Religion. Poem by Nabakishore Dash

Religion is meant to bind men
for the welfare of all
the creatures on the earth.
What I experience and analyse,
you too do the same,
the word has totally
lost its worth.

Religious controversies, wars,
infrastructures, holy books,
rituals and the varied icons
have poisoned our civilization,
keeping us all isolated
from one another.
Why don't we become vocal
to support the truth and
eradicate the falsity,
being practised in the globe
to keep us asunder?

We are all humans,
Homo sapiens, with forty six
gene bearing threads in cells,
but are divided into many
religious groups,
fighting with each other
to prove our fake superiority
while the central reality of religion is compassion
and kindness for
all living beings.
It never encourages
hatred, violence,
lynchings, beatings
misunderstandings,
always embraces love,
truthfulness, altruism
and blessings.

Is there any need for us
to be identified with any
particular religious faith
if we inculcate the lofty
ideals of religion which
originated from the Latin
word religare meaning
to bind?
Divisions and sub- divisions
in the name of religion, caste,
color are the stumbling blocks
to hinder the progression
of man as they keep us
emotionally quarantined.

Individually I don't feel the need,
but for those who feel,
I have a will to appeal to
their highness that the
pill to kill the man made ills
of communality lies in giving
equal homage to all religions
with our deepest heart and mind.
Then and only then
it may be possible to shed
our enmity to inhabit together
as brothers and friends.
Nabakishore Dash, India, Odisha.