THE PLACE OF RELIGION IN THE MODERN WORLD

 Scientifically speaking, modern knowledge and faith hardly go together. Usually a man who advances his pace towards knowledge, goes away from religion with the same speed. The result is that the modern world is full of scientific knowledge but lacks religion. Thus, the high morality of the medieval ages has become a dream to the modern man, and the morals, whose roots were deep in the past, have no value for him today. The modern man has a little respect for religion and, it has become only a matter of birth to him.

Modern world is a world of science and reason. Religion is always handicapped by the enhancement of reason. Again, most of the religious leaders do not allow a religious matter to be taught or discussed logically. According to them, it is against the sanctity of religion that its orders and commandments be discussed or criticized in any way. They want religion to be observed in an un-questioning manner. That is why even the common man of today, with his limited reasoning and knowledge, is not prepared to obey them timely. Modern man wants to understand everything on rational grounds. He wants to understand the laws of religion logically. For the modern man, every religion has gathered around it a bulk of useless rituals and superstitions, with the passage of time. The leaders of religion are not going to pacify him. The result is that religion is disappearing from the practical life of the modern man. No doubt, still the man of today labels himself with one religion or the other, but he does not accept any religion as a social or moral code for this practical life. Another tragedy of the common man of the modern age is that he often chooses to perform the rituals and even believes in superstitions in the name of religion. But he keeps his practical life free from the social or moral bonds imposed by religion, simply because they do not conform with his selfish nature, lust for wealth, and ambitions.

Selfishness and lust for wealth are the basic features of the modern civilization. Darwin's theory, 'the survival of the fittest' is believed to be true and esteemed only by the modern man. He utilizes this theory to justify his selfish acts. Thus, the modern man has starved his soul to fill his belly. We are struggling for the preservation of our bodies but do not care to save our souls. As a result of this , the starved souls create a sense of dissatisfaction and restlessness, which is common ailment of the modern age. People try to got more wealth, more comforts and more power, all producing restlessness to a high degree. They are in dire need of the light of religion which they cannot find easily. They are too busy to search for it and the result is that there is confusion and restlessness.

The modern world demands that the representatives of religion too should learn , sciences and philosophy. If they want to guide the modern world they should equip themselves with modern weapons of publicity, propaganda and technique. They should re-consider their religious beliefs in the light of new knowledge and new sciences, which as they say, have been derived from their mottos and morals. They should purify their religion of all superstitions and irrational beliefs, which have gathered around their faith with the passage of time. They should stress upon the moral and social laws of their religion instead of the ceremonies and rituals. In this way they may illuminate the soul of the modern man, the body will conform itself by and by.

 There is no denying the fact that the modern age needs religion very urgently. But there is not enough zeal in the religious leaders and preachers of today to cope with the time. The need become more and more efficient, rational and hardworking because they have to preach to those who are not only away from religion, but even do not realize its need.