Religion influences every sphere of human life and brings about moral cohesiveness in social relations and interactions. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Prayer is the only means of bringing about orderliness and peace in our daily acts.” At a different level, religion shows the way to the divine and enables us to recognize our own divinity.
Religion goes through cyclical periods of vibrancy and
lethargy; over time its practice is often lost through disuse. This brings to
the fore the dichotomy between living a religious life through right action and
the necessity of a place of worship to prove religious credentials. In Gandhi’s
words “darshan is not a substitute for right action, it is an encouragement for
it.” Worshipping in a religious abode is therefore an act of faith, an answer
to man’s desire for the unseen. Today, in many parts of the world, a large
number of people have rejected religion, or at least, the organized method of
worship that envisages going to temples and churches. And this has led to what
many see as the ‘corporatising’ of worship.
Modern religion is responding to the need for practical and
user-friendly places of worship to attract worshippers. In the US, many
churches are being managed on corporate models, providing techno-savvy
amenities and services that include contemporary music, banks, pharmacies,
martial arts, help with tax forms and even real-estate agents. The emphasis is
on providing a high quality of service that will see members return on a
regular basis. In India too, the concept of temples is changing, with huge
complexes that include theatres, gardens, fast-food and child-friendly
facilities. The results are encouraging, attracting more worshippers,
especially young people.
Modern places of worship are packaging religion according to
demand and reaching out to those who would otherwise have remained beyond their
pale. Critics however question the content wrapped in the attractive exterior.
The essence of religion is to guide a person towards spiritual development. It
is for the individual to decide what he seeks and where he should seek it, for
every one of us is responsible for our own inner growth or lack of it.
Comments
Post a Comment