By Varghese Alengaden

Indore, April 16, 2020: The review of the global data of pandemic Covid 19 has made me anxious. The number of people getting infected is increasing and hundreds now die in many countries.

The maximum casualties are in developed and powerful countries such as the United States. These countries have stockpiled the most modern missiles, powerful bombs and strong military. But all that has become useless before Covid 19.

The super powers have now engaged their best scientists to find a preventive vaccine against Covid-19. With them, more than 200 countries are fighting for freedom from the pandemic.

Covid 19 infects people without discriminating on the lines of religion, color, nationality, money power and scientific progress.

I don’t believe in a God who punishes humans for their or their ancestors’ sins. However, I have read from history books about genocides and massacres committed by powerful countries as part of expanding their empires. No one can erase those records that show how millions were killed by powerful nations.

To cite a few examples: At least 20 million people were killed in the First World War; 80 million in the Second and 1 million killed in the US-UK invasion of Iraq. Millions have lost their lives in wars such as Vietnam. All these wars speak of the arrogance, greed and brutality of imperialism.

What is ironical is that these countries have not apologized for their dark deeds: the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, mass murder at Jallianwala Bagh in India, starvation deaths of 30 million people during manmade famine in British India, kidnapping and selling of 30 million Africans into slavery, murder of 10 million people in Congo and many others.

Europeans colonizers had murdered 56 million Indigenous people as they plundered Americas. The American empire continues to create hostility between small countries in order to sell their weapons.

Isn’t it hypocrisy that the countries with violent past now preach human rights and democratic values to the world? They have to now realize that they cannot conquer and defeat everything in the world with their money and military might.

Along with these mighty nations, leaders of all religions also should introspect how their hypocrisy and falsehood have sustained the religious industry. More than 1 million people were massacred in communal violence during the days of partition of the Indian subcontinent. Murder and massacre of innocents in the name religion continue in small and big ways even after seven decades in India and other parts of the world.

From time immemorial when the priestly class adopted imperial and corporate ways to make religion an easy business they have joined the elite club of politicians and market forces to inflict violence on common people by peddling the opium of religion.

Priests and godmen of all religions who had collaborated with kings and emperors in the past, now do the same with present presidents and prime ministers.

When the invisible enemy Covid 19 attacked, godmen and miracle workers have locked their sacred churches, temples and other worship places and gone into hiding. Why don’t they go to hospitals to bless and counsel the lonely and depressed Covid-19 patients and thousands of doctors and nurses who take care of them?

Every country is making maximum effort to invent a vaccine to counter this deadly virus. Scientists in every country work day and night on this mission. The godmen and priests continue their religious rituals in the privacy of their homes and broadcast them through online channels. They do not want to lose their market in the post Covid days.

Although I do not believe in religious superstitions and dogmas that are contrary to scientific temper I find some scientific basis in the law of karma. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7.

The God I believe waits patiently for self-correction and self-renewal by his people.

Why don’t the leaders of all nations and religions make a public apology for the past murders and genocides and pledge to build a new world of universal solidarity? This will be the beginning of a new civilization free from hatred, prejudice, violence, wars, exploitation and exclusion.

This is the only way for the rulers to get absolution for their ego, greed and arrogance. They have to reflect,realize, repent and renew by resolving to build a new world of universal solidarity and peace. The leaders, with all humility, should make a collective pledge to stop violence, hatred and greed at all levels forever.

They should stop accusing each other, threaten and block support for humanitarian works. All countries, especially the rich ones, should collectively declare to write off the debts of all nations and share their surplus resources with those in most need. All countries should declare to reduce their military power and destroy nuclear bombs immediately. The powerful ones should show the way by voluntarily abandoning their privilege of ‘veto power’ to make United Nations fully democratic.

All countries should declare to form national governments with the best talented persons in their countries. The UN could be converted into a World Government making its structure and functioning more democratic and accountable.

Let priests and godmen of all religions open their worship places for all and stop the business of selling drug of superstitions. Let them stop their mega rituals and pilgrimages. Convert their large churches and religious centers and ashrams into multipurpose centers available for all.

Leaders of political parties, religions and organizations in all nations should realize that the crimes they have committed have blocked the real progress of the world. They should now sincerely determine to build a nation with universal values of justice, equality, dignity of individual and universal solidarity and peace.

Why don’t they stand together with citizens of every country and pledge to build a civilization of love — free from violence, greed and hatred?

Similarly, rich families and institutions should show solidarity to the poor and the marginalized through real actions. Instead of donating gold and silver to lifeless deities, they should contribute to the last and the least of society. Write off the debts of the poor and support them to have food, clothes and shelter to live with dignity. Consider this as worship to the living gods. The gold, silver and money stored in strong lockers belong to the poor, the hungry and the homeless. Give them to those people and attain gifts of peace and happiness in return.

God sees everyone and everything. He is patiently waiting for humans to correct themselves instead of punishing us for our wrong doings. The genuine worship is in living according to the universal values common to all than erecting tall statues, large temples, expensive churches and other memorials or setting up pilgrim centers.

Let people of all faiths resolve not to build any more temples, churches, mosques and other worship places. God wants us to shed our hypocritical identities and adopt the human face of a compassionate God.

Covid 19 will go. The world will be free from this pandemic. The new resolution of fraternity shall be made the most urgent and important priority of all to save the whole humanity from the worst genocides, mass murders, more deadly virus of hatred, violence and exploitation.

Long live civilization of love! Long live universal solidarity and peace.