Religious Progression

It’s strange somehow that, the ancient religions were a lot more tolerant and liberal than the fairly recent ones. Hinduism, one of the oldest established religions, didn’t in any way seem to restrict or condemn any particular kinds of lifestyle; polygamy,carnivorous eating was all part of regular practice.

However, the religions that stemmed out of it were stringent in their beliefs, placing mandatory restrictions on certain practices. Buddhism, the first known offshoot of Hinduism, propogated monotheism and shedding of the caste system and brought along with it tenets of absolute non-violence, meditation and vegetarianism which in turn propogated Jainism which consisted of even stricter dietary and behavioural rules. Islam, Christianity and Judaism (Kitaabat religions) followed, also setting down various kinds of approved and unapproved kinds of practices.

The above analysis truly makes you wonder why society has grown less liberal over the millenia. The true answer probably lies in the fact that due to increase in civilization, it became necessary to lay down certain parameters beyond which one ought not to venture, without breaching morality. The differences between right and wrong started to appear. This system facilitated governance of the masses in a uniform manner. Each religion establishing their own order along with their priests who interpreted the meaning of old tenets, all the while adding to it. It gave a doctrine by which a man could be honoured for a good deed and in turn, punished for a bad one.

The morality laid down by ancient scriptures was only much later converted to legislation; interpreted in turn by a judiciary, turning into a Civil Code of Conduct rather than a religious one. Observance of religious limitations became a moral duty whereas of legislation became a legal one. This ofcourse diluted the originally existent stronghold of religion, replacing it with a secular and generic doctrine that applies to one and all regardless of their faith (common civil code).

So what is religion really in today’s day and age? For most of us, it’s a way of life. There’s no way that it wouldn’t be because it prescribes for the most basic functions that we perform as humans. It hugely influences the kind of food we eat, the manner in which we live and the morals by which we live our lives.
Does that mean that without adherence to these prescribed practices in our lifestyles and dietary patterns, one stops being part of that religious sect? It’s a personal question, really.

Why voluntarily be part of a sect whose dogma one chooses to violate? Isn’t it those very restrictions/conditions that Make the religion what it is? Perhaps there’s another factor to be considered in this regard; that of community life (samaaj). We cannot forget that  a big part of our existence is at the the community level. For India, the social life of a human being is equivalent to a close knit community life. It includes celebration of births, festivals as well as mourning of deaths. We as a people, have always lived in groups, with a strong sense of family inculcated by the Joint family system. Individuality, was always to remain an alien concept, limited to the the West. Here, personal interests were sacrificed for the greater good of the family or community.

It would naturally then seem to us that community is religion and religion is community. They are inextricably intertwined, where one can’t be mentioned without the other.
Perhaps, this was the inevitable form of evolution of our society. It is a shame though that the original thought behind the faith is lost. It is no wonder then, that we last saw a Messiah 1300 years ago.