CAN ANY RELIGION BE REFORMED WITHIN AND MADE RATIONAL ONE ?
Some days back,it was suggested to me that i should-"post solutions instead of sensationalizing ills of religion".Interesting but inexplicable as well as in-explicit suggestion indeed that too from a member of rationalist fraternity !Some sort of 'reform and rational ' within Hinduism ???Frankly speaking,i happen to be ordinary 'mortal' and hardly capable and intelligent enough to follow foot steps of Swami Vivekananda,proponent of Vedanta,who in his times took the initiative to reform Hinduism and at least eradicate some of the 'ills within Hinduism',though not with much success in practice and perception.Any way,he was candid enough to emphatically declare-"...it does not believe in a book-that is the difficulty to start with.It denies the authority of any book over any other book.It denies emphatically any one book can contain all the truths about god,soul,the ultimate reality.Those of you who have read the Upnishads,remember that they say again and again,'not by the reading of the books,can we realize the self."[The complete works of Swami Vivekananda,vol.8,page 124].
Bold and realistic confession indeed !Here million dollar question arises,has any religion meaningful relevance without its prescribed scriptures and associated religiosity ?Personally speaking,i too have spent significant amount of time to understand Hindu scriptures that too in its original content and context.As rationalist and freethinker,who follows and believes scientific temper and humanism,it is beyond any logic and comprehension to develop a new hypothesis under which 'ills' of particular religion needs to be eradicated,in order to 'establish progressive acceptable version of religion'.Where lies the need for establishing 'genuine' authority of any religion ?A lie is a lie even if every one believes it.The truth is a truth,even if no body believes it.
Few analytic words about religion !
One of the worst mistakes you can make in life is to attach your identity to any particular religion or philosophy, such as by saying, " i am a Hindu", “I am a Christian” or “I am a Muslim.” This forces your mind into a fixed perspective, robbing you of spiritual depth perception and savagely curtailing your ability to perceive reality accurately. If that sounds like a good idea to you, you’ll probably want to gouge out one of your eyeballs too. Surely you’ll be better off with a single, fixed perspective instead of having to consider two separate image streams… unless of course you've become attached to stereo vision.

Religious “truths” are inherently rooted in a fixed perspective, but real truth is perspective-independent. When you substitute religious teachings for truth, you mistake shadows for light sources. Consequently, you doom yourself to stumble around in the dark, utterly confused. Clarity remains forever elusive, and the best answer you get is that life is one giant mystery. Religious mysteries, however, arise not from what is truly unknowable; they arise from the limitations of trying to understand reality from a fixed frame of reference.

A more intelligent approach is to consider reality through a variety of different perspectives without trying to force your perceptions into an artificial religious framework.

Religions are authoritarian hierarchies designed to dominate your free will. They’re power structures that aim to convince you to give away your power for the benefit of those who enjoy dominating people. When you subscribe to a religion, you enroll in a mindless minion training program. Religions don’t market themselves as such, but this is essentially how they operate.

Religions are very effective at turning human beings into sheep. They’re among the most powerful instruments of social conditioning. They operate by eroding your trust in your own intellect, gradually convincing you to put your trust into some external entity, such as a deity, prominent figure, or great book. Of course these instruments are usually controlled by those who administrate the minion training program, but they don’t have to be. Simply by convincing you to give your power away to something outside yourself, religion will condition you to be weaker, more docile, and easier to control. Religions actively promote this weakening process as if it were beneficial, commonly branding it with the word faith. What they’re actually promoting is submission.

Religions strive to fill your head with so much nonsense that your only recourse is to bow your head in submission, often quite literally. Get used to spending a lot of time on your knees because acts of submission such as bowing and kneeling are frequently incorporated into religious practice. Canine obedience training uses similar tactics. Now say, “Yes, Master.”

Have you ever wondered why religious teachings are invariably mysterious, confusing, and internally in-congruent? This is no accident by the way — it’s quite intentional.

