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Preaching in a godless world

P K Surendran | January 22, 2012 | 0 Comments

When tired of chasing Babas and Lamas with a sickle in his hand, rationalist Guru Babu Gogineni, settles down with an Asterix or Wodehouse, for too serious and sickly are the issues he deals outside to carry out serious readings at home too.

But in the home turf he’s often drawn to friendly sparring with his family. His wife Sahana and their only son Arun, aged 7 (“and half,” he corrects you) too, have brownie points to earn on rationalism, which he willingly yields for domestic peace. “I don’t’ believe in god,” declares Arun, startling you. “I too,” chips in his mum, “But what I hate is rationalism becoming another bullying religion,” says Sahana throwing a side-glance at Babu who returns a piercing look through his lenses.

Babu Gogineni is at the forefront holding the flame of humanism in AP and India. He has till recently been executive director of International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), a world union of humanists. A prolific writer (he writes in French too) and a brilliant debater, Babu believes the youth of India today are far more comfortable with humanism and rationalism than their predecessors but they grow in an ambience that stifles free thinking. Delivering them from the yoke of falsehood is his mission.

In a dialogue with PK Surendran the other day, Babu shares his beliefs, his fights against orthodoxy, his hopes and despairs on battling religion and superstition.

Why does India seem to be moving away from secularism?

Not the fault of the Constitution, I can tell you. The Constitution’s Preamble says we are a Secular Republic, Art 44 of the Directive Principles calls for a Uniform Civil Code, and Art 51 (a) (h) of the Fundamental Duties of the Indian Citizen asks all of us to develop the scientific temper.

But most of us are failing the Constitution, particularly the intelligentsia, the politicians, the bureaucracy and the scientific community. Here we’ve space scientists conducting puja before launching a satellite. What more to say!

Many contend that India is a spiritual country. Actually it’s ritualistic religion and superstitions that rule, not spirituality. That is why consumerism is on the rise, and so are astrology, rahu kalam, varjyam, numerology, vaastu and miracle mongering.

How many Indians arenon-believers today?

In Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Tripura, Rationalist and Communist parties were elected to power. As to real numbers, we don’t know because the Census enumerators are not trained to take the information accurately. Census ought to have a column for those like me who have rejected caste and religion. (But, Japan Research Centre — 2006 is quoted saying 6.6 per cent of Indians have stated they have no religion.)

How does rationalism help humanity?

Rationalism tells us that this is all the world that there is and this is the only life we have. We can do well in this life and expect that the good we do will last even after us. Rationalism is an approach, which rejects all dogmas and arbitrators so we don’t accept any book or prophet as the final authority. Freethinking has been the basis of reform and is the cornerstone of the scientific method. It has helped us discover human values and democracy as well.

Reason and reasonableness go together. Rationalism liberates you.

Supposing that the majority of Hyderabadis become Humanists, what changes will it bring along?

They will save a lot of money, which they are spending on paying purveyors of astrology, vaastu, gemstones and numerology! Financial transactions will also take place on Tuesdays! More seriously, 30 years ago, Hyderabad was the theatre of conflict between Hindus and Muslims. Because the virulence of religious extremism has lessened, our city has become more peaceful! It’s the triumph of reason.

The faithful ask you (rationalists) to prove God does not exist. Do you take up the challenge?

Actually that challenge is based on a fallacy in thinking. If you say something exists, it should be for you to say how it looks and to prove that it exists. If you say there is an elephant in this room, it should be for you to prove it, not me.

Is it possible to leave God and tackle religious bigotry?

Yes. And it is necessary because religious people are not bad people; it is those who exploit people’s ignorance in the name of religion who are. Very often devotees are pious, and they want to do good, even if their charitable instincts are wrongly directed! We ridicule the beliefs not believers.

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