but it is...

I say, "He who invented God is a fool". Why do I say so?

The aboriginal man at first began to think of many things. He wanted to know how the world was created. He could not understand how the world continues to exist. He wanted to know the cause of birth and death. He saw around him many things created by man. He personally understood how such things existed. It is quite natural that he had an urge to understand about other things also. When he could not find an answer for the existence of birth and death, he wrongly guessed that there should be someone else behind all these things understandable. He remained in darkness with contentment.

That is the reason, why even now the third rate fools ordinarily put the question "If there is no god, how were you born?" He further says in his talks, "Man only built the house. How were the mountains, seas, rivers, trees and shrubs were created? There must be a cause for all these creations" With these words, he comes forward to prove the existence of God.

So, it is ignorance or inability to seek the truth that leads him to believe in God and his creations. So, the very thought of God is merely the outcome of one's ignorance. His conception of God is built on the bedrock of mere guess.

He merely invents God, for all those things which he cannot fully understand or completely realize. On account of this, ordinary men who could obtain the real truths with their average knowledge felt it unnecessary and unwanted to probe further into the matter.

He felt it convenient to believe in mere myths. Such a state of affairs kept the majority of the people away from thinking deeply and to carry on research. Man's ability to probe deep and carry on research work was practically banned. That is why the people who believed in the existence of God are considered to be irrational.

Even though the man is endowed with abundant powers of thinking, the way and the extent to which it is actually put to use alone is to be judged.

I like to enlighten you further, by stating my own experience some 75 years back.

There was a Municipal Hospital at Erode in those days. There were two or three indigenous medical practitioners and a Christian preacher attached to the hospital. There was the outbreak of the disease called Cholera twice every year. The then population of Erode was only about 15000 people. Every year about 300 people fell victims to

Cholera. In some years even 500 people died. In those days people believed "Cholera" is the game of an evil goddess called "Om Kali Amman".

So they avoided any treatment by doctors. Even if doctors came forward to give medicine, they refused to take. They used to say that the goddess would become more agitated if the medicine is taken. They even rebuked the doctors. Cholera used to spread for about a month or two. When it naturally subsides, and the deaths decrease at the rate of one or two after a month, they used to offer their prayers to the goddess Om Kali Amman. On that occasion, elderly women used to tease others by saying that the goddess 'Amman' has entered their body and scolds the people thus: "You people do not mind or respect me unless I play my game. When I actually show my powers, you offer special prayers. I will wreak my vengeance" On hearing these words, the people were actually afraid and made promises on the spot to offer special prayers to the Amman. In a few days, the Cholera would subside on its own accord.

In the meantime, the authorities of the Municipality would take all measures to fight out Cholera. They would advise the people to boil the drinking water before using. They would advise the children not to purchase eatables, which are not fully covered. They would advise people not to eat the old and cold dishes. They would guard the water resources against pollution. While these things are going on, all on a sudden, a woman would cry, stating that her words are the words of Amman. "I brought two pots of oil (Cholera). I take the balance to some other village. I am leaving your village now". People used to offer prayers in the night and take out a procession with the old mats, rags and pots and keep them beyond the boundary of the village.

You may be aware that when quarrel arises between two women, one will accuse the other saying, 'will not the Amman give you a spoonful of oil'. Because one gets loose motion or purging by taking the oil, those people referred to Cholera as oil. In those days Cholera deaths were shocking. In some villages, more than 75 percent of deaths occurred due to Cholera. People would not take any precaution. They refused to get treated. They did not care to find out the real cause for the outbreak of Cholera.

As a matter of fact, Cholera broke out only during the festival months. People from various towns and cities used to congregate at a particular place. They had to eat whatever was available. They committed nuisance anywhere they liked. Drinking water was easily polluted. Lack of sound sleep and consumption of half baked mutton, fish and other non-vegetarian dishes are common during the festival months(Margazhi, Thai, Masi, Panguni). It was so even during the other Hindu festivals as Ekadasi, Poosam, Magam, Deepam etc. The ordinary people who met at the specific places of worship carried the infectious germs to the rest of the houses, inns, choultries, trains, buses and lodges. Infection was easy. People of those days could not really understand what infectious diseases were, how they were caused, and how one could prevent them. So they believed that it was all the work of God.

If the situation was so, just 70-75, years back, it is no wonder that people who lived some 100 - 200 - 500 - 1000 years ago were so blindly believing in the existence of God.

However, the blind belief that Cholera is the work of God has gradually faded. Today people believe in the treatment for eradication of Cholera. The health department has carried out a number of good schemes. They take vigilant steps to protect the tank water, well water and other sources of drinking water by modern scientific methods. On average, about three hundred people died every year when the population of Erode was 15000. Today the population is 70,000. Yet rarely 20 to 30 persons die every year.

Now it is clear how the belief in God and his powers made the people ignorant and foolish. As the people began to shed their belief in God and his powers, they have gained wisdom and the society has consequently gained much.

Even in Western countries, even though people believe in God, they do not believe in his powers nowadays.

'Believe in God, but keep the iron safe, carefully locked' is what the Christian follows.

"Believe in God; but keep the horse safely tied in the stable" is what the Muslims follow.

What do we learn out of these? God is not a necessity for an intelligent man. God is not like food that is indispensable. It is only just like a dress worn to suit the surroundings. That is the truth about God. If anyone is to say that the belief in God is absolutely necessary for life, I would only say that such a person is merely a distilled dud or a log of wood. Moreover, such a person would not come forward to prove the existence of God to us. He will leave it to God himself to prove his existence. So, there is no denying the fact that God is the creation of fools.

I say he who preaches God is a rogue. I say so because he has given a definite shape to God and attributed high qualities to God. Those who define God go on saying that God is omnipotent, omniscient and so on.

They say that God has no shape. They say that he is kind. How could we say that they are ignorant? We could say that a person is ignorant if he is unable to know a particular thing. But these people come forward to define and explain God. They intentionally dupe people.

If a fool says that there is God, these people go a step forward and attribute to God as though they have really seen God. When we ask him how he is, they say that he is shapeless. How could one see a thing that has no shape? There are certain things which we can feel even though they have no definite shape. Senses of taste, smell, touch, sight and sound make us feel and realize them. For example, we cannot see air. But we feel it as it blows.

Similarly, though we cannot see the electricity, we feel it as it functions. We realize it when we find its light or heat. We make use of it as we like. We are able to control it by merely pressing a button in the switches. Thus we are able to know its various qualities.

That is why I say that it is absurd to believe a thing that we can neither see nor feel. He who wants us to believe must be a rogue. God is a myth. He who indulges in dishonest means can never be considered as honest. Yet the Brahmins do so only with the intention of making the gullible public as scape-goats. People are intentionally made idiots. By such roguish and dishonest means, they want to defraud the people. God is a big hoax. They not only say that God is shapeless but also proclaim that he is everywhere. It is another Himalayan fraud. What are we to call their boldness?

When we tell them, "What sir, you are telling so many things about God. We do not understand. To our minds, god is not clear". They reply, "God cannot be seen by anybody. He is not comprehensible to any human mind. So you cannot see him or understand him. That is why God is defined as one who has no shape. He cannot be felt or understood even to the educated and the intelligent". Is it not a big fraud played with the people, in an orderly disciplined manner by the rogues?

How could a thing that is neither perceptible nor clear to the intelligent sections be seen, felt and understood by these fools?

Comrades! If you meet such fellows who are theists, you may yourself put these relevant questions with the intention of understanding God.

The two things that render people irrational are God and religion. God is an elixir to be given to a man to convert him into a fool. No man invented the sun, moon, fire, water, wind, stone and mud. Man only gave the names. There is no need to explain them or find the causes for these.

Man is bound to know them and enjoy them.

But, God is not the one like that. God has to be preached by one. It is not enough if one simply preaches. One must blindly believe what another preaches. Not only that. One must be made to believe God by force or compulsion. Unless one takes so much pains, poor God cannot enter the minds of others. Yet God is said to be omnipotent. What a pity!.

The story of God is what a fool has imagined. His imagination has made the thinking talents of man inactive. Even as the burning flame in the hands of a child sets fire to the house and renders the city to dust and ashes, the thought of God has practically killed the thinking ability of humanity. Some people described God as 'Namasivayam'. Namasivayam means nothing or vacuum. That is the interpretation given by some Saivite scholars as M L Pillai and Thiru Vi-Ka. Yet they were worshipping idols for a long time, and later on, they changed.

I do not understand why a man needs God, particularly when one does not really believe in all the powers of God. Everyone for the sake of custom says ordinarily that everything is the direct result of God's actions. But in actual life, every man distinguishes what is self action, what is nature, what is sudden, what is an accident and so on.

Even those who believe that everything is God's action, do not fail to take precautionary steps. If everything is God's creation, how has an atheist who denies God come into existence?

Further, if it is true that God is everywhere, why is he not able to prove his presence, by his own appearance, the believer in God does not think of these relevant and sensible questions.

A Christian says that God has given man wisdom. Man has to seek God through wisdom. When we ask how God, which was clear to their wisdom is not clear for our wisdom, they say that atheists are sinners and so cannot reach God.

Who created those sinners? If God has created sinners; why did he make them sinners? If God has not created sinners, then who created them? When we put this question, they say that devil or satan has been responsible. They are not willing to answer further. It is all because they themselves are not able to understand what they are speaking. It is so with the orthodox Islamites. So far as Hinduism is concerned, there are Mummurthis called Brahma, Sivan and Vishnu, Kali, Kathavarayan, Maduraiveeran, Karuppannan, Alwars, Nayanmars, dead ones, stones, pictures birds, beasts, trees, cow-dung and so many others worshipped as gods.

Why do I enumerate so many gods? If it is true that God is omnipotent, how ridiculous it is that he is not able to reveal himself in a definite form or shape. Is God so weak, impotent and incapable?

Added to this sorry state of affairs, there are people who talk of the previous life, next life, fate, dharma, heaven and hell. They seem to me like the blabbering of the drunken mad fellows.

Man has enough to suffer from birth to death. Added to these sufferings, these gods and superstitious thoughts as fate, heaven and hell play havoc. They practically torture the mind of man. The living beings are still unable to understand why they suffer from pain, sorrow, worries and calamities. Of all the living beings, man is said to be the only rational being.

It is because man is endowed with rationalism; he suffers more than other living beings. The real cause for it is the damnable God.

If we are to share the food and work equally, there is no necessity for God. In such a state, God has no work.

Today man is subjected to slavery, misery and difficulties because his interests are vested in the hands of the mighty and fraudulent religious cheats.

In another 50 years, the average longevity of man is going to reach 100 years. That is certain. Already in some countries, the average life of man has gone up to 67-74. In our own country in 1950, the average life of man was 32 years. The percentage of literacy in 1940 was 9%. By the efforts of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Mr. Kamaraj, the percentage of literacy has rapidly increased to 50 percent. Added to this, the belief in God has been considerably reduced. So I say the more and more, the thought of God diminishes, the people would become wiser. If our women enjoy their independence in life and if socialism spreads in leaps and bounds, the wisdom of man and his longevity would simultaneously go on increasing.

Today the Government is in the hands of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). They are atheists. If they increase their membership by a few more lakhs, they will ever remain in power sound and stable.

