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Rational Thinking and Self-Realisation Raman E-mail: ramanpadma@yahoo.com All the developments we enjoy today were made possible by rational thinking people. Human beings differ from that of most animals thanks only to rational thinking.
Rational thinking is a simple process of doubting and critically analyzing anything for the improvement. For some weird reasons, rational thinking is connected to atheism. On the other hand, self-realisation is somehow connected to theism. But that is not true. This essay argues that, rational thinking is the only way to achieve self-realisation.
Firstly, the term ‘Self’ should be analyzed. A theist calls it ‘Soul’. Existence of a ‘Soul’ is debatable. ‘Wisdom’ is more appropriate to define self. A person’s actions reflect his/her intelligence. A wiser person’s action is usually is very refined. Only his/her intelligence controls a person’s actions
A confused mind can not be a fertile ground for attaining wisdom. A superior feeling due to ethnicity, race, creed and skin colour is a thick cloud covering the mind, blocking the wisdom. One should get rid of this cloud for the light of wisdom to reach the mind. Another thick cloud is the religion. Religion is an evil force segregating people. Removal of this very thick cloud will pave way to attain wisdom. Rational thinking is the only tool by which this can be achieved.
A theist should ask about his/her own religion. The analyzing should focus on the authenticity of one’s religion. A theist should ask, If all the religions are preaching nice and humane messages, then, why should there be so many religions? Who am I empowering by following a particular religion? Am I superior due to the religion I follow to somebody who does not follow my religion? Is there any proof or evidence to that? What does this religion have to offer me in return? The answers will be very interesting. In reality, theists only empower the corrupted religious leaders. Theists are only numbers. Even when theists conduct their lives as prescribed by the religious teachings, still they face a lot of usual problems in life which can happen to anybody. If the theists enquire the reasons for these problems, the religious leaders come up with ‘karma’, ‘fate’, ‘test by God’, even ‘karma from previous birth’! Religion as such does not give any solution to today’s problems. They have absolutely no solution at all for natural calamities. If god controls everything as the religious leader claims, then, why would that god send natural calamities to destroy the lives of the very people devoted to that same god? If the theists start asking these simple questions, religious leaders promptly call that blasphemy and the theists would be branded an ‘atheist’!
When theists analyze the reason to follow religion, their rational thinking starts. As they progress to detach themselves from the religion, the thick cloud in their minds clearway. Then they can see others as fellow human beings free of segregation.
“God concept’ is a tool used by the religionists amoung other tools like Hell and Heaven. Faith in God is in the genes of people since it was preached for eons. God’s existence can not be proved; God’s existence can not be disproved. How can you prove the non-existence of something that doesn’t exist? It is hard. As long as the rational thinking people concentrate their efforts only on disproving the existence of ‘God’, the society will not go forward.
Religion itself is an obsolete entity today. All the advancement made by the humankind was possible not due to religion, but, in spite of it. The dogmas promote segregation amoung people.
Humanism is the only concept that can oppose the religious segregation successfully. Shedding the religious cocoon is the prime requirement to become a humanist. Rational thinking is the only path to shed that cocoon.
A self realized person will respect all the people equally. Race, skin colour, creed, cast and religion will not apply in a self realized persons view. That can be achieved only by rational thinking.
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