Character and religion

Character and religion are generally regarded as being in the same box of ideas, or rather a box within a box. After all, every religion lays down certain guidelines and those who follow these rules do claim to be of good character.

However, if you read the religious texts carefully, you will realize that most holy books do not specifically lay down a long list of do’s and donts. Even if they do, they hardly ever say that those who do not follow these guidelines deserve to be shunned because of a bad character. In fact, the word ‘character’ is hardly ever mentioned in religious books.

If you seeking a rough map to good character, through the books of religion, then a better way to go about your quest is to study the lives of those who wrote those books or founded those religions. They were, ultimately, living the lives that they thought were best. Religious leaders lead not by lectures, but by setting an example.

Whether you look at Guru Nanak or Christ or Mohammad or the pantheon of Hindu Gods. Their stories will tell you about courage and conviction, about defeating evil forces and spreading peace and love. They have broken rules defied social convention when it went against their conscience.

The same holds true of latter-day spiritual leaders like Kabir, Swami Vivekanand, Sri Aurbindo, Sai Baba and so on. Truly enlightened leaders do not just lecture about what comprises good character. They live it out for you to see and to follow.

  Author Annie Zaidi. Copyright 2004. indianchild.com