Of all the foolish notions which ruined the human race on earth, it is the thought of God that is of foremost significance. Of all the religions of the world, there are only three big religions considered important. They are Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Of these three, the first two have historical significance. So far as the third religion is concerned, it is a religion that was built up gradually with more and more fantastic ideas. It is a religion forced on the people with the primary intention of hood-winking them. It may be called a mixture. It attained the name of Hinduism at a very later stage and after the spread of the other two religions only.

At first, it was the Vedic religion for sometime. Then it was called the Aryan Religion. Later it was called the Brahmanic religion. At last, it was christened as Hinduism.

In the world, Christianity is the biggest religion having the largest following.

Next comes Islam. When compared to Christianity, Islam has ¾ of followers.

Whereas the followers of Hinduism are only about ½ of the followers in the Islamic religion.

Apart from these three religions, there is another religion called Buddhism. There is no particular god for this religion. Yet they have the belief and follow certain rituals. Buddhism is, in fact, next to Christianity so far as the followers are concerned. It is a religion prevalent mainly in China, Siam, Burma and Ceylon. If we are to call Buddhism by another name, we may call it the religion of wisdom, because "Buddhi" means knowledge. Why should Buddhism be called the religion of wisdom? While all other religions have a god, Buddhism has no particular god. It is so because there can be no god for a religion that is based on wisdom. That is why Buddhism is said to be the religion of wisdom.

Yet even the Buddhists and intelligent people will not accept Buddhism as the religion based on wisdom. Why?

For a religion to thrive, it must have a god and people should have a belief in God. Added to these, the followers have to blindly believe absurd stories and irrational beliefs.

When one considers Buddhism on this basis, it may be defined as a mere way of life. Its preaching and ideas are like that.

Even though people of all religions believe in God, yet there are religions, which have only one God and other religions, which have more than one God. Even though the followers of these three major religions have belief in one God and 'devas', yet, their concept of God remains uniform.

Those who believe in God conceive God to be like a man. Many of the gods have a human form, behaviour, qualities and other activities as men. They simply attributed the qualities of a man to a greater extent. But man has to transform all his thoughts into action by striving. Though God is also like a man, he is said to have greater powers to transform his thoughts instantly into action. This is the only difference between man and God. Both man and God exist similarly. Both are like human beings. Both have human qualities and behaviour. Except that God is said to possess them to a greater extent than man, it is not said that divine qualities are noble and high.

Jesus Christ is foisted as a 'Kumaran' (Son) of God.

Mohammad Nabi is foisted a 'thoothan' (messenger) of God.

‘Similarly’ man is also having ‘ kumaran’ (Son) and ‘thoothan’ (messenger).

The only difference is man conceives them daily in life.

God does good to those who do good. God punishes those who are bad.

Similarly, man does good to those who are kind to him. He does harm to those who harm him.

God need not take pains to display his action. He does instantly. But man has to take pains to display his thoughts into action.

God is said to forgive a man who has committed atrocities, the moment the sinner prays to him. Similarly, a man also forgives those who repent.

God refuses to forgive some and punishes them with a vengeance. Similarly, a man also refuses to forgive some and wreaks vengeance.

So, we find that all the qualities in a man are also reflected in God. What all God does, a man also follows.

Man commits criminal deeds.

God also has his own share of criminal deeds. Man has the jail to punish.

God has hell to punish.

Man punishes. God also punishes.

Man kills a number of other living beings. God also kills men and other living beings.

A man remains a silent spectator to starvation and poverty. God also remains silent when living beings starve.

Even those who have conceived more than one God, have not deviated from the mono-theist way of conceiving God. He has incorporated even the vices and bad qualities of man into God. Man in the primitive age was like a barbarian, cruel, hardhearted, foolish and characterless. Naturally, when he conceived more gods, he naturally made his gods embodiments of all human behaviour, good and bad.

For example, a Brahmin did not conceive the idea of God in the beginning, because he dwelt in the mountains. That is why he conceived a number of 'devas' (devine persons) as inhabiting the high horizon. Even these 'devas' were not free from the vices of man. He simply attributed the various qualities of a man to the various devas. He simply called them by different names. To make the people believe these devas, he attributed such qualities which would create a terror in the minds of human beings.

The Saivites called devas as 'Rudran' and 'Durgai'. In Europe, the barbarian described God as a father, God and mother God. Here the Saivites call 'Amman God' (Mother God), and 'Appan God' (Father God). Such gods are said to possess the deadly weapons like spear, sword etc. and travel on wild beasts like lion, tiger, bull, etc. They worshipped only such terrorising forms of God.

In those days, they took Parvathi as the goddess of earth, Varuna devan as the God of water, Vayudevan as the God of air, Agnidevan as the God of fire, Akasavani as the goddess of the sky and the Sun as Suriya Baghavan(Sun), Chandra Baghavan(Moon), Emadarman as the God of death, Brahma as the God of creation, Vishnu as the God of life, Siva as the God of destruction and so on. For all the devas, they considered 'Indran' as the King. He was also known as Devendran.

All these male gods and devas had wives. Goddesses had husbands. Some gods had sons and daughters also. The important thing we have to notice in all these is that no god or goddess was deemed to be highly virtuous or honest or embodiment of the good character. They created gods just like men with mere ignoble and worst qualities. There was no limitation to the worst deeds of these gods. What all we consider as bad, evil and ridiculous were prominently seen in these gods. All these have become gods to be worshipped by the people eternally. Even today, it is said that one who worships all these gods would be blessed profusely.

What is God? What are the great qualities of God? Even now, people are unable to understand. Today people worship these gods, which have all sorts of bad qualities and evil tendencies. Yet we simply hear that gods have very high and great qualities. Actually, in life, we do not see anything like that.

Generally, man is made a fool mainly by this concept of God. I do not know why no one has come forward to expose the ignorance of the people. Even the educated intelligentsia is lethargic in this. If we are to seek the first philosopher born in the world, we could say that it is only Gowdhama Buddha. That is what our history also tells us. Next to him, we would say Socrates of the West. Their philosophic truths are not being properly understood.

Today the world is adhering to the baseless, idiotic religious preaching.

The state and administration have become the subordinates to Brahmins out of selfishness. Each Brahmin has also subordinated himself to evil things. He simply concentrated on his being recognized as superior by birth. For that sake, he protects God. Yet he does not endeavour to rise up above others in any quality. He is not worried at all to be superior in the display of virtues and high values in life.

Similarly, those who attribute greater qualities to God say that God is the supreme being. But they do not come forward to prove anything greater in God than in men.

For a religion, there must be a god, heaven, hell, divine powers, incarnations, religious heads, priests, symbols and caste marks. Without these, there can be no religion in the world. Even these are not sufficient for the Hindu religion. Hinduism needs innumerable gods, variety of heavens, different hells, different births, sufferings, different asthanas, different guruji's and so on. The devotees who have attained 'moksha' (immortality) by personally contacting God are also needed for the spread of Hinduism. These are similar to Vaishnavism and Saivism which form the two wings of Hinduism. There may be differences in names. But so far as the functioning is concerned, it is almost identical. It seems as though one has copied the other.

To cite an example, in Vaishnavism, the reason for Ramayana is almost similar to what is said for Kandapuranam in Saivism.

The intercourse god Vishnu had with Lakshmi is said to be the cause for Ramayana. The intercourse Siva had with Parvathi is said to be the cause for Kandapuranam. Let me illustrate it further.

It is said in the story that rishis (saints) came to meet Vishnu in daylight. It seems Vishnu was with his wife Lakshmi in the bed. Yet, that too during day time! The gatekeepers who had the knowledge of what Vishnu was doing with Lakshmi at that time, did not permit the Rishis to enter the private chamber of God Vishnu. Getting angry, the Rishis cursed the gatekeepers. To rid them of the curse, it is said the Ramayana took place.

