I have always been keen to dwell into the mind-set of anyone, who says, I am a proud Hindu, Muslim or Christian etc.! Most of us haven’t chosen our religion and were just destined to born into one. Moreover, it’s our parents and people around us who train us to follow a particular faith, again not by choice but destiny.
The counter-argument I have received is, that one should be proud of our parents, country and by extending the logic, religion too. Yes, we were just destined to born into our families and country, like our religion. But, unlike one’s particular religion, our parents and country nurtured our childhood. Parents through sacrifices groomed us with values, and the country through governance facilitated us with infrastructure. Religion prospers nobody, as Parents and Country does!
Then, people would argue, that the religion helps us learn values through spirituality. But then, every religion does the same! Then why gratification towards a particular religion, and calling oneself a “Proud Hindu” or “Proud Muslim” etc.?
Also, if anyone considers his/her religion superior to others (basis mythology and history), then that’s sheer communalism. One cannot be both “Proud Hindu / Muslim” and “Secular”. Such non-pluralistic views can be scary for a secular democracy.
Every religion preaches similar morals and principals, and each one of us should respect all religions!
Thus, are you proud of religion? But Why?
Poorna Viraam ! 
There are two very different aspects here – being proud of ones religion and being secular – but greatly inter-related. Secularism means allowing – not just allowing but respecting the very belief that each one follows. Because we are proud of our religion, there has arisen a need of secularism that is if one is not proud of his religion will he follow it in the first place? And since he is proud of his religion, he will not see other religions in the same light. Communalism is not being proud of ones religion but insulting another one’s and ridiculing it. Secularism is being proud of not only one’s religion but respecting another religion’s as well.
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As I mentioned in my blog, “Also, if anyone considers his/her religion superior to others (basis mythology and history), then that’s sheer communalism.” Lets be proud of all religions or none, but why only one ?
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I beg to differ here. Communalism is not about feeling superior about ones’s religion rather when you ridicule another religion that is communalism. Feeling proud about one’s religion is being religious not communal. Secularism is the freedom to practice one’s own religion. It is like me telling you that I (my religion) am far better than you (your religion) – I become egoistic (communal) – and since you are inferior than me you do not deserve to exist..that is the example of communalism. However in reality we are all human beings having strengths and weaknesses alike but since you are human being we respect each other as human beings though many of them are far superior than me and you and also find inferior men but we give each one equal rights that is what I call equality like secularism. When I trample on another ones human rights then that is communalism, whereas respecting the other human being as he his (no matter how bad his qualities are) that is secularism.
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So Anthony, as per you, like human beings, there are weaker and stronger religions ?
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I am proud I am born in a Hindu family because Hinduism requires least commitment. You remain a Hindu even if you never go to temples or fast or follow any rituals. And as a Hindu, I can go to churches, mosques, gurudwaras without fear of being judged.
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So, you wanna say, (quoting least commitment as the reason), that Hinduism is a better religion than others…???
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Religion by very nature and definition will bring about feelings of superiority, pride and comparisons. Religion is nothing but organized communities, with their FAITH affixed towards one common ‘divine’ entity. Till one believes he belongs to a religion, and has to comply with the so called tenets of that religious system, one cannot be secular. Then we tend to show pride on features which we believe are unique, depending on our view point and convenience.
When one is truly able to extract his/ her FAITH from religion, then one starts to tread on the path of true respect for all faiths (or religions for those who cannot separate the two). And your faith is personal – you cannot explain it to others, neither will you understand any one else’s. The moment that is understood, pride will start to cease. Because that is when you realize that someone else’s faith can be as powerful as yours, as powerful as YOU let it be.
After all, the purpose of every religion is to surrender to the One Divine Being. Surrender cannot happen when pride lurks nearby. Rest is all propaganda…..
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Excellent Anudeep !
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Religion discriminates, divides, alienates because of the very purpose that it was founded. Because the purpose was to form a strict edict with which it’s followers were forced to follow certain rules that symbolises that religion, it was also important for people to imagine it was a superior way. It’s like fans supporting a football team, it works no other way. It would be nice if religion, if it was thought imperative, to be kept in the house and never out in the open. Maybe a lasting solution to peace can happen only if people see less difference between themselves
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I think your arguments are based on a false premise. Being proud of your religion doesn’t necessarily mean you are looking down on other religions. It is totally permissible to be proud of your religion so long as you don’t say yours is superior to others. However, you should have the right to preach your religion to others so long as you don’t force anyone into it. For example in Islam and Christianity, we preach our religion to others. Yes history has it, that the Christian missionary has done more harm than good and some Islamists have committed atrocities in the name of religion but that don’t make the entire concept wrong. While there are good in every religion, we have to weigh which is better and closer to the message of God.
I personally don’t think saying ‘my religion is superior to others’ amounts to anything until the one you are saying this to, has the access or option to figure it out by themselves. Also, it should not offend you if someone claims their religion is better, if you can look for yourself if that’s true or not.
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