#653
In a few days, the world will see two big religious events. The Catholic Church will choose a new Pope after Pope Francis’s passing, with cardinals meeting in Rome’s Sistine Chapel between May 6 and 11. Closer to home, on April 30, a 20-year-old scholar, Ganesha Sharma Dravid, will become the 71st Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in Kanchipuram. These changes make me wonder: in a world driven by science and reason, does religion still matter? For me, faith is personal, and I’ve moved away from organized religion. Here’s why I think many others feel the same.
Science Is Leading the Way
Science has changed our lives. Vaccines save us from diseases. Doctors use technology to heal. Our phones connect us instantly. Many beliefs religion once explained—like storms being God’s anger—are now understood through science. In Dan Brown’s book Angels & Demons, a priest survives a deadly fall using a parachute, thanks to science. From his deathbed he was also saved in his childhood by medicines rather than prayers alone. It shows how reason can save us when miracles don’t. Sure, science hasn’t solved everything—birth and death are still mysteries. But do we need temples or churches to find meaning? I don’t think so.
Religion Feels Like a Business
Over the last 10 years, I’ve seen religion turn into a money-making game. Big temples charge extra for “special darshan” to see God faster. When you come out, you feel empty. My cousin, (This week) paid a hefty fee as speed money (No receipts) at a famous temple just to skip the line—it felt like buying faith. Some groups ask for donations, promising blessings or warning of curses. They push for “religious unity” to fund grand projects. This hustle in holy places has pushed me away. I’m not alone—many are tired of religion feeling like a racket. I was hoodwinked a few years back in a famous temple (Vaideeswaran Koil) by a priest, who took a large sum indicating every month he would send me god's blessings after doing rituals. Never materialised.
Faith Is Personal, Not Public
For me, religion stops at my prayer room. It’s my private space to reflect and connect. I don’t need crowds or priests to feel spiritual. I visit my family deity’s temple in our village, where it’s just me, the river, and fields of plantain trees swaying in the breeze. I sit for hours, feeling calm. This isn’t about worship; it’s about gratitude to my ancestors, who gave me this life. No fees, no noise—just peace. I believe faith is your own business, not something to show off.
Helping Others Doesn’t Need Religion
You don’t need to be religious to help others. Feeding the hungry, teaching kids, or cleaning a river—these are human acts, not religious ones. I’ve seen people of all beliefs come together for a cause. Religion often divides us, but kindness unites us. In a world full of problems, helping others is what matters, not which God you pray to.
Fear Doesn’t Hold Us Anymore
Some religions use fear to keep people in line—fear of curses, hell, or “outsiders” who threaten our way of life. But that doesn’t work anymore. People are thinking for themselves. We read, we question, we seek answers through science or common sense. Education and the internet have opened our minds. We don’t need to be scared into staying religious; we want truth, not threats.
A New Pope, A New Shankaracharya
The new Pope and the young Shankaracharya will lead millions. The Pope’s election in Rome will be a global event, with cardinals choosing someone to guide 1.4 billion Catholics. In Kanchipuram, Ganesha Sharma Dravid, a Vedic scholar, will take on a 2,500-year-old legacy. These leaders may inspire traditionalists, but for people like me, their influence feels limited. We respect them, but we don’t rely on them for answers. Science, reason, and personal beliefs guide us more. I feel they have no option but to go with the flow and changing course will be very difficult.
No Regrets, Just Freedom
I’ve stepped away from organized religion, and I feel free. I’m not against anyone’s faith—believe what works for you. But for me, spirituality is quiet moments by the river, honoring my roots, doing my tharpanam/ Devasam for parents/ ancestors, and helping others without a religious label. Oh Yes, if any thanksgiving is to be done as a gesture of gratitude, I will be the first to be at temple doorsteps. I am open to any sect/ religion that can offer this peace of mind/solace. I know many others think like this. We’re not rejecting God; we’re finding meaning in our own way—through duty, kindness, and reason.
So, as the world welcomes a new Pope and Shankaracharya, I ask: does religion still shape your life? Or have you, like me, found peace beyond it? For me, it’s the breeze by the river and the freedom to think for myself. And I have no regrets.
Karthik 26/4/25
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