Similarly, the worshipful God Shiva is said to have had intercourse with his wife Parvathi at a stretch for more than hundreds of years. The Devas (Divine persons) in the Indralokam (Heaven) were very much worried about Parvathi. They thought that the semen of Siva in the womb of Parvathi would cause great havoc. So they thought it their foremost duty to separate the couple, even before their act of intercourse was completed. They somehow succeeded in their attempts. But the semen excreted from the penis of Lord shiva created a number of inexpressible ugly beings and at last resulted in the birth of another god, the son of Shiva-Lord Muruga. Yet some people attribute that Murugan was born to get rid of the 'Rakshasas'.

For the birth of Rama, Devas prayed to Mahavishnu. For the birth of Muruga, Devas prayed to Paramsivam. Rama killed the Rakshasas; Murugan killed the Asuras.

When Rama was engaged in killing the Rakshasas, somehow the number of Rakshasas went on increasing suddenly. When Murugan was engaged in killing the Asuras, they too are said to have increased in numbers all of a sudden.

Rama's wife, Sita, was an adopted virgin. Similarly, Murugan's wife, Vallidevi, was also bred and brought up by others.

There are a number of similarities between Vaishnavism and Saivism. These stories are also one like the other.

Even in the stories related to the Acharyas of Vaisnavism and the Nayanmars of Saivism, there is practically no major difference. The way in which they lived their life, the way in which they attained salvation are almost identical.

The book titled Baktha Leela, which is the puranic literature of Vaishnavism and the book titled Periya Puranam, which is the puranic literature of Saivism are almost similar.

If there is a story about a potter in Vaishnava Purana, there is a potter in the Saivapurana also. The Vaisnava potter was called Gora Kumbar. The Saiva Potter was called Thiruneelakandar. Their stories are also similar. Gora Kumbar was not in good terms with his wife.

Thiruneelakandar was also not in good terms with his wife. Mahavishnu brought Gorakumbar and his wife to terms. Similarly, Paramasivan brought Thiruneelakandar and his wife to terms.

In Vaishnavism, there is the story of an untouchable called Shokkamela. In Saivism, you have the story of an untouchable called Nandanar. Vishnu appeared in the dream of Shokkamela. Paramasivan appeared in the dream of Nandanar. Shokkamela had the 'darshan' of Vishnu. Nandanar had the darshan of Paramasivan.

What we have to keenly observe in the puranic literature of Saivism and Vaishnavism is that the role of the Brahmin is ever kept high, whereas all others are treated as low and contemptible. The evil caste system is safeguarded in both.

Unless one undertakes a close study and research of these stories, we cannot say categorically as to who imitated whom. I do not deem it, a useful work, for me. Moreover, Saivism is dominant only in South India. It is very obscure in North India. There, only Vaishnavism is becoming prominent. In North India, if you say you are a Vaisnavite, then only you are considered as a vegetarian.

In the religious books, stories of their devotees and gods are almost identical. This is possible only when one imitates or copies the other. Otherwise, both the Vaishnavites and Saivites should have met together and conspired together in the creation of all these identical things.

While there are a number of living things on earth like grass, herbs, plants, insects, worms, birds and animals, it is only the man who is made to believe in God. But all other living beings eat, grow, reproduce and die away, just as men do.

In the matter of birth, life, death and disappearance, there is no difference between man and other living beings. The difference is seen at the time of birth itself. Those who have conducted research in finding out the origin of living species, categorically state that the man and other living beings lead lives almost of the same identity and similarity. Amongst the living beings, it is only the human race that is endowed with wisdom by nature, and as that wisdom has its own impact on the human mind in later years, the human race fell victim to desires and fears which led to multiple types of sorrows and sufferings in life. Their desires and fears with ignorance together made man a subordinate to God. This belief in God created in the human race, neglects the benefits of knowledge and wisdom. This rendered the human race unthinking, irrational and fell prey to difficulties and hardship.

