Our God — Page 153
Great Benefits ofBelief in God 153 God. That is to say, it cannot prove that there is no Creator of this universe. At the most, it can prove that belief in God leads to narrow-mindedness and a violation of peace. However, if God does exist, then, whatever the consequences of believing in Him, we have no right to deny His existence. Therefore, if the existence of God is established, we cannot deny it even if religion causes strife. But in reality it is absolutely incorrect that religion causes disorder, and those who believe this have made a grave mistake. Above, we established that belief in God creates sentiments of mutual love and brotherhood naturally and instinctively. Belief in God eliminates all national and racial prejudices and creates a worldwide brotherhood. Without belief in God, worldwide brotherhood is inconceivable. How, then, can belief in God lead to strife and narrow-mindedness? Strife and narrow-mindedness have no connection at all with the concept of God. Logically, it is unacceptable that the concept of God—not a national or racial God, but the Creator and Master of the whole of mankind— should manifest in the form of narrow-mindedness, national prejudices, strife, and sectarian divide. No sane person can find a cause-and-effect relationship between the two. Thus, if religions do lead to disorder, narrow-mindedness, and national prejudice, we should look for its cause elsewhere and try to find out why this happens, rather than attributing it unjustly and unnaturally to belief in God. Unfortunately, those who make this criticism have witnessed religions in a state where religion exists in name alone. This objec- tion is specific to the present age and, unfortunately, the followers of all faiths are far removed from the essence of their religions. There is not a single religion whose followers truly adhere to its