The rise of extremist ideology is inevitable within any system of belief including atheism or even secularism. The extent of its influence depends directly on whether the political, social or economic conditions of a particular time and space are receptive to these ideas. Buddhism is popularly viewed to be a peaceful religion but the recent violent protests in Tibet by Buddhist monks against Chinese imperialism are a case in point. Again, suicide bombing is a malady that was hitherto unknown in Iraq until the recent American invasion.
It requires great moral courage to counter oppression through peaceful means. Even the most benign ideology runs the risk of being perceived as evil if its followers do not heed the best of its teachings. Gandhiji’s exemplary leadership rendered maturity and credence to our own freedom struggle. The spirit of his beliefs permeated every aspect of his life, including politics but he displayed the best of its imbibed virtues. Barrack Obama’s inspiring speech on race is a contemporary example of how man can keep divisiveness at bay even in the face of personal ignominy. There is a heart of gold beneath the seeming rigidity or ritualism of any religion. People should tap into it instead of being mired in endless debates about issues that are of no consequence.
At the end of the day, when children, women and elderly are slain and able-bodied men mutilated, no ideology can stand vindicated. Even the noblest of struggles become tarnished when blood taints it.
Hunger for power, political or otherwise is as old as mankind itself. All major schools of thought have fallen prey to it as a handful of people try to wield power imposing their ideas on the rest of the followers. Islam has offered the greatest resistance to the burgeoning of such powerful people because anathema to hero worship is woven into its very fabric. Nevertheless influential people are perfectly capable of inventing new ideologies that are only a shadow of the original thus plunging the misguided, ignorant, and infinitely moldable followers into self-serving conflicts. Such ideological perversions are best dealt with by delving into the basics of the original idea and encouraging those who follow it pristinely (fortunately, a great majority). This alone can expose the hollowness of the newly-invented doctrines. Imposing other ideas that are alien to it or debasing the original theology will only lead to a rebellion that will suck more innocent people into a mindless war.
If we can appreciate the myriad colours that a flower can adorn, then we certainly can respect the various hues that human beliefs can assume. The slithering motion of a snake will not suit an eagle whose own soaring elegance will not fit a peacock. To each, his own way. The flowering of Russia under Putin as opposed to its disintegration and misery under Yeltsin is a reminder of this.
It requires great moral courage to counter oppression through peaceful means. Even the most benign ideology runs the risk of being perceived as evil if its followers do not heed the best of its teachings. Gandhiji’s exemplary leadership rendered maturity and credence to our own freedom struggle. The spirit of his beliefs permeated every aspect of his life, including politics but he displayed the best of its imbibed virtues. Barrack Obama’s inspiring speech on race is a contemporary example of how man can keep divisiveness at bay even in the face of personal ignominy. There is a heart of gold beneath the seeming rigidity or ritualism of any religion. People should tap into it instead of being mired in endless debates about issues that are of no consequence.
At the end of the day, when children, women and elderly are slain and able-bodied men mutilated, no ideology can stand vindicated. Even the noblest of struggles become tarnished when blood taints it.
Hunger for power, political or otherwise is as old as mankind itself. All major schools of thought have fallen prey to it as a handful of people try to wield power imposing their ideas on the rest of the followers. Islam has offered the greatest resistance to the burgeoning of such powerful people because anathema to hero worship is woven into its very fabric. Nevertheless influential people are perfectly capable of inventing new ideologies that are only a shadow of the original thus plunging the misguided, ignorant, and infinitely moldable followers into self-serving conflicts. Such ideological perversions are best dealt with by delving into the basics of the original idea and encouraging those who follow it pristinely (fortunately, a great majority). This alone can expose the hollowness of the newly-invented doctrines. Imposing other ideas that are alien to it or debasing the original theology will only lead to a rebellion that will suck more innocent people into a mindless war.
If we can appreciate the myriad colours that a flower can adorn, then we certainly can respect the various hues that human beliefs can assume. The slithering motion of a snake will not suit an eagle whose own soaring elegance will not fit a peacock. To each, his own way. The flowering of Russia under Putin as opposed to its disintegration and misery under Yeltsin is a reminder of this.
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