By putting forth confusing and internally conflicting information, your logical mind (i.e. your neocortex) is overwhelmed. You try in vain to integrate such contradictory beliefs, but it can’t be done. The net effect is that your logical mind disengages because it can’t find a pattern of core truth beneath all the nonsense, so without the help of your neocortex, you devolve to a more primitive (i.e. limbic) mode of thinking. You’re taught that this faith-based approach is a more spiritual and conscious way to live, but in reality it’s precisely the opposite. Getting you to distrust your own cerebral cortex actually makes you dumber and easier to manipulate and control. Karl Marx was right when he said, “Religion is the opiate of the people.”

SELECTIVE INERTIA ON THE BROOKS -BHAGAT REPORT ;
The Henderson Brooks-Bhagat report, also referred to as the Henderson Brooks report, is a classified report prepared by two Indian Army officers, Lieutenant General T.B. Henderson Brooks and Brigadier P.S. Bhagat, on the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The report by Lieutenant-General Henderson Brooks and Brigadier Premindra Singh Bhagat, who was commandant of the Indian Military Academy at the time, was an operations review of the causes of the Indian Army's humiliating rout by the invading People's Liberation Army.
One can be least surprised,by critical sophistry on the most significant and sensitive issue,by BJP spokesman and subsequent baying for the three generations of Gandhi Parivar,for having sat over the six decade old Henderson Brooks report on Indian debacle in the Sino -Indian military conflict of 1962.Only naive fool can disagree from the genuine concern.After all,it had been the result of an abysmal failure on the part of intelligence,military and civil along with almost total failure of governance.
Raising the issue of political hypocrisy ,political convenience and above all credibility and accountability,why BJP spokesman has failed to explain ,how its own government during the six years it ruled under Vajpayee's leadership,chose to keep the Henderson Brooks report,a damning indictment of the leadership of the day,both at political and military levels ,under the wraps ?Why they too followed the 'legacy' and  choose to look other way,unwilling to admit past failures and to learn lesson from these ?Why were they inept with selective inertia ?
Why its own government [1998-2004] did precious little to open up access to official documents and why report in question was not declassified ?History is too cruel indeed and political truth is more pungent and bitter,whether you like it or not! 

PLUNDERING OF NATURAL RESOURCES !

Article 297 in The Constitution Of India 1949

297." Things of value within territorial waters or continental shelf and resources of the exclusive economic zone to vest in the Union

(1) All lands, minerals and other things of value underlying the ocean within the territorial waters, or the continental shelf, or the exclusive economic zone, of India shall vest in the Union and be held for the purposes of the Union

(2) All other resources of the exclusive economic zone of India shall also vest in the Union and be held for the purposes of the Union

(3) The limits of the territorial waters, the continental shelf, the exclusive economic zone, and other maritime zones, of India shall be such as may be specified, from time to time, by or under any law made by Parliament."

As cited above,all natural resources such as gas,petroleum,coal and mineral etc are the property of our republic.It also provides the guidelines about their use and accordingly ,under article 39[b] of the constitution ,it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that the ownership and control of material resource of the community are so distributed to sub-serve the common good.

But what has been happening since last many decades ?In utter violation of our constitutional norms,the nation's wealth is being sold every day to big corporate houses by the governments alternatively,presently by UPA 2,earlier by the NDA and forthcoming new government will surely follow the tradition of selling gradually all public property to the private corporate houses,who are pumping funds to get a government elected according to their vested class interests.The UPA government did it at the central level and all scams prove this sale of national resources.BJP governments did it at state levels ,particularly in Karnataka and then in Gujarat also where Adani,Tata group and other corporate houses were 'fully' obliged by Narendra Modi government  in the same way as the UPA obliged a number of corporate houses at the central level.

There exists very thin line of distinction and demarcation between BJP and Congress party,as for as plundering of natural resources and offering them on platter to big corporate houses is concerned. Classical example of financial reciprocity indeed in 'true' spirit ! 

