It may sound incredulous, but people in India today exhibit behaviour that reflects a total lack of religion and/or culture.

I’m not talking about the narrow minded definitions and labels of religion and culture, but the spirit and actions behind these two very powerful words and concepts.

Religion gives us something to believe in, a philosophy, a way of life, guiding principles that usually encourage people to do good things, and be good human beings.

Culture on the other hand, makes us respect one another, makes us do things together, it manages our expectations and actions for a larger common good.

And both the above have rituals that help to bond people together, and generally teach people to mingle and live in peaceful co-existence, as if in one big extended family.

My point is, are the above descriptions reflective of life in India today… reflective of the way Indians live their life today..? I don’t think so.

While we may be on paper and in theory a very religious and cultured country, the reality is our people are increasingly becoming godless and cultureless.

How else would you explain the total lack of decency we exhibit in our lives today, towards young, old, men, women, children alike?

  • Don’t we shout and abuse and shake fists at others when we feel slighted on the road..?
  • Don’t we jump queues wherever possible – at bus stops, at elevators, at the subziwalla’s, in check out counters at malls?
  • Don’t we park wherever we want, even if it blocks someone else’s path? Don’t we fight with them if they object?
  • Don’t we jump lights, knowing fully well we’re endangering many lives every time we do that?
  • Don’t we give and take bribes?
  • Don’t we pay money to short circuit all process wherever laid down?
  • Don’t cops ask for money when they come for passport verification, and we give them money even though we’re decent honest folk?
  • Don’t our mothers, daughters, sisters get raped by people they know? And by strangers out to just have some fun??
  • Don’t we kill our daughters before they’re born?
  • Don’t we hire underage children as domestic help and keep them in pitiable conditions?
  • Don’t we turn away when someone is being beaten on the street, or lying in a pool of blood?
  • Don’t people get beaten to pulp for simply standing up against some wrong? Don’t people around pretend it’s not happening and don’t come forward to help?
  • Don’t we maim and kill people, and damage property worth millions in the name of some god, or sense of injustice?
  • Don’t we block roads and inconvenience people every time we want to pray, do puja, or go on a pilgrimage?
  • Don’t we fight and kill over some god or the other?
  • Don’t our politicians put progress and larger good aside for personal and political gain?
  • Don’t our cops side with whoever has the potential to pay the larger bribe, whether it’s a road accident or a murder charge?

Don’t we do a million things every day, that go totally against any religion, any culture in the world?

Then what religion and culture are we so proud of??

Think about it.