The Element of Glorification in Religions

March 1, 2018

By Saeed Qureshi

One of the most glaring and striking element in religions is the glorification of the founders or stalwarts of those respective religions. This image building or attribution of super human powers and closeness to an omnipotent or the creator of the universe is to show that the deity that these believers follow or believe in, was an extraordinary being and that he could do anything by way of blessing or harming anyone.

Supplemented with this is the doctrine of hell and heaven and the peculiar powers to wreak havoc by way of vengeance and conferment of blessing by way of pleasure. Such allurements and fears serve as irresistible trappings for all those who have some kind of needful to be done such as harming the enemy and getting rich and popular.  

Naturally everyone wants money, power, popularity, clout and pelf. Those who have these privileges already, want more besides protecting those possessions and belongings. If there is a power that can be pleased and appeased by performing certain rituals and by clinging to certain fundamental beliefs to retain or get such privileges then it is not a bad bargain for the solicitors.

But God has been introduced by the individuals to the people like them. These individuals had been outstanding in intellect and wisdom. They have extraordinary qualities to guide and express themselves. They are highly eloquent and possess the inborn qualities to impress others. They are very sensitive and can conceive into deep thought process as to unravel in their minds such elements of understanding and knowledge that an ordinary person cannot conceive. These are the people who act as link between the creator and the human beings for favors or disfavors. All that the followers have to do is to demonstrate obedience,6 observance and compliance of the guidelines given by these torch-bearers, holy figures or apostles. Thus, a faith comes into being.

These intermediaries have to be pleased and appeased first so that they can give good recommendation to the almighty for favoring of disfavoring someone. Since God doesn’t come himself on earth to tell or convey, by some other medium, to everyone that he was their creator or God.  As such the creator of the universe has been made known to the human beings through these intermediaries. As such they expect from their followers and believers to accept them as close to God and his appointed messengers on earth. They expect to be revered as the holy figures and receive the accolades, esteem and reverence of the believers and others to follow their advice and recommendation.  

Thus, we see that the founders of all the religions are considered to be close to God and sinless. Jesus Christ is believed by the Christians to be the Son of God. The belief of the people in their divinity and sainthood or prophethood is believed to be a prerequisite and the stepping stone for earning God’s favor and mercy. So, the followers of these saints, prophets and the holy figures can go to any extent in eulogizing their spiritual powers and nearness to God.  

They are looked upon by the common people as the repositories of such attributes that can resolve the problems and the afflictions that the humans encounter. Moreover, the blessings and    the approval of the holy figures (prophets and saints) can get them a ticket to paradise and their displeasure can land them in hell.

But hell, and heavens are not readily available in this world. They are in the next world for which one has to remain loyal both to God and his apostles. A slight error or deviation from the given path can earn them the wrath of and displeasure of these holy people and through that of God as well. Most of the people don’t analyze or question as to why God can be so near to a few individuals and appoint them as his nominees and representatives on this earth to guide others. God, with all the powers, can turn everyone obedient in a fraction of second or they all can be born as staunch believers, entirely chaste and immune or pure of all the sins and wrong doings. As such these apostles are not needed to convey messages and beliefs that God wants the humans to adhere to.

The spiritual superiority or nearness to God by the prophets, the apostles or the holy men divides the humanity into two groups: those who are blessed by God on the recommendation of the prophets and those who remain unbridled from the shackles of beliefs and religious restrictions. Such divisions and beliefs also create fear and a preponderance for the credulous to follow the intermediaries and holy figures lest God gets furious and they suffer as a consequence in this world and in the next world which religions goad would come. As to when the system would come to an end and all the dead people would rise and become alive no one has any clue or proof of that.

In the first instance why, there should be a division between goodness and the wickedness in this world. If it has been created by God to sift between the believers and non- believers in his existence then such an option should not be left to human beings all the more when a powerful enemy in the form of Satan and devil has been let loose on them.

A creator of the universe cannot play such pursuits with the human beings and watch being misled by his arch rival Satan. If human beings are given as much and as strong powers that Satan is believed to possess then such a match and tussle or competition would look logical. Human beings with limited powers cannot stand firm or resist the temptations coming from the Satan to commit sinful acts and adopt anti- religious and anti-God behavior. Even if he or she remains steadfast and resists the Satan’s evil temptations then the reward for good deeds and punishment for bad deeds would be decided when the world would come to an end (the Doom’s Day)

It would look plausible that instead of reexamining the resurrected people on the day of judgment in a huge ground and decide their fat one by one, they can be sent directly from the earth either to paradise or the hell after they die.   

It is uncertain as to when world (our earth only) would end and God would sit on the throne besides the prophet Muhammad (Islamic belief) as no definite date or the time frame has been given in the scriptures or revealed by the apostles. But again, logically why God should play such games with his own creation and let the devil prey upon them till the Dooms’ day and then the people would be rewarded or punished. This look so illogical for a God and in a universe, which is absolutely logical and based upon the immutable scientific principles to the extent of a billionth of a second. The Christians have resolved that enigma by pleading that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as the son of god would straight-away go to the paradise after the death.  Christians’ belief in paradise doesn’t mention about the Houris (pretty women) or wine etc. in paradise.