BY: THE OBSERVER
There is this universal belief by religious people of different faiths in stating unreservedly that “all roads lead to God,” which is to be deciphered as no matter what religion you believe in, the end result is that only the true, living God is served.
This is a mere common sense sentiment, a logical explanation by those with a religious bent, and it is not some profound revelation or theory and it causes right thinking people to accord respect and tolerance to all religions and their followers.
Whether Judeo-Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, which are the most popular religions in the world at present, there can be no denying the fact that these religions in total have billions of followers all over the globe.
While it is irrelevant what faith or belief you profess, the end result is the belief that there must be equal respect and recognition given to a religion to pave the way for there to be inter-faith understanding and tolerance of all religions and to allow for it.
The reason religions mostly attract the poor
Seen from whichever position a person takes, there is that unified belief and understanding that it is usually the poor that are drawn and attracted to the inexorable appeal of a religion because “religion is for the weak.”
This might sound like a sweeping statement or generalization and must be verified and confirmed by surveys and studies and statistics, and while this dissertation does not offer any, the unwritten rule is that any place of worship attracts mainly the poor.
Usually when financial factors such as the economy is on the wane, many working and business people tend to up the ante or increase the tempo of their religious activities which is commonly witnessed in a country like Malaysia.
In houses of worship of all religions, aid and assistance to survive is dispensed to the poor and it is at these places of worship that wealth is actually being equitably distributed but on a moderate scale.
Seeking to be religious is the domain of the poor
There is a certain and undeniably balsamic comfort for the poor in performing rites and rituals, offering prayers, meditating and other such religious activities among all religions which is the way of practice for virtually all religions.
This, rightly or wrongly, gives a certain sense of peace and calmness to descend upon an individual, and while these sensations and feelings for many of the poor take on a drug-like effect, who is to say that it is not working for the religious.
The rich and wealthy indulge in sensual pleasures by the use of wealth and money, but the poor cannot afford these indulgences and have to seek alternative forms of pleasure that are simple and inexpensive by visiting houses of worship.
Besides this, there are often social service networks in places of worship offering food and accomodation, health and medical treatment, financing or funding the poor which is why these places of worship are beacons of hope to the poor.
The poor must be transformed from living in poverty
While the deeds of religious places of worship in providing and alleviating poverty are commendable, a better option would be to uplift the socio-economic status of poor people by rehabilitation and training to stand on their own two feet.
Efforts must be made within the confines of these religious communes to kick-start income generation projects, financial budgeting and cost control and the teaching of participating and engaging in economic activities to the poor.
Providing food, shelter and clothing, other aid and assistance to poor people must be a stop-gap measure and this succour must not go on in perpetuity, but poor people must be accordingly phased out once empowered.
This is where, in Malaysia, the Madani Administration can do a world of good and wonders by co-operating and working together with the different houses of worship to help the poor come out of the vicious cycle of poverty.
-THE MALAYSIA VOICE
** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher
