‘Religion corrupting mutual feelings of people’

Udupi, June 15, 2010 DHNS:

''Practicing inequalities and differences among humans is against the ethics. It is the extreme level of ignorance,'' opined veteran thinker and writer from Mysore Dr K S Bhagvan.

Speaking after releasing the book ‘Anavarana’ written by Gopal B Shetty in a programme organised jointly by Udupi Rationalists Association and Nutana Publications here, he accused religion of corrupting the mutual feelings of people. It is brutal to segregate human beings based on caste and religion. The religious scriptures only preach the requirements of yesteryear. They hold no truth respecting approaches of mankind. Mosques, churches and temples should be dismantled to spread oneness among humans. These are the places that create the feelings of disparities, he added. Quoting Swami Vivekananda, Bhagvan stressed the importance of leading mankind to where there are no Vedas, Bible or Quran. Youths should come forward to eradicate the communal hatred. They should imbibe secular feelings besides propagating the notion of oneness, he added. Buddha was an ever great thinker whose ideologies are relevant to all eras. He preached real humanity. People are forced to psychological slavery. They are obligated not to think beyond religion. Superstitions, hatred and evil practices only yield disasters and nothing else, he added. Coming down heavily on the Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2010, Bhagvan pointed out that one can not come across the restrictions on food consumption anywhere else in the world. “We have the rights to decide what to eat or what not eat. Who are these people to decide our food pattern,” he questioned. Writer Gopal B Shetty, Komu Sauharda Vedike General Secretary K L Ashok, Veteran thinkers J H Narayanswami, C N Shetty, Badgubettu Cooperative Bank General Manager Jayaker Shetty Indrali and others were present. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/75556/religion-corrupting-mutual-feelings-people.html