I pity those people who try to establish a relationship between science and religion. For many like me there can never be any connection between the two, simply because whereas science is a study of natural phenomena and always open to reason and ever changing and evolving based on the discoveries and inventions made by man, religion persists on archaic imaginary concepts of primitive times and steadfastly adhering to them despite loads of arguments based on valid reasons against it.
Let us consider the latest case based on the ruling of the Rajasthan High Court with regard to the Jain community. We are well aware that a person is not permitted to end his life for that amounts to suicide, which is punishable under the Law. Even if someone is on a hunger strike fighting for some cause and his health deteriorates, the state spares no effort to shift him forcibly for medical treatment so that his life is not endangered.
However since ages we have the concept of some of our gurus taking ‘samadhi’, which is glorified and even temples are built in a bid to deify the person. In the Jain community there is a practice of ‘Santhara’ or fasting unto death, wherein a devoted person stops eating and drinking completely, awaiting death. Will it not amount to the offence of committing suicide? The said court declared the ritual as illegal simply because it is akin to attempting suicide.
Not surprisingly, the said community has declared that it would go in appeal to the Supreme Court. It is probable that the apex court may bow down honouring the religious creeds associated with the ritual. For that matter, the Supreme Court has acknowledged the religious practice of ascetic nudity practiced by the Digambara Jain munis, who can move about uncovered anywhere in the country, though any form of obscenity in public is otherwise a punishable offence.
As usual the objective of penning these lines is to underscore our religious bankruptcy, which applies to all religions, simply refusing to reason out and come to reality.
