India has never been a country of atheists. Most people here believe in multiple gods while minority religious communities including Muslim, Christians, Jains, Buddhist and Sikhs are monotheistic. In the Indian Constitution, the republic is enshrined as a secular democratic multilingual country.
Religion is a system of beliefs that justifies the presence of a creator. Atheism, on the other hand, conveys a disbelief in God. Religion or theism is repulsive to atheism. Religious beliefs are based on mythological and historical scriptures. Religion is usually monotheistic: declaring one as the Creator and naming him God (in Christianity), Allah (in Islam) or Bhagwan (in Hinduism).
I’m an atheist and a rationalist. I believe in free will and freedom of thought. Before I was atheist, I used to be a hardcore worshipper of Hindu deities. But times have changed me. After getting admitted to a college, I came in touch with British literature and was charmed by its realist and rational modes. Theories of Karl Marx, Hegel and others enticed me. Western skepticism forced me to question the existence of God.
I have always faced discouragement from people near me when it came to rejecting irrational belief. There are, however, some changes that take place inside you when you see communal hatred and disharmony amongst religious factions. Political parties capitalise on these rifts and divides. Religion has now become a neo-colonial project, with majority religious communities dominating minorities. In India, this majority is the Hindu majority, shepherded by the BJP. Many countries suffer from the plague that is religious conflict. The crusades have morphed themselves into the ever present danger of a nuclear armageddon.
Religious complications, perplexed ideologies and superstitions exist along with science in the India of the 21st century. A person who studies physics may be found quarreling for the sake of religious beliefs. India is neither a scientifically advanced country nor indeed a secular country. Science and superstition — two contradictories — go side by side for most people.
Humanity is the only ‘religion’ that teaches how to love people with various beliefs, but the world doesn’t adhere to its principles. People only believe the so called ‘holy books’ that are regarded to be the word of God. People fight for religion, but never for the sake of humanity and love.
I have been asked why I call myself an atheist even as I practice my culture. In response to this, I would say that the words ‘religion’ and ‘culture’ have a slight difference in meaning. While religion represents a particular code of culture, all cultures are made for humans, not for humans of any particular religion. I don’t believe I have the right to hurt the religious sentiment of others as they don’t have the right to hurt my own. However, I do maintain that more religions mean a greater loss for humanity and a greater gain for political agents.
Modern men must come out from the cocoon of religion, they must learn to justify phenomena using rational thought. In 1772, Baron d’ Holbach said, “All children are born Atheists, they have no idea of God.”
Being an atheist, I try to justify phenomena using rational thought and this brings me to the simple conclusion that we need a world of peace and love where humans and other sentient beings live in harmony.