However, the fact of the matter remains that women have always been the victim of such lawless situations and mindless rioting irrespective of which country it takes place in, irrespective of religion, irrespective of age, there are no holds barred when it comes to rape. Rape is not only committed during riots or lawless situations, we witness it in our day today lives too, it is only committed so vehemently and openly during riots that’s all. It is quite a other thing to hear of rape being committed on so and so girl or woman and quite another when it happens to us or to those whom we love. I cant even imagine the trauma a woman goes through when she becomes a victim of such a heinous crime. It sends shivers down my spine to think of it when I realize that I am father to two beautiful little daughters and some day, few years from now they could well be facing this reality of our civilized life. For the peace of my mind as of now I just push such thoughts away, far away and only pray that I should not see such a day in my life. Reading about such things at times makes me feel shameful because I am a man myself just like any of those men who commit rape on helpless women and young girls or also even kids. Sometimes when I find myself staring at a beautiful woman and her so called good assets (which is considered natural for a man) I feel ashamed of my manhood and even go to the extent of thinking that there should be no such thing as physical attraction between a man and a woman. I know it would take a lot of excitement out of our lives but if it could stop rapes from taking place, don’t u think it would be worth it? Ask a girl who has been raped. Sometimes, I wonder what is the psychology of a rapist? Is he not a son? Does he not have a sister or a wife? How would he feel if it happened to someone whom he loves or is related to? I really don’t have answers to these questions, but sure would like to research it myself. I am sure a lot of research must have been carried out in understanding the psychology of rapists and also a number of efforts being taken towards rehabilitation of rape victims. But I don’t really know if a rape victim can be rehabilitated really. Are there no ways of eradicating this crime from our society? If I am given a choice I would like to wipe this crime away from the face of this earth (wishful thinking I guess!!). May be capital punishment is the only answer to this crime, I for one strongly recommend it. Coming back to fanaticism and religion, Imagine this… Rape being justified in the name of religion!!! the fact is, this is what it comes to ultimately if exploitation and riots in name a particular religion are to be justified. It beats all my logical reasoning to accept rape in the name of religion, there can be no justification for it, in fact it is a matter of great shame for any religion on the face of this earth and I am sure all people in their right sense will agree with me. So it finally boils down to that riots and activity of killing and rape has got nothing to do with religions. It is just expression of someone’s personal animalistic and sadistic desires and lawlessness and riots are only the excuse. Riots and lawless situations exhibit the true nature and character of a man and level of evolution of a society as a whole. I don’t know all the religions of the world but whatever little I understand, I know for certain that there can be no religion on the face of this earth which teaches violence and not peace and coexistence with other human beings and even nature. Then why do fanatics exist in all the religions? And the irony that these very people consider themselves fiercely religious when they cant even behave like humans at the first place, how can they be religious at all? Fanatics as I understand are all those who have got nothing to do with the religion they profess to be following, they do not understand the first letter of that religion leave alone the path and final goal of their religion. May ALLAH/BHAGWAN/GOD show them the real path of the religion!!!!. Killing, Raping looting and terrorizing in the name of religion can never do any good to the existence and propagation of any religion or lead to Nirvana or open the doors of Heaven/Jannat for anyone.