India is a country of religious diversity and religious tolerance is established in both law and custom. Throughout the history of India, religion has been an important part of the country’s culture. A vast majority of Indians associate themselves with a religion.
India’s religious tolerance extends to the highest levels of government. The Constitution of India declares the nation to be a secular republic that it must uphold the right of citizens to freely worship and propagate any religion or faith (with activities subject to reasonable restrictions for the sake of morality, law and order, etc).. The Constitution of India also declares the right to freedom of religion as a fundamental right.
Hinduism is the only religion in the world where rivers are worshipped as goddesses and trees represent God Almighty. The medium can be any... the ultimate goal of life must be adhered to. If we seek God in this very life... we need to travel the path traversed by Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ or Prophet Mohammed.
Christian teaching draws its adherents closer and closer to full intimacy with God. Ephesians 3:19b says, ". . .that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." It is always the Person that is the object, not knowledge. Those who seek only knowledge develop self-righteousness and arrogance. 1 Corinthians 8:1b says ". . .Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Ultimately, Christianity is distinguished because it is a relationship; all of its teachings promote that relationship. Christ is called the Everlasting Father; we are His children. Followers of the teachings of other religions are merely students.
Indian census has established that Hinduism accounts for 80.5% of the population of India. The second largest religion is Islam, at about 13.4% of the population. The third largest religion is Christianity at 2.3%.The fourth largest religion is Sikhism at about 1.9% of India’s population. This diversity of religious belief systems exiting in India today is a result of, besides the existence and birth of native religions, assimilation and social integration of religions brought to the region by traders, travelers, immigrants, and even invaders and conquerors. Stating the hospitality of Hinduism towards all other religions, John Hardon writes, “However, the most significant feature of current Hinduism is its creation of a non-Hindu State, in which all religions are equal.
India’s religious tolerance extends to the highest levels of government. The Constitution of India declares the nation to be a secular republic that it must uphold the right of citizens to freely worship and propagate any religion or faith (with activities subject to reasonable restrictions for the sake of morality, law and order, etc).. The Constitution of India also declares the right to freedom of religion as a fundamental right.
Citizens of India are generally tolerant of each other’s religions and retain a secular outlook, although inter-religious marriage is not widely practiced. Inter-community clashes have found little support in the social mainstream, and it is generally perceived that the causes of religious conflicts are political rather than ideological in nature.
Hinduism is often regarded as the oldest religion in the world, with roots tracing back to prehistoric times, or 5000 years. Evidence attesting to prehistoric religion in the Indian subcontinent derives from scattered Mesolithic rock paintings depicting dances and rituals.
BELIEFS OF 3 MAJOR RELIGIONS IN INDIA
HINDUISM: Hinduism is not full of fairy tales... it is full of parables! Anecdotes, short stories, even joke galore in Hinduism that gives life its meaning. As many human beings... as many paths... as many versions of gods can there be. After all... the God we worship is hidden from us... only a mental image exists within our brain. It can be any form... a statue or an image... anything!
In Hinduism there is a belief that there are above 320 million gods. How does it matter... how many gods are prayed to! The essence lies in the fact that we understand the true entity of God... gain enlightenment (kaivalya jnana) at the earliest and finally reach the stage of salvation (moksha).
Take the path of any religion... all culminate finally at the same goal point. Why do we forget that God is everywhere! Those at the lower level need a medium to pray to God. Accomplished spiritual seekers do not need a medium.
ISLAM:Islam aims to bring about prosperity to all mankind. One of the leading authorities on Islam today, Imam Muhammad Shirazi , calls upon all Muslims to adhere to the teachings of Islam in all domains in order to regain their former glory and the salvation of mankind. These teachings include:
- PEACE in every aspect.
- NON-VIOLENCE in all conducts.
- FREEDOM of expression, belief, etc.
- PLURALISM of political parties.
- CONSULTATIVE System of Leadership.
- The RE-CREATION of the single Muslim nation - with no geographical borders between them, as stated by Allah: "This, your community is a single community and I am your Lord; so worship Me"
- The Revival of Islamic fraternity throughout this nation: "The believers are brothers"
- Freedom from all Man-made Laws , shackles and restrictions as stated in the Qur'an: "he (Prophet Muhammad) releases them from their heavy burdens and from the shackles that were upon them"
CHRISTIANITY:As Christians, we do not seek to learn creeds, nor do we adhere to a carefully bulleted list of do's and don'ts. We embrace the Bible and meditate on it so that we can draw ever closer to the Savior. We live godly lives because we have been filled and empowered by the Person of Jesus Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Any seeking of the scriptures as a means within itself leaves one empty; there may be head knowledge, but nothing is gained of eternal value.
Thus we see that India is a country filled with a number of different religion and people scattered all over india follow different religion and thus India is known as the country of diversity.