DIMINISHING LINE OF DISTINCTION BETWEEN SAFFRON BRIGADE AND CONGRESS ;RELENTLESS COMPROMISE OF 'IDEOLOGIES' !
I often wonder,why BJP and congress can't come together to form national government on the basis of common minimum agenda,which can at least demoralize small mushroom political outfits,who are always there on the right side of 'chair',with the expertise of political blackmail [read minister-ship etc] with impunity.There are already numerous instances of selective support for each other,as per their respective political convenience.Strictly speaking on the basis of Marxist-Leninist political hypothesis,class interests of both parties are almost identical.
*Congress claims it will not compromise on corruption and then allies itself in Bihar with Lallu Prasad convicted and sent to jail for corruption. Bjp makes congress's corruption its major political plank and welcomes back [home coming] B S Yeddyurappa ,former Karnataka chief minister,who was earlier compelled to resigned and even ousted from party.There are many other instances of such 'home coming'.
*BJP ridicules the personality oriented politics of congress and proceeds to create a veritable cult around Modi.Today he is being presented as not only symbol of 'holier than thou' phenomenon but also as the only Indian with'perfect par excellent' tag.It is all the way,for the Modi,by the Modi and of the Modi-non else.
*Congress emphasizes the need to democratize democratic politics,but remains under the thrall of one particular dynasty,while for BJP,there is remote control from RSS head quarters,situated at Nagpur,from where all major political decisions are dictated .Even "tallest"leader of BJP acould not master his courage to revolt against masters,despite having 'reservations' [remember infamous resignation episode].
*BJP calls Rahul Gandhi a dynastic shehzada,yet they have got no problem with dynastic fiefdoms,represented by Meaka-Sanjay Gandhi,Udhav Thackery,Sukhbir Badal,royal family of Sindhia's and latest inclusion of kith and kin of late Promod Mahajhan and Jaswant duo. Even Omar Abdullah,was made minister of state in Vajpayees Government.
TAILPIECE :-May be,Rahul Gandhi went far ahead with invocation of Hitler for Modi,but let us not forget that a historic monstrosity like Hitler came to power through the legitimate democratic process !

POLITICAL BLASPHEMY INDEED !
I wonder if there is some thing terribly wrong with Modi bakhta's !Ironically enough and quite contrary to democratic values,they have not only become paranoid but also intolerant in totality to any sort of criticism against Modi.Beyond,glorification [personality cult] of that larger than life status of 'Sahab',no elaboration /discussion of concepts in debate and dialogue or questioning of any 'Moditav hypothesis'.Is this ideological barrenness unique to Indian democracy ?They are exhibiting extreme and irrational fear with total distrust for others.They like and appreciate only any write up for the Modi,by the Modi and of the Modi. Any other non Moditav hypothesis is virtually an act of political blasphemy.Speaking on personal level,i fear for my constitutional rights,as i have been already branded as anti national and traitor by Modi bakhta's.For both Congress and BJP,Machiavellian simplifications have become order of the day !
Habib Jalib [1928-1993],whose poetry was imbued with sensitivity for common man and exhortations to revolt against systems that deny human rights and freedom of speech,has aptly said :-
tujh sey pehley jo ik shakhs yahaan takht nasheen thha,
usko bhee apney khudaa honey ka itna hee yaqeen thha .
[The illusion of being god/messiah;
the one before you who sat on this very throne,
he was equally convinced that he was god].

HOW MUSLIMS DEFEND IDIOCY AND STUPIDITY OF ISLAM ?

Presently the debate on Islam is in full swing on various social networking as well as in many ex-Muslim and anti-Islam websites. Yet, the truth is not embraced easily. Old beliefs die hard. Though many sympathizers of Islam, e.g., Karen Armstrong, Edward Said and John Esposito, try to portray a deceptive rosy picture of Islam, the true Muslims show the real face of Islam with their constant readiness to harass, intimidate and assassinate anyone who may slight their religion. For this reason, Theo Van Gogh was shot and stabbed to death in the Netherlands and his associate Ayaan Hirsi Ali had to live with bodyguards and armored cars (Ali, 2007, p. xii), Taslima Nasrin has been living in exile since 1994, Faraj Foda was shot dead in front of his office in Cairo, Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd fled out of Egypt to escape the death penalty, and Sayyid Mahmoud al-Qimni was forced to recant all his writings (Ahmed, 2006, p. ix). Unfortunately, before the outside world would get a chance to read their works, these writers were silenced through murder, terror, and death-threats, and their writings were banned in the Muslim world. But who can stop the truth from spreading?

Today who can deny the fact that Islam is different from all other religions, because of the threat of violence to its critics? All other religions can be criticized and even ridiculed without fear of violence. Only with Islam is there a credible threat of violence to its critics. Muslims can criticize Christianity and Hinduism without any fear of violence, but Christians and Hindus cannot criticize Islam without an ever-present fear of Islamic violence. It needs far more bravery to be on that side. A simple, calm, rational debate between all religions is not possible, because the fear of Islamic violence is always in the background. If Islam is, as Muslims claim, a mature, modern, tolerant religion, then why there is a need to the threat of violence? Muslims don’t understand the self-contradiction.

Since Muslims cannot argue their religion with reason (Islam cannot survive if argued with reason), they resort to sudden abnormal rage. If it does not help, they opt for habitual lying and flawed arguments. We often hear two such arguments from them – the “language” argument and the “out of context” argument (Warraq, 2003, pp. 400-4). In this article, we will have a closer look at these two arguments.

The language argument

When the Qur’anic contradictions, or absurdities, or the violent verses are pointed out, Muslims will ask aggressively, “Do you know Arabic?” Then they tell triumphantly, “You have to read it in original Arabic to understand it fully”, or “These are not there in original Arabic Qur’an”, or, “The beauty of the Qur’an is lost in the translation”, or “There are many fake translations of the Qur’an to malign Islam” etc. With this, Western critics generally become silent. Now the question is: How many Muslims have read the Qur’an in original Arabic? Since the majority of Muslims are not Arabs, they have to rely on translations. In fact, most Muslims who raise the language arguments are non-Arabs and don’t understand Arabic.

"pumaan punso adhikaysho,stri bhwatya adhikay sitriya......"Manu Smrti chapter 3,verse 49].
WEIRDEST HINDUISM: HINDUISM TEACHES THAT WOMEN PRODUCE SEMEN !

Hinduism claims that women are not only like whores by nature (ref. Manusmrti 9:14-18), but also amazingly produce semen according to the sacred dharmasastra:

"A male child is born when the semen of the man is greater (than that of the woman), and a female child when (the semen) of the woman is greater (than that of the man); if both are equal, a hermaphrodite is born, or a boy and a girl; and if (the semen) is weak or scanty, the opposite will occur."
Ancient 'divine scientific wisdom' indeed !

NUGGETS FROM ANCIENT HINDU SCRIPTURES :SKANDA PURAN;
"EXTRAORDINARY -OUT OF WORLD" OBSTETRICAL" FEAT" UNMATCHED EVEN TODAY !

