Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 142
142 immoral practices as legalised by their mantras. Similarly there are many other religious systems whose principles and practices are abhorrent to human feelings. It is not possible for a man to be so peaceful as to acquiesce in all these immoral practices. The same sad condition is observable in the principles to which different people adhere. Some are addicted to the lowest forms of fetishism, some worship trees, snakes, cats, dogs, fire, sun, moon, rivers, &c. , while others worship human beings, as their God. Can we suppose all of them to be on the right path ? It is the duty of. men who come into this world for its regeneration to spread the truth upon the earth and extirpate falsehood out of it- If a righteous servant of God were told by dacoits or thieves that he should obtain certain property by extortion or theft, would it be right for him to join with them in tbe perpetration of such crimes ? Religion would teach him to eschew such evil deeds, for religion enjoins us to eschew all evil and impure doctrines and deeds, and not to take for our guides books which teach such immoral and impure practices and laws. I cannot understand how a man can honestly live at peace with all forms of religion and admit the truth of their principles know- - ing tbem to be false. Such a course would imply that no evil is evil, and false doctrines and evil deeds shall have to be regarded as high trutbs and virtues. To any one who would cast a glance at the different forms of religion prevalent in the world, it would be clear that in respect of the knowledge of the Supreme Being, various notions prevail, some of which cannot but be condemned. On the one extreme are the Athiests who do not believe in the existence of God, and on the opposite are those who look upon men, or animals or heavenly bodies or the physical forces of nature as their God. Again, there are the Arya Samajists who consider themselves as the true heirs of the Vedic religion. They