You don’t have to be religious to be righteous & you don’t have to have a religion to believe in God!
Zahra Pedram Jafari
Religions and People; unbelievably, in the 21st century, AI is taking the world by surprise, and yet we have even more religious people than ever.
In an Gaurdian article by Harriet Cherwood, she states that “Faith is on the rise and 84% of the global population identifies with a religious group”.
Why People need religions?
Half a century ago, Ahmad Kasravi, an Iranian historian, jurist, linguist, theologian, staunch secularist, intellectual and once a clergy, said: “Religion is not for blessing people but making clergies wealthier!”
He and his young assistant were assassinated brutally by the same clergies for his opinions and disapproval of religion, specifically Islam.
In my opinion, religion is nothing more than an ideology. Religion is an ideology that gives hope, power, a sense of community and order to people’s lives. It often involves a set of beliefs and values that shape one’s worldview and understanding of society. Like other ideologies, religion is a form of a ‘map’ to help some to find their way about the world, understand their place in it, analyse the political and social events and find their role within the community.
In short, Religion and Ideology are both a way of thinking!
So religion might have shaped at first as a way of thinking about our world but soon has become a tool in the hands of some to control others. It has become a tool in the hand of clergies who are the representatives of God on earth. The ones who translate God’s rules for others and they reimburse them instead!
Killing in the Name of God?
Killing in the Name of God/s has always been a popular justification for an unjust act, but it started long before the popularity of Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity or Islam).
Before Abrahamic religions’ followers, there were Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Elamites, Assyrians, Mades, Persians, Romans, and many other known and yet unknown ancient people. They had their own Gods who appointed them king/Queen, blessed them, and justified their actions if needed.
Humans discovered the strong bond of Power and Religion thousands of years ago and are still using it.
The church is one of the wealthiest establishments in the world, and yet poor people eagerly follow them to help them acquire more wealth. It is the same for other religious establishments.
The king/Queen is the defender of the faith who God appointed to rule over people and manage the country’s wealth.
A Mullah is an Islamic clergy whose “fatwa” is God’s judgment for executing, confiscating wealth, and even raping the female members of the family of anyone who criticises and unfollows the faith.
And, we all know the old story of Jews who are known for their faith. Even if they do not follow it, they are still being treated accordingly by others!
Some kill people in the name of God, and some isolate, cancel and threaten people for talking against religions and the representative of those religions. Nothing has changed from thousands of years ago. Criticising religions is like threatening the power and wealth of some, and it has consequences even if AI thinks that “Killing in the Name of God” is a subject that prompts violence and does not discuss it!
Ancient’s Wisdom
Thousand of years ago, Zarathustra started his fight against the clergies of religions that controlled people of his time. He encouraged people to think and take control of their life. He believed that we are all destined for doing good and that choices are ours to make.
“With an open mind, seek and listen to all the highest ideals. Consider the most enlightened thoughts. Then choose your path, person by person, each for oneself.”
Zarathustra
Books of Ahmad Kasravi
I have not read all of Kasravi’s books, and as I have always said, nobody is perfect and always correct. I might find some ideas of him not sitting well with mine, but this does not make him any less scholar and me any less seeker.
Read ‘Ahmad Kasravi’s Books‘ and decide for yourself:
