The deciding factor

No prophets ever wrote down their respective preaching since at some period of time writings/hierographics/materials used for the same were non-existent. When the same were handed down from generation to generation the nucleus of their preaching was diluted to a very great extent (remember the childhood games of whispering charade).

Religion has given this planet more mass destruction than natural calamities in the form of battles, crusades, jihads, wars and street fights/brawls. There have been innumerable precedents of conversions in Udvada, Navsari, Surat, Bombay, Ahmedabad, et al.

If such conversions have been allowed, accepted, continued then why make a hue and cry now of not allowing conversions? The ball has already been set into motion.

The oldest known existing religion is Hinduism. There have been many gods/goddesses/deities, worshipping everything from microcosm to macrocosm. Whenever humans feared the wrath of God, the entity had to be pleased in the form of sacrifices — be it animal, bird or human — and that culture/tradition still exists even today.

Over a period of time when humans go berserk, Mother Nature in her own wisdom, brings an enlightened being. He preaches how life is meant to be. The first prophet who preached monotheism was none other than Zoroaster or Zarathushtra. (Judaism which preceded Zoroastrianism also preached monotheism — Editors.)

The Zoroastrian religion was followed by Jainism in or about 599 BC; Buddhism in about 560 BC; Judaism’s ‘Mosaic Code’ or the ‘Book of Law of Moses’ was written in 44 BC; then Christianity; Sikhism founded by Guru Nanak in about 1469 AD; Islam — Mohammad born in about 571 AD; Sufism in about 815 AD; and lastly the Bahai faith in about 1817. In all probabilities the dates might differ — give or take a few years — but that’s not the point.

It is thus that all religions gravitated as per the then prevailing conditions, slowly but surely to follow their respective path — all leading towards the Almighty. After all, the essence of all religions is one; only the approaches are different — universality amongst diversity. It is likened to a bicycle wheel where each spoke represents one religion and although at a distance from one another at the periphery, they all lead to and meet at the center.

Coming back to the concept of conversion who can claim to be the deciding factor — the priestly class, scholars, the common man or trustees?

This letter is not meant to hurt anyone but to put thoughts on paper in the larger interest of the global community.

RUMY R. DASTOOR