Very few people say, "Recognize the danger, don't be deceived, open your eyes." That is why these inequalities still persist in society.
Why do some people lean toward God, toward spirituality, toward blind faith? Why do others want to stand in opposition to that — wanting to increase rationality in society, take into account biological evolution and human achievements, and live by humane values? Don't all human beings have the same thinking brain? Why has this internal war been going on in the human intellect since time immemorial? Must this conflict continue forever? In search of answers to these questions, some recent research has been conducted. Several hundred men and women had their brains scanned and studied. The details were published by the organization PLOS ONE. Through this research, scientists learned that differences in brain structure are one reason people behave so differently, while another reason is the way the brain is made to function, or how it is used, which leads people to choose different paths. Apart from these, another important point is that those who believe in some power, some god or goddess, are suppressing the intelligence, wisdom, and curiosity within their own brains! They are burying, deep within the layers of the brain, the very quality of continuously analyzing society, one's surroundings, and daily life!
They pave over the ground of the brain with the concrete of "faith," leaving no chance for new plants to sprout, and live out their lives in the illusion that life is comfortable this way! These, in brief, are the reasons the researchers gave. Setting aside the technical jargon, I am giving only the essence here. Every brain has room for both these tendencies. In the very same brain where there is space for spiritual notions and religious beliefs, there is also, on the other side, the capacity to question and to analyze. A devotee who floats away in devotional ecstasy rises again having buried the common sense within his brain. A rationalist, on the other hand, puts a check on the blind devotion that has flowed down through his background and heritage for centuries, and sees new rays of light in the world. He raises the discernment within him like a banner and drives away the darkness of dogma. He shares new light with his people. He says: let us think anew, let us live anew, let us breathe anew every single moment. One who wishes to be swept along in the notion of divinity needs no courage, no daring, no effort. A herd-following society keeps moving along like a mad current. Those caught in it keep getting swept away, believing in gods, ghosts, horoscopes, and every superstition, without even their own involvement. For the one who swims against that current, it becomes a real challenge. He has to evade all those who view him with hostility, speak boldly what he means to say, with self-confidence, and keep moving forward even while facing conflict.
Tony Jack, a professor at Case Western Reserve, and his scientific team conducted fMRI scans of the brains of hundreds of people. They correlated the results obtained with the individuals' respective opinions and outlooks and examined them. In the end, they made the resulting summary known to the public. The team said that there are different neural networks in the brain, and that whichever network a person uses more will determine the direction of his views. Generally, one network functions actively while the other remains inactive. That is why there are people in society who say God exists and others who say God does not exist. There are still others caught in a dilemma, unable to decide either way. What is the answer to that? Or again, haven't some famous scientists themselves been seen dabbling in spirituality? If so, it means that in such people, both types of networks are functioning to some extent!
Isn't that precisely why they live with doubts, diminishing their own worth? A former President of India is a great example of this! Abdul Kalam, celebrated as a rocket scientist, bowed before the likes of Puttaparthi Sai Baba. Not only that, he even remarked that all the planets in this universe revolve around Puttaparthi Sai Baba. He may have had his own weaknesses, but as the First Citizen of India, didn't he bear a responsibility to conduct himself in a way that would not damage the country's honor and the self-confidence of its citizens? As long as those holding high positions display their weaknesses before the public and influence them in this way, it will be difficult for change to come to society. For instance, women who think, "Even Sita could not escape her troubles, so who are we?" need to realize that Sita is a fictional character. Likewise, ordinary people should not think, "If even such a great man carried the sacred pot (bonam) himself, then who are we?" Such figures have their own reasons for attracting people and gaining their trust. People need to recognize this. Having a scientific spirit has nothing to do with education, position, or status. Even the most ordinary person, if he holds fast to reason, can carry society forward. The time has now come to stop living caught between these two tendencies — dogma and rationalism.
For centuries, every effort has been made to enshrine the notion of divinity in society. Even today, everyday conversation in daily life is never free of mention of God. Puranas, harikathas, bhajans, temples, music, dance — don't they all share the same goal? Nations, religions, and languages may differ, but everyone has, together, kept trying to keep the notion of divinity standing — and they still keep trying. Moreover, religious leaders have tortured scientists, science activists, their supporters, and teachers who grew scientifically by questioning things. They forgot — or pretended to forget, and still pretend to forget — that Indian culture itself had Charvakas, atheists, and rationalists who questioned God.
Now, look at what is happening. Spirituality, devotion, horoscopes, colored gemstones, amulets, "Om" pendants, Allah-chains — all of these have become, like politics, businesses of life. Whether it is Rajneesh, who preached free sex, or Ravi Shankar, the head of the Art of Living, or Baba Ramdev, or any of the countless other babas of that kind — all of them have formed alliances with politics and run, and continue to run, their own businesses! They do no good whatsoever for society. Just as political leaders want the people to remain in poverty, these figures want the people to remain sunk in blind faith. Although the social and family background in which a person is born and raised has some influence on them, research has shown that the main reason these differences arise lies in whether one keeps the brain functioning actively, keeps questioning and searching for answers, and shapes one's thoughts into a coherent whole to form one's own outlook. Even someone born into an extremely dogmatic family can grow up to be a communist or a rationalist. Conversely, even someone born and raised in an atheistic environment may, out of laziness, fail to carry that outlook forward and instead spend their life believing in horoscopes. Therefore, whether one leans toward dogma or toward rationalism — which direction our journey takes — is something each individual must decide for themselves!
One thing, however, is certain! All those who are responsible as citizens travel only in the direction of scientific consciousness!
— Dr. Devaraju Maharaju
Renowned literary figure and biologist
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