Athira Mohan

“As we have seen so often in this book, religion may begin with mystical experiences but it always leads to politics. It starts with the voice heard by the prophets who are its chosen instruments. And what they hear always leads to actions that affect the way people live: with politics. Sometimes the politics are bad. People are persecuted for following the wrong faith or for listening to the wrong voice. Or they are forced to embrace the message announced by the latest hot prophet. So the history of religion becomes a study in different forms of oppression. But sometimes the politics are good. They are about liberation, not oppression. We saw good politics in the stand the Pennsylvanian Quakers made against slavery in 1688. And in the African American Church today the politics of Christianity are still about liberation. The tactics of Moses and the promises of Jesus are used to make the world a better place. Religion is no longer used as an opiate to dull the pain of injustice and inequality but as a stimulant to overcome it. That’s what keeps many people in the religion game.”
― Richard Holloway, A Little History of Religion

“So yes, religion has caused and continues to cause some of the worst violence in history. And yes, it has used God to justify it. So if we mean by God the loving creator of the universe, then either he doesn’t exist or religion has got him wrong. Either way, religion should make us wary. That doesn’t necessarily mean we should abandon it altogether. We may decide to stick with it but to do so with humility, admitting the evil it has done as well as the good. It’s up to us.”
― Richard Holloway, A Little History of Religion

“Kindsein hat nichts mit dem Alter zu tun, sagte die Stimme. Schon gar nicht mit der Größe. Kindsein heißt staunen können.”
― Edith Schreiber-Wicke, Amadeus Wunderkind

“ഇന്നലെ ചെയ്തോരബദ്ധം മൂഢർക്കിന്നത്തെയാചാരമാകാം,
നാളത്തെ ശാസ്ത്രമതാകാം,
അതിൽ മൂളായ്ക സമ്മതം രാജൻ”
― Kumaranasan, Chandalabhikshuki