Is any religion bad?
March 26th 2007 12:03
The delay in writing this post is only because of my laziness and procrastination. I have been busy with work and other stuff but could have made the time to write, but I was plain lazy.
In this period, I have watched a couple of thoughtful and heart wrenching movies. The two I am going to write about, have communalism and terrorism as their backdrop. Both these topics have always intrigued me no end. How can man be so insensitive and brutal to take another human’s life? Does religion teach us revenge or forgiveness?
Parzania, tells the true story of a Parsi family, caught in the cross-fire of the Hindu- Muslim communal riots in Gujarat in 2002.
Black Friday, is about the bomb blasts that rocked Bombay in 1993. These blasts were a direct repercussion of the communal riots that happened the previous year in the city.
These films were bold enough to discuss topics that almost always end up in political propaganda for or against it. For Indian producers and directors to choose such topics, only shows that this society is maturing. Both films did face strong opposition, but once they released they received a good response. These films have reinforced the hope of the people affected by these events who are fighting for justice.
In a country like India, various religions have lived together in harmony for centuries and have even flourished because of it. How then, in the last century or so, has this very factor become a tipping point, where even a smallest comment or action against the other can flare up in to a major outburst of violence? Mostly it is the innocent who get caught in the crossfire. Parzania narrates one such story of a Parsi family who lose their son in the mayhem, never to find him again. The Gujarat carnage seemed for obvious reasons a genocide because the ruling government did not do much to avert or even protect the targeted Muslims. This can serve as a topic for many a discussions, but not this one. My point here is that communally fuelled riots only give birth to future terrorists and Black Friday, showed just that. The persons who conspired and executed the blasts were all personally affected during the communal riots that occurred the previous year. In 2003 there were two major bomb blasts in Mumbai, which the concerned terror organisation claimed were in retaliation to the Gujarat riots.
Communalism and terrorism and very closely interconnected, however, not all terrorists are born because of it, but religion is almost always the basis. When one is adversely harmed by another in the name of religion, and loses everything he/she has, then it becomes easier for religious fanatics to brainwash them into doing insane things. They use religion as a form of both consolation and revenge.
But does any religion teach violence and revenge? I do not think so, do you?
In this period, I have watched a couple of thoughtful and heart wrenching movies. The two I am going to write about, have communalism and terrorism as their backdrop. Both these topics have always intrigued me no end. How can man be so insensitive and brutal to take another human’s life? Does religion teach us revenge or forgiveness?
Parzania, tells the true story of a Parsi family, caught in the cross-fire of the Hindu- Muslim communal riots in Gujarat in 2002.
Black Friday, is about the bomb blasts that rocked Bombay in 1993. These blasts were a direct repercussion of the communal riots that happened the previous year in the city.
These films were bold enough to discuss topics that almost always end up in political propaganda for or against it. For Indian producers and directors to choose such topics, only shows that this society is maturing. Both films did face strong opposition, but once they released they received a good response. These films have reinforced the hope of the people affected by these events who are fighting for justice.
In a country like India, various religions have lived together in harmony for centuries and have even flourished because of it. How then, in the last century or so, has this very factor become a tipping point, where even a smallest comment or action against the other can flare up in to a major outburst of violence? Mostly it is the innocent who get caught in the crossfire. Parzania narrates one such story of a Parsi family who lose their son in the mayhem, never to find him again. The Gujarat carnage seemed for obvious reasons a genocide because the ruling government did not do much to avert or even protect the targeted Muslims. This can serve as a topic for many a discussions, but not this one. My point here is that communally fuelled riots only give birth to future terrorists and Black Friday, showed just that. The persons who conspired and executed the blasts were all personally affected during the communal riots that occurred the previous year. In 2003 there were two major bomb blasts in Mumbai, which the concerned terror organisation claimed were in retaliation to the Gujarat riots.
Communalism and terrorism and very closely interconnected, however, not all terrorists are born because of it, but religion is almost always the basis. When one is adversely harmed by another in the name of religion, and loses everything he/she has, then it becomes easier for religious fanatics to brainwash them into doing insane things. They use religion as a form of both consolation and revenge.
But does any religion teach violence and revenge? I do not think so, do you?
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Comment by Anonymous
If people can be cruel towards helpless animals and be able to watch them suffer due to their cruelty, how can you expect them to be compassionate towards armed human beings? It's a sad sad state of affairs, and it's gone beyond our control.
Comment by reuben
Frank Thoughts
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Rashmi
Comment by Anonymous
There is going to be a Blogcamp in India on 16th of June. Around 250 bloggers will be taking part in the event.
This is what they say on their blog: "The way unconferences work is that, you don't have an agenda, rather we will put up a white board, where participants will themselves add the topics they are interested to speak upon. Depending upon the number of speakers we will go for multiple threads. There will be some intense discussions, we will have a lot of fun and yes there will be blogging, video blogging, photo blogging, podcasting ... everything under the blogger sun."
The registrations have started. We are planning to have 250 participants from all over the country. There are some people taking part virtually, using youtube, slideshare, skype etc. if you are interested please add your name to the wiki.
Check the:
wiki: Really Long Link
official blog: Really Long Link
rashmi