BIRTH OF KARTIKEYA
Lord Shiva and Parvati lived happily at Gandhamadan Mountain enjoying every bit of their conjugal life. Once it so happened that a small quantity of Shiva's sperm fell on the ground while he was enjoying intimate moments with Parvati. As a result, tremendous amount of heat was generated and the whole world started burning.Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu instructed Agni to employ some means so that the destruction caused by Shiva's over flowing sperms could come to an end.Agni went to Gandhamadan mountain in the guise of a hermit. He requested Parvati by saying---'O Mother! Please give me something as alms. I have nothing but my hands as a begging bowl'
Parvati kept Shiva's sperms on his palm, which was eaten up by Agni. Parvati was enraged to see this and cursed Agni--"You have shown disrespect to me. From today onwards you would become omnivorous. The sperms which you have devoured would cause unbearable inflammation in your body."
As the result of Parvati's curse, Agni really started experiencing unbearable inflammation in his body. He requested Lord Shiva to reveal the means by which his pain would come to an end. Lord Shiva instructed Agni to implant those sperms in any woman's womb to get rid of the unbearable inflammation.Thus, Agni, who was suffering from extreme heat that generated in his body, sat at a lonely place waiting eagerly for a woman to arrive there.He did not have to wait for too long, as six Kritikas, shivering with cold arrived there to warm themselves. The sperms of Shiva entered into their bodies through the pores. These six Kritikas became pregnant.
When their respective husbands learnt about their pregnancy they cursed them. As a result they got transformed into 'Nakshatras' and established themselves in the sky. But, they aborted their respective foetus at Himalaya mountain before getting transformed into six constellations. The holy Ganges carried that foetus to a secluded place, which was covered with dense bushes of reeds.In course of time, Lord Kartikeya manifested from those reed bushes. He had six heads. The deities were delighted at the birth of Kartikeya. Lord Shiva along with Parvati went to the place where Kartikeya had incarnated. Parvati took young Kartikeya in her embrace.
[Skand Puran,Maheswara Khand;translated from Sanskrit].

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE LEADING TO SUPREMACY OF REASON AND SCIENTIFIC TEMPER !

Two hundred years ago, everyone believed in an almighty god, one who created the world and all life on Earth. Many of us might not know the story of Charles Darwin, father of modern evolution. He was a pastor by training, and was hired on board the ship HMS Beagle as a priest for its voyage around the world. He was a staunch believer in creationism and the immutability of species. But what he observed on the trip, especially birds on the island of Galapagos, made him realise that species evolve and change with time. What he saw was inconsistent with the species being created at some instant. And humans are as much part of this evolution as is the rest of the living world.

Creationists will argue that evolution is a theory, and open to debate. No. Evolution is a fact. Yes, there are open questions how exactly evolution happens, how new species are formed, what actually defines a new species because evolution is a continuous process with the offspring resembling the parents, etc, but the fact that evolution occurred is undeniable. We do not have all answers to these questions yet, but the good thing about science is that the debates will lead us to the answers. Because science, unlike religion, is not dogmatic. Everything is open to scrutiny and debate.

Evolution is not the only reason that Darwin stopped believing in god. A turning point in his life was the loss of his beloved 10-year-old daughter to a sudden fever. He could not believe that a “benevolent god” would take away an innocent young girl. In fact, the occurrence of natural calamities in 19th century Europe convinced most thinking scientists that there is no god. Natural calamities like earthquakes and storms would kill thousands of innocent people, including children.

If there was an almighty god, why did He stand around doing nothing? Ask any religious person to explain that. The only logical explanation was that there is no god with supernatural powers. Einstein, arguably the greatest scientist in human history and my personal hero, termed belief in God “childish superstition.” I close with a quote from Darwin about the condition of the poor, “If the misery of our poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.” We are great sinners, indeed!

FUTILITY OF THE THEORY OF 'KARMA'
In a karmic system a person suffers for the wrong they did previously ,in their respective 'previous birth'.                            .  It follows therefore that a person who is suffering greatly must have been very evil in   his 'past birth'                         and is now only receiving back that evil.  From this it follows that it would be wrong, or at least pointless, to alleviate their suffering because such respite would only delay the fulfilment of their punishment.  Compassion is therefore redundant.  There is no reason to care for, or care about, anybody who is sick, lonely, starving, cold, naked, abused or unwanted, since in a karmic system these bad things are all deserved and must be left to happen for karma to be fulfilled.  In fact if we follow this reasoning to its logical conclusion then to ameliorate the person's suffering would prevent them satisfying their karmic debt and would therefore prevent them from going forward and this implies that helping somebody therefore becomes a bad thing to do; damaging to one's own karma!    In a karmic system nobody is responsible for anybody except themselves; the only people who matter in a karmic world are the selfish three: me, myself and I.