4000 Years of Logic—Traded for One Shiny Idol

 

4000 Years of Logic—Traded for One Shiny Idol

Image Courtesy: Sanskrit Magazine

It seems that millions of people in India who believe in idol worship have found genuine reasons to continue with this practice, and I can understand their reasoning even though idol worship was never part of our original Vedic teachings. When we look at the story of Buddha, one of the reasons Vedic scholars resisted his rise was because people began worshipping the man instead of understanding the message he was trying to convey. Granted, the scholars themselves could not answer the deep philosophical questions Gautam asked, and even today, many of those questions remain unanswered.

At the heart of idol worship lies the word "faith" because, without faith, the worship itself has no meaning. But faith in what? This is where the conversation often becomes uncomfortable. Historically, the concept of idol worship came from civilizations like the Egyptians and Greeks, where the business aspect of religious rituals was well understood by those in power. The rise of scholars who challenged these rituals through science, logic, and mathematics gradually revealed the cracks in these belief systems. As more people began to question the purpose and validity of such rituals, religious institutions felt threatened and often responded with aggression. History has recorded countless struggles of individuals who dared to question religious authority—many of whom were branded as heretics and paid with their lives. Societies, it seems, have always had a tendency to believe in religious leaders more than in science, especially when faith is tightly intertwined with identity and culture.

What makes the Vedic civilization particularly fascinating is how deeply it was rooted in science and knowledge. The fact that there are four Vedas, each focusing on distinct areas of knowledge, shows how thoughtful and advanced the scholars of that time were. They understood the importance of compartmentalizing ideas, ensuring that knowledge remained clear and organized instead of being reduced to a single dogma. I remember during my student days in the 1980s, I had several intense discussions with students from Iran. A Greek friend warned me that my thoughts might offend them, but to his surprise, they struggled to debate me when I kept bringing the conversation back to science and logic. I even asked them why they were pursuing higher education at a university if they believed their religious teachings already held all the answers. Eventually, it became clear that their connection to religion was often more political than spiritual—a means to preserve identity rather than seek truth.

The strange part is that Indians themselves spent centuries studying the dangers of ego, anger, power, and control, openly warning future generations about how destructive these forces can be. They created entire epics to showcase what happens when we fall prey to these impulses—the ego of Ravan, the fear instilled by Kans, the clear distinction between good and evil, and the rituals designed to educate people on why these paths lead to ruin. And yet, today, we are witnessing something truly mind-boggling—many of the same people who grew up hearing these stories are now worshipping a corrupt man full of ego, someone who is openly pushing a religious narrative designed to divide people and gain political power. It’s as if we have turned our own wisdom upside down.

The bigger question is whether idol worship is inherently good or bad. The answer isn’t simple because it depends entirely on how and why it is practiced. Even modern psychology acknowledges that when the human brain is overwhelmed with infinite thoughts, it can be dangerous to one’s mental health. If focusing on an idol helps someone declutter their mind and achieve peace, then idol worship can actually be therapeutic. In that sense, the practice makes perfect sense. However, when this form of worship is hijacked by individuals who turn it into a profit-making industry, filling people's minds with fear, guilt, and unwanted narratives, then it becomes a serious problem. What was once meant to heal the mind starts to pollute it.

The real concern arises when idol worship is no longer about personal faith or spiritual calm, but instead becomes a loud, aggressive badge of identity—a public declaration that divides rather than unites. Temples are being built where schools should stand, and blind loyalty is suddenly seen as a sign of patriotism. And if you dare to question any of it, you’re instantly branded as anti-national, anti-religion, or worse. We are no longer talking about spirituality. This is politics wrapped in the holy cloth of religion, and it is as dangerous as it gets.

What makes this entire scenario even more tragic—and frankly, laughable in a dark way—is that this is happening in the land of the Vedas. A land whose ancient scholars valued science and reasoning more than 4000 years ago is now voluntarily marching back into the dark ages, clinging to religious dogma while shunning the very spirit of scientific inquiry that once made it great. It’s like watching the descendants of Aryabhata and Charaka trading their telescopes and medical texts for blindfolds and conspiracy theories. And they do it with pride.

This is why I object—not because I have any personal hatred toward faith or tradition—but because I refuse to stand by and watch a civilization built on questioning, reasoning, and discovery get reduced to a chanting crowd blindly following self-proclaimed messiahs. If idol worship helps you find inner peace, go for it. But if it’s being used to sell hate, fear, and division, then it’s no longer worship—it’s a tool for destruction. And the saddest part is, we seem to be lighting the match ourselves.

If we continue worshipping idols while smashing the very mirror that once reflected our scientific spirit, we won’t need enemies to destroy us — we’ll do it ourselves, one ritual at a time.