If the evil thought of God has not been foisted on the humankind, the status of the human race would have been very much advanced by this time.

Mankind would indeed be free from worries, difficulties and sorrows. Today you cannot come across a man free from worries and sorrows, in whatever state he might be. Everyone is worried. To those who are atheists, who do not have any belief in God, everything appears to be natural. If one considers God as mere myth, he may not have to worry about sorrows or difficulties; such people are the real men (wisemen). To attain such a state and renounce everything is not an easy task. He may get wisdom. He may be a perfect renouncer, yet he may slip and falter just because he is in the midst of others.

The state of one being free from worries and misery is the real meaning of salvation(moksha). As such, those who call themselves as the idols of renunciations can never have belief in God. The more a man has belief in God, the greater will be the burden. Such a man will have no end to his desires and deeds.

Why do people worship God nowadays? Generally, the belief in God is due to personal problems. Whether one is intelligent or not, he expects something from God and in anticipation of getting his desires fulfilled, he reposes strong faith in God.

Even those who proclaim that they have renounced everything, want to get into heaven; I would only say that such people are like those who pray for the third eye on their back.

It is only to fulfil some want, that devotion, prayer, faith, pooja and other religious rituals arise. What business have you with God if you really have no desire or want? There is no wonder that the faith in God is deeper and quite cognisable, particularly amongst those who commit mistakes, blunders, illegal and unlawful acts. The cheats in society, the fraudulent elements and the avaricious sections are generally seen to worship God with sincerity and devotion and pomp and show.

I have experience as a prisoner more than ten times. I saw the murderers and ordinary prisoners keep a picture of God in their cells. Some had religious books. I came across a murderer having a regular bath in the morning and pray for half-an-hour daily in the Rajmundry jail. He used to stand on one leg. He used to chant something. In fact, he was an educated rich fellow before he came to prison. When I asked him what he was doing and why he did so, he replied that he wanted to get out of prison early.

You can find a number of corrupt people belonging to Vaishnavism, Saivism, Islam, Christianity perform pooja, chant something, and offer regular prayers to God. They will not miss or forget God anything. I need not say much about the business of people who offer prayers with the greater show.

It is nothing but the existence of desires and unfulfilled wants that is responsible for the faith in God. Belief in God is not in any way useful to help others.

Replies

Question: What are the general views prevalent with people about God?

Answer: Majority of the people believes that God has created everything.

Question: Then?

Answer: They further say that God knows everything, sees everything and prevails everywhere.

Question: What do people think of the behaviour of God?

Answer: They say that he is just and pure.

Question: What else?

Answer: he is kind, they say.

Question: Do the people think that God is always kind?

Answer: No. As wisdom and discipline in society increases, they consider God as kind and much more.

Question: Kindly explain

Answer: The God of Barbarian was a thief. The God of an Arab was a dictator. The God of Jews was a Warmonger. The Christian God was for enforcing punishment on the ordinary people who commit petty offences.

Question: What are your other views on God?

Answer: God is said to govern the thought, speech and action of men. Question: Why?

Answer: If we are to do what pleases God, he will bless. If we are to do what is not pleasing to him, he will punish.

Question: What name is attributed to God?

Answer: People of different places call God by different names. Zeus is the name of Greek. Jove is the name in Rome. Armusjid is the name amongst Parsis. Hindus call 'Brahma'. Jehovah is what Christian's call. Allah is the God of Muslims.

Question: Any other names?

Answer: Supreme being –a giver of happiness – Paramatma – Nitya Sakthi – prapanchan – nature – so on.

Question: Do the people refer all these to one God?

Answer: No, some people refer to the person. Some to certain thoughts. Some to certain laws. Some say that God is un-understandable.

Question: Do people hold a belief in one God?

Answer: People believe in one God as well as in many.

Question: Can there be more than one God?

