Javed Akhtar Is A Belligerent Atheist

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 23 April 2023 While the entire nation celebrated two festivals, Akshay Tritiya and Eid on April 22, the wet blanket Javed Akhtar said that he wanted to see a few festivals for atheists as well. He urged fellow atheists to come up with some fresh ideas. Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi ------ This is called monomania. Javed's atheism is too loud and exasperating. It's belligerent atheism. In a bid to flaunt his 'unadulterated' atheism, he condemns festivals, not knowing that festivals have nothing to do with any religion. All festivals are manifestations of exuberance. If an atheist celebrates Eid or Akshay Tritiya, will he or she become a Muslim or a Hindu? Just the way neo-converts zealously condemn all the practices, customs and rituals of their earlier religion(s), these rabid atheists also cast aspersions on all that they erroneously think to be religious. This is also some sort of an intellectual extremism one doesn't approve of. Humans tend to stretch their beliefs a trifle too far and a tad too much. One doesn't have to wear his/her atheism on the sleeve and demand a festival for atheists. One can enjoy the gaiety of all festivals without adhering to any god and faith. I've no faith in any god or religion. But I enjoy the festivals of all faiths. I love to have bowls of Sheer Khurma and Aamras Poori on Eid and Akshay Tritiya. I unabashedly accept Eidi on the occasion of Eid. All my Hindu and Muslim friends invite me despite knowing that I'm an apatheist. I appreciate the concept of Shab-E-Charaghaan (Diwali) and like the idea behind Holi without an iota of faith in Hinduism, its scriptures and deities. I celebrate X-Mas and appreciate the significance of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement and Repentance in Judaism and Samaritanism) but my faith in Christianity or Judaism is cipher. I try to practise Anekantvad or Pluralism of Jainism but have no faith in Jainism. In short, one can enjoy all festivals in a detached manner if one wants to. An atheist must never be rigid. In fact, it's the rigidity of the followers of all man-made faiths which an atheist dislikes and doesn't approve of. So, why on earth should an atheist be rigid like Javed Akhtar? In this age of ubiquitous social media, whether a theist or an atheist, all are playing to the gallery with a view to getting that proverbial Warholian fame of 15 minutes. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/javed-akhtar-belligerent-atheist/d/129625 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism