In Between Science and Religion

Growing up in a Brahmin family, I’ve sung and danced for endless praises showered on the Almighty. One of the most common phrases in my life has been “Abishtu, velaku ethiyachu. Poi shlokam sollu”. All through my life at home, that routine has never changed and neither has my belief in the Almighty faltered. But once I read the book Sapiens on the history of humankind, everything changed for me, so drastic that it was as though I learnt that the Earth moves around the Sun and not vice versa. For those who haven’t read the book, it says that Religion is a system, which brings people together and is nothing but a figment of imagination of the human mind to bring psychological wellness.

Prayer, Music, Dance, Literature, visits to temples – all which were once happy deeds, became a dreary routine, a system out of which I found no exit. I began questioning the necessity of such a system, where millions of rupees are spent showering idols with milk and flowers. This was the constant question in my mind – “why do I need to do puja to make myself feel better?” (I can’t say that I’ve found an answer to it, but I’ll offer some perspectives in the coming paragraphs.)

I vividly remember the first time I learnt about the Adam’s bridge which supposedly connected Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka at one time – I was extremely excited about the idea that Ramayana had actually happened and that bridge is the proof that Rama went to Lanka to bring back Sita. Now thinking back about the two epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata¸ they are some great pieces of literature, laced with details of people and places – yes they have their mythological parts as well, but I began questioning, could it be actually possible that these epics are true and the mythological parts could simply be the kind of ideas propped over the generations as they were passed from person to person?

This got me really thinking and I started looking into every religious superstition from a scientific perspective. One of the most famous ones is that of Karma. Is there someone keeping count of all the good and bad deeds in your life, maintaining a ledger so that you pay the price or earn the benefits accordingly? I hope not, because that would be an insanely tough job keeping in mind the world population right now! So, what could be the possible explanation behind karma? I hope you remember the story of the shepherd who lied and called wolf to bring farmers to his aid and each time they were fooled. But finally, when the wolves really came the farmers didn’t bother. That’s what I think Karma is – you pay the price or earn benefits, not because someone is maintaining a record, but because of the way people around you perceive you. The same could be said about the deeds of the ancestors affecting the current generation.

Another superstition against inter-caste marriages got me thinking, earlier in a society without technology, without people being able to reach others easily, people would have preferred to get their children married into families they know well, where the same culture is followed. In today’s globalized world, we have access to people from different cultures and different countries even. So, should the same rules apply?

Before my family members begin questioning me on any inter-caste love affairs, I would like to make it clear Enaku adhellam set agadhu. So, don’t worry!! I’m just offering my perspectives. Even today, I believe in many of the practices at home, like waking up early, singing, dancing, praying as a family, these are gestures which bring us together, which I wouldn’t want to lose. But I think it’s time for us to look at practices scientifically. Evolution has been one of my favorite fields in science. I believe that it’s time for Religion to evolve, taking in practices which are relevant and discarding those which separates people rather than bringing people together. With this I sign off!