Today, I am too minority...

I have a passion for watching movies around the world. My friends ask me whats the reason of watching an Iranian or Japanese film (with subtitles) with fair amount of effort. They vouch films for entertainment and I bet films as experience to grow beyond mine roots. Are we mere product of the social circle bounded by geographical or religious strain ? My answer is No.

The above paragraph gives the background of this article. An individual living in any part of the world feels same anxiety, fear and love towards other based on the local belief system. But this notion of local is expanding into global day by day. And staunch believers want to impose their faith forcefully on others without even understanding others. This group of believers (mainly religious) are threatening our co existence together with false tradition of casteist, racial and cultural supremacy over others.

Let me give an example: The idea "The earth is the center of the universe" was not a rational view but belief centered around the self importance. The claim of oldest civilization in the world is made by Greece, India and Chinese even today shows the strong ego centric claim of the society. An individual growing in this society will face heavy resistance if while investigating result comes opposite to the belief system.

If all religions are free to criticize each other, why could not a secular person do the same. One will be charged with blasphemous assault but never an action is taken against use of such religious verses. When religion is in the hand of state, the blasphemy is punished by law. There remains no chance for minority to survive in that society. State enforcing blasphemy laws will protect ideas from criticism by individuals rather than individuals from oppressive dogmas.

Taslima Nasreem, Salmaan Rushdie, MF Hussain and many others have been barred to express themselves either by state or religion. The 'Revolution is in the danger' slogan has also killed many liberals by the shrewed for the sake of power. The whole adrenaline rushing sacrifice for Nation comes from the hate of the enemy rather than love of the country. The belief of perseverance of caste, creed, culture and civilization from mixing is absurd and against the human nature.

The only guide to man is his conscience; Showing respect for other people’s ideas and beliefs is indeed sign of tolerance in the individual. There is an unwillingness to listen and to understand the other and accept general form of discrimination as societal norms. There is constant clash between faith and Voice of reason. People take tolerance as acceptance of their faith with no questioning. Voice of reason asks for the justification of each a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof. This creates a conflict in the society as people wants to be in their comfort zones of tradition. Here, we divide the world between us and others on the basis of identities. That's why in this globalizing world, the others is an foreign element that pollutes the local culture. The rejection of others and not treating others as equal merely on the old belief system is self harming. Admiring excellence no matter where it is produced and general attitude of openness makes a person rise above one's surrounding belief system. We never learn : Whatever we understand and enjoy in human products instantly becomes ours, wherever they might have their origin.

The above line is my answer to mine friends asking about my expedition in the realm of foreign cinema. To be vowing for pure, self praising and self righteous kills the scope of the learning and intermingling of people. In my opinion, religion is never an answer to anything but is a dividing force. Believers are idealists who see no reasons only their end goal conquered through quantum of leap of hope. Beliefs are what divide people. Doubt unites them. I doubt the dogmas that's why today, I am too minority in the world of believers.