Answer: Generally, people believe in many gods.

Question: What are they called?

Answer: Mostly, theists.

Question: Mention some people with faith in multi-gods.

Answer: Egyptians, Hindus, Greeks and Romans.

Question: Monotheists?

Answer: Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Question: Were they originally monotheists?

Answer: No, originally all people believed in many gods.

Question: What are the multi-gods?

Answer: Sun, moon, spirit, shadow, giants, beasts, trees, mountains, stones, river etc.

Question: How do you say so?

Answer: People worshipped them, built temples for them, created idols and performed pooja.

Question: Did the people believe that all these gods had the same power?

Answer: A few intelligent people said that they are all subordinates to one supreme being.

Question: What about the ignorant?

Answer: They thought that some were more powerful, some merely kind, some merely beautiful, some merely intelligent.

Question: Why did they create gods?

Answer: The primitive man was like a child afraid of things. Whatever was new to him, he began to fear. He imagined that there is something he could not see or understand. He was weak and helpless. He sought something to rescue him and help him.

A man by nature seeks company. To get himself secure, he created gods of things which were new to him.

Mortality has also been one of the causes for the creation of gods.

Question: How?

Answer: If we can live eternally without facing the inevitable death, we need no god. The thought of death and rebirth makes a man think of God as the reason for birth and death. Looked at the other living beings as animals, because they have no idea of death, they have no necessity to think of God.

Question: Are the number of gods increasing?

Answer: No, it is decreasing.

Question: Why?

Answer: As the wisdom of the people becomes more and more, man gets more confidence in safeguarding himself.

Question: Are the gods of intelligent lesser than that of the ignorant?

Answer: Yes, it is only the uncivilized who worship more gods.

Question: What about the mono-theists?

Answer: Mono-theists are today in the majority.

Question: Are there Atheists?

Answer: Yes. A number of people.

Question: Why do they have no belief in God?

Answer: They believe that the gods are detrimental to the welfare of society.

Question: Cannot the existence of God be proved?

Answer: Some say yes, some say no. But none has so far proved.

Question: What are the reasons said to prove God?

Answer: Cause and effect theory. Some say that everything must have a cause. Similarly, they argue that someone should have created the world. If that is so, should there not be some cause for God? Who created that God?

Question: Can he not exist independent?

Answer: Then, the very theory becomes fallible. If God can exist independently, why not the world?

Question: What are we losing if we imagine that there is some reason for God's existence?

Answer: In that case, we will be driven to the necessity of finding further cause. And there will be no end.

Question: Some say that God is perfect? What is your view?

Answer: If God is really perfect, it must be perceivable, and the memory about it should remain in a definite form. But it is not so. We only create such an impression. That makes man believe that he is imperfect, and God is perfect. Moreover, perfection is quality. It is not necessary that a big city should be under the sea, just because we have such faith or impression.

Question: Explain further, please.

Answer: Originally, people had the impression that the world is flat. That faith cannot be the universal truth because there never was an earth flat anytime. Some people compare the time teller (clock) to God. They say that, just because there is a clock before our eyes, there must be one creator. Similarly, as there is the world, there must be a creator, and that creator is God.

Question: What is your view?

Answer: We know everything about the time teller(Clock), but not about the world. Moreover, we may say that there must be one creator for a clock. But we cannot say what all necessitated the creation of the world by God. On that basis, no one can prove the creator of the world.

Question: Then what do you suggest to avoid the confusion?

Answer: Man must think deeply always. We should be made to believe anything by force. We must study, realize and then believe in anything and everything. We must be allowed to think boldly and freely.

Man is a rational being. He is endowed with the thinking abilities. He must be allowed to think. That is the road to realize all truths.

(Speech delivered by Periyar in 1973)

(From 'Collected Works of Periyar E.V.R.', compiled by Dr. K. Veeramani, published by 'The Periyar Self-Respect Propaganda Institution')

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