The deep-rooted religious intolerance revealed by the religious clashes and terrorist acts in the society at national and international levels has been threatening the very existence of the human race. The situation of humanity is in no way better than that of a person who is committed to committing suicide.
The author makes a comparative study of major religious traditions in this book by presenting bare facts about each without fear or favour. He says human beings are endowed with fully developed intellect having the unique faculties of free thinking, reasoning and judging besides the power of memory. Therefore, unlike animals whose lives are programmed, a human being has the choice to act, how to act or abstain from acting in a given situation. This is called free will which makes a human being the roof and crown of creation.
Every person expects others not to hurt him and be compassionate towards him and love him. He also knows that the other also expects the same behaviour from him. Therefore values like non-violence, compassion and love are born out of one'sown common sense and this is a part of Dharma.
The author says that the history of crusades involving mass killings based on religion, inquisitions, persecutions and jihad, religious wars, reveals that the above points were totally discarded by the aggressive religious traditions. The present is in no way better than the past. The religious divide and terrorist attacks are based on religion and have created havoc and a sense of insecurity in the minds of the people. If unchecked, it will create a vertical split in the society, leading to disastrous consequences.
This book tries to clarify that people living in the contemporary society are not responsible for the differences that exist among them and their respective religious traditions because their core personality is inherited from the relation of his or her ancestry.
(Maanoj Rakhit, 8-604 Discovery, Borivilli (East), Mumbai-400066.)
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