Religion Is A Monumental Chapter In The History Of Human (And Individual) Egotism

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 11 January 2024 “Religion Is A Monumental Chapter In The History Of Human Egotism.” ― William James So very true! Let me add the word 'individual' to the quote of the great philosopher and one of the first modern psychologists William James whose birth anniversary falls on January 11 to rewrite it: ' Religion is a monumental chapter in the history of human and 'individual' egotism.' Aren't you all witnessing one particular individual's sickening egotism in the brouhaha of Ram Mandir? It seems as if this man is redefining Hinduism and turning a putative deity's consecration into a national carnival. Whether Muhammad, Mahavir, Moses or Modi, the saga of religion/s has been the manifestation of human and personal / individual egotism in the history of human civilization. Egotism is, 'the fact of being excessively conceited or absorbed in oneself.' There's a subtle difference between 'Egoism' and 'Egotism'. While both are negative traits, 'Egotism' has more negativity to it because it's full of I, Me and Myself. If you read Gita, the megalomaniac Krishna calls himself the Essence of Existence (Jeevan Sattva) and the Alpha and Omega of divine consciousness. William James further wrote that in all religions, the so-called prophets and proponents superimpose human egotism upon their respective divine fabrications and call their own faiths or sects as the only true way to divinity. In fact, all the religions are the most egotistical as well as egoistical manifestations of collective human ego but ironically, all religions try to project themselves as models of modesty and egalitarianism. It's an egotistic delusion of a Protestant Christian that he calls himself greater than a Catholic Christian or a Sunni Muslim will look down upon a Shia, though both belong to Islam. Egotism is too much insistence on one's own prejudices and false perceptions. And what's a faith if not a huge compendium of prejudices and false perceptions? Egotism dwarfs the presence and existence of others and builds its own ivory tower of pathological exclusivity. All religions, sects and sub sects have been doing this right from their inception. It's egotistic Islam that never approved of other faiths wholeheartedly. Judaism and its followers also did the same and called Christianity and Islam as false faiths and mere tributaries (which is, however, theologically a correct statement). The egotistic neo-Hindus or today's Sanatanis are calling their version of faith as the most authentic. Please read Sanjay Dixit's ridiculous and most puerile book 'Why All Religions Are Not The Same.' You'll understand how an egotistic Hindu thinks in these religiously polarised times. Humans are not bothered about their fellow humans. They're only bothered about their religious egotism. Yet, we call ourselves as evolved beings and that's yet another example of humans' perennial egotistical behaviour. ---- 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/religion-monumental-history-human-egotism/d/131494 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