ARGUMENTS AGAINST GOD AND RELIGION — Part III Argument from History

manifestations has to be studied in this light. On the other hand, that which is only a social process has no inherent ideal. The response of society alone determines its position. Anything that enjoys the status of a social norm or social tradition can retain its position only as long as society gives it a de facto status. If society discards it and adopts any other practice in its place, then only its historical interest can survive and its importance as a social tradition falls into oblivion. But the case of religion is vastly different from this scenario. As the eminent physician, Fred Hoyle puts it, “This moral or religious impulse, whatever we choose to call it, is extraordinarily strong. When faced by opposition, and even by powerful political attempts at suppression, it obstinately refuses to lie down and die. One often comes across statements that religion is a primitive superstition that modern man can well do without. Yet if the impulse were truly primitive in a biological sense (for instance patriotic loyalty to the group in which one happens to live is primitive), we would surely expect to see it in other animals. As far as I know, no one has advanced any evidence for this idea. The religious impulse appears to be unique to man, and indeed seems to have become stronger in pre-history the more advanced man became in his intellectual attainments. Admittedly the trend has reversed over the recent past, but the change over the past two centuries may well prove to be impermanent…Stripped of the many fanciful adornments with which religion has become surrounded, does it not amount to an instruction within us that expressed rather simply might read as follows: You are derived from something “Out there” in the sky. Seek it and you will find much more than you expect.” The picture of life and the universe, which takes shape in our minds on accepting religion is a very beautiful and gladdening one. We cannot, therefore, study religion in the same fashion as we take stock of our household goods, modes of conveyance, clothing, housing, etc. This is because religion is an entity in itself, which is either accepted, rejected or accepted in a partial or distorted form by society of its own free will. As a result, religion remains the same in its essence while assuming a diversity of forms which evolve according to the practices of particular societies. It is wrong, therefore, to classify all the different forms of religion prevalent in different societies under the common heading of “Religion”. We shall illustrate this with reference of democracy.