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Many people are repulsed by inhuman acts perpetrated under cover of a religious community. Yet it is important to understand that such acts are not in keeping with the original goals of the community, and not to harbor hatred toward the community due to anguish over such acts.
It is of course possible to terminate one's affiliation with a religious community, or to change one's community. There are many people in the world who are not part of any religious community. However, it is not possible to separate oneself from religion altogether.
After clarifying these points, I would like to give an authentic example of conflict between religious communities, and the role played by true adherence to religion. It occurred 52 years ago.
A country was divided on the basis of two religious communities. As a result there was large-scale migration of populations from one part of the country to another, along with looting and innumerable incidents of inhuman atrocities. The worst violence included the mass inhuman massacre of innocent people.
Amidst this chain of events, in one village two families with a total of 11 members were unable to emigrate with the people of their own community in time. One night around midnight they were surrounded by a group of fanatics of the opposite community, who locked the houses of both families from outside and started preparing to loot them and kill them by burning down their houses.
According to their plan, the majority of them went to their homes to fetch kerosene and other materials. Only four or five persons were left to guard the families. The helpless people locked inside the houses awaited their end with bated breath. Suddenly, for some unknown reason, the men guarding the house threw open the doors, possibly to check what the people inside were doing, possibly for some other reason.
There were 11 people inside and only four or five outside, and those outside were not too physically sturdy. Thus, making use of the opportunity, the family members pushed aside the guards and made good their escape. But soon the fanatics regrouped. Those who had gone to fetch kerosene had returned.
The 11 family members now fled for their lives with the fanatics hot in pursuit. There was a church about half a kilometer from the village. Father Thomas was in charge and Sister Elizabeth, a model of selfless service, lived there along with him.
That day Father Thomas was not present at the church. The main door of the church was open, and Sister Elizabeth was peacefully reading the Sermon on the Mount and meditating on each word. Suddenly, 11 people rushed in through the open door. The Sister was quick to realize that those people had arrived to save their lives.
Immediately the Sister applied her faith in God. She stood up and closed the main door from inside. She took the 11 people to the back of the church and sealed them in a chamber. After that she continued studying the Holy Bible.
The murderous crowd following the families reached the church. They knocked at the door, and the Sister opened it. The crowd demanded to know where the families were.
"Nobody came here. I was reading the Bible all by myself," she told them.
"Do you swear by the Bible?" they asked.
Sister was well aware of the admonition given by Lord Jesus regarding taking such an oath, yet without delay she silently touched the Bible to her forehead. The crowd left, and 11 lives were saved.
Let me tell you that the 11 people who were saved were not Christians -- they did not belong to the Sister's religious community. Moreover, the fanatics who were intent on killing and looting them were not Christians either.
By keeping complete faith in God and touching the Bible to her forehead, Sister Elizabeth saved not one but 11 lives of people that did not belong to her religious community. This was an exercise of carrying out her religious duty.
Those who follow any religion are instructed to practice "goodness." At that time, it was good for Sister Elizabeth to save the lives of 11 human beings. This was her religion and she carried it out properly and beautifully.
Religion is above and beyond the religious community. Its scope is extensive and involves the welfare of all. Contrary to this, a religious community is limited. Even if one is not affiliated with any religious community, yet claims to be a human being, it is not possible to disassociate oneself from religion.
Religion is the essential condition for both humanity and existence. If there were no goodness, which is the mandate of religion, what would be the consequences?
I believe that no religious community, in its original form, obstructs the path of religion. It is intended to be helpful in carrying out one's religious duties. Sister Elizabeth was a good Christian. She adopted the teachings and the principal value of the Christian religious community. Therefore she was able to rise to the occasion and carry out her duty when it was demanded. Had she not been a good Christian, she may have failed. But she did not fail and she performed the good work of saving lives.
It is true that under the veil of religious communities many inhuman acts have been perpetrated. Mankind has been thrown into the flame of violence in many instances. Still, no truly religious community would encourage its adherents to commit inhuman acts or violence. This would be inconsistent with the aim behind the establishment of religious communities and the circumstances involved.
The needs of a particular period of time gave birth to religious communities for the welfare of specific groups of people. These communities were guided by great personages, saints or reincarnates to keep the best possible values, under the existing circumstances, and to model their day-to-day activities in accordance with those values.
We should not be distracted or confused by inhuman incidents that occur under cover of religious communities. These are without exception a deviation of the purpose and intent of the person behind the establishment of the community. How good it would be if we all became true adherents of our religious communities, fully adopting their teachings while adapting ourselves to the needs of our times.
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(Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a renowned Gandhian scholar, Indologist and writer. He is the former vice chancellor of Meerut University in Meerut, India, and the author of "Religion and World Peace." ©Copyright Ravindra Kumar.)
