Theology of a religion spells out the basis of a relationship that humans have with God. With the understanding of various religions and the numerous grievous mistakes their theologies made over the years straying away from the clear path God had shown to humanity and is still showing, we know we need to get things right before it is too late, before we kill one another in the name of the Gods we create. Hinduism with some of the most beautiful scriptures, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, also went wrong and made serious mistakes causing humanity untold suffering and death. The demonic varnashram and caste system were only a notch below slavery. The devastating effects of caste system have left indelible marks on the psyche of the so-called low caste people, and many of them are still trapped in their mental prisons. The Brahmins and other so-called high castes are equally trapped in the prisons of their own making - massive guilt - knowing well that they were the perpetrators who devised such ingenious evil and self-deluding systems causing immense suffering for others on account of their own selfish interests and greed for material gains. It looks like they did not spare any energy in creating such elaborate theological systems and networks. We need to keep in mind these same people developed the theology of births and re-births, and tendencies to sin (papavasana) and janmantharapapa (obstacles or sins within births). Their neat systems of logic appear also so seductive and convincing. They skillfully weaved the stars and the zodiac signs and their intricate positions, omens and auspicious times into the fabric of life to determine the occurrence of life's important events. They kept others (the so-called low castes and outcastes) in ignorance as long they could to perpetuate their so-called superiority, power, and privileges that were built on quicksand and not on the solid rock of healthy, perennial theology that can withstand any onslaught from any direction. They could not weather the storms of truth that were blowing from all directions exposing their hypocrisy and double standard. They had no answers when world spiritual teachers and masters such as Christ, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and Narayana Guru came on the world scene. Interestingly, Shankaracharya realized the internal contradiction when he lived in Kashi, and encountered God in the form of a chandala (outcaste), and made the much-needed correction. His Maneesha Panchakam beautifully narrates the incident, and the unsavory lesson he learnt from it. Swami Vivekananda drawing inspiration from his guru, Paramahamsa, propounded the need for unity and brotherhood/sisterhood in the diversity of religions. Narayana Guru, who has not been given the importance that he truly deserves, told humanity in no uncertain terms that the humankind has one race, one religion, and one God (oru jati, oru matham, oru daivam manushyanu) laying the foundation for the new theology for the modern world.

             Except for the emphasis of total surrender and submission to Allah which is what Islam is all about, I am not seeing the breaking of any new ground coming from Islam in the field of religion. That it was without caste and class could have appeal for many. When 19 young Muslims from Middle Eastern countries hijacked three jumbo jets, and flew two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York in the name of Allah on that ignominious day on September 11, 2001, killing about 3000 innocent persons, I did not hear loud and clear condemnation from the Muslim leaders. It was a terror perpetrated on innocent humanity. That Osama Bin Laden who masterminded this terrorist activity would be protected for so long in Muslim countries needs also explanation. The lack of democracy and freedom in Muslim countries is worthy of special mention. It is unthinkable that a non-Muslim cannot be buried in Saudi Arabia. A Muslim changing his or her religion considered to be apostasy can be punishable by death. Any religion or theology that is not based on freedom is not worth its name. The intolerance of non-Muslim scriptures is un-paralleled in history in Islamic, theocratic societies. Freedom that more than anything else is the most distinguishing characteristic of humans is lacking in Islamic theology in its day-to-day practice. I do not think that the prophet Muhammed intended this lack of freedom that is so necessary and essential for a human to be human.

Matter of Faith

            After having briefly analyzed the status of major religious theologies, it is very important to formulate a basic theology that is simple enough, and that all religions can follow. Everyone can follow his/her conscience, inclination or predilection with regard to religion. This theology can be a world-view, or one's philosophy of life. A theology can only give a glimpse, vague at best, of human's relationship with God. Each religion has also what may be called sacraments that are unique encounters of humans with God for receiving receiving special graces. Thus there is elaborate sacramental theology. These are also ways that religious communities officially devise, regulate, and sanction that particular community's interactions with God. Besides the ordinary communication of God through God's marvelous creation, God is believed to communicate to humanity through uniquely chosen emissaries, prophets, and messengers. Their messages form the basis of scriptures. The scriptures, early practices, and traditions get codified, and form the foundation of religions, and provide rules, regulations, and guidelines for living. Doctrine, dogmas, and discipline are formulated in order to chart a definite course for the followers. Major deviations, disagreements, and differences of opinions may lead to heresies, schisms, and sects. What we need to keep very clearly in mind is that we are often talking about what we do not know as religion is a matter of faith whose content is not amenable to human reasoning. St. Paul, one of the greatest Christian theologians and shapers of early Christian communities, for instance, very clearly stated that we in our present life see matters of faith vaguely as if in a fog, and that every believer needs to work out one's salvation with fear and trembling. St. Thomas Aquinas, universally acclaimed great theologian, philosopher, and doctor of the Christian Church, is reported to have said, three months before his death and after a deep experience with Christ, that all he had written seemed like straw to him. In the same vein, Sankaracharya, the unequalled proponent of Hindu philosophy and theology in his last days confessed that the great sin he committed is his attempt to define the undefinable.

             What does all this mean? We are in completely uncharted waters in our little boats buffeted by storms. We are groping in darkness. We only have the light and direction from the faith that we have freely chosen. Therefore there is no room for arrogance, fanaticism, and pride; there is all the reason for humility, tolerance, and gratitude. Let not human take away the glorious freedom that God gave. If God does not take away the freedom from humans to make mistakes even to the point of rejecting God, who can persecute or kill another human for exercising one's freedom to change his/her religion or not to have any religion at all? Unfortunately the history of religions shows that religions have not often championed the cause of freedom. They in fact opportunistically supported dictators who advanced their agenda. In the ultimate analysis cannot escape the stark reality that freedom denied to one human being is freedom denied to all human beings. Religious fanatics and fundamentalists, unfortunately there are too many of them in every religion, give the distinct feeling that God made a mistake in giving humans freedom. In their gross blindness and utter stupidity they do not understand that human beings will no longer be human beings without this very freedom. Sadly there are also religious leaders who think freedom has to be exercised in ways that they proclaim or pontificate because they know how humans need to exercise their freedom, because only they know what goes into the formation of a right and adequate conscience, and because they alone have been entrusted with the authority and power of guiding human destiny. I will never understand why they think that they are so cocksure about everything, and that they alone are given the great job of taking care of everyone that God chose not to handle, and left that job to each and every human. It appears that these leaders are also not happy that God gave humans freedom. They are self-serving spiritual dictators. They do not realize that their thinking is ridden with internal contradictions.