Religion at the Crossroads: Chains or Wings?

When we decided to publish this article in our web magazine, we faced a dilemma about its categorization—should it be placed under 'Adhyatam evam Darshan' or 'Samaj evam Rajniti?' Eventually, we chose the latter, as the article engages more with societal concerns than with spirituality or philosophy. While forwarding the piece, the author included a quote—possibly anonymous—that offers a glimpse into the spirit and substance of the article. “Religion does not fail people—people fail religion. The question is whether we will keep betraying it, or finally live up to its light.” This quote felt especially relevant because it captures the central tension the article explores: the gap between the ideals of faith and the realities of how it is practiced. In times when religion is often invoked to justify division or violence, the quote reminds us that its true power lies in the values we choose to uphold. It sets the tone for a reflection not just on belief, but on responsibility.

Religion at the Crossroads: Chains or Wings?

Krishan Gopal Sharma

“God has no religion.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Religion remains one of the most powerful forces shaping our world. At its best, it has inspired love, sacrifice, and solidarity. At its worst, it has been hijacked by greed and ambition. This paradox is as old as civilisation, but in our time the stakes feel higher.

Faith’s Universal Core

Look past rituals and language, and religions converge on a shared ethic.The Buddha taught interdependence, Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of God is within, and Guru Nanak declared that divine light lives in all. Their messages echo across traditions: life is one, and compassion is its truest expression.

Love thy neighbour. Practice ahimsa. Live justly. These teachings are neither exotic nor unique; they are universal. Religion at its essence is a call to justice, peace, and self-realisation.

When Destiny Excuses Injustice

Theological debates often blur this clarity. Consider predestination: if all is fixed, what room remains for human choice? Too often, fatalism is preached as an excuse for suffering. “Your poverty is God’s will.” “Your oppression is fated.”

Such doctrines disarm the oppressed while serving the interests of the powerful. Yet many faiths also affirm responsibility: the Gita commands action, Christianity emphasises choice, and even modern science insists that within cosmic order, human decisions matter.

The danger lies not in belief itself but in its misuse. Religion that discourages conscience and courage, ceases to be religion. It becomes control.

False Prophets, Familiar Tactics

History warns us about self-styled prophets/false messiah who cloak ambition in holiness. They thrived in ancient courts, medieval empires, and colonial societies. They thrive today too—though their robes may be designer suits rather than sackcloth.

The pattern is familiar: demand blind loyalty, amass wealth, exploit divisions. Followers are kept in fear or intoxicated with promises. Jesus’s warning still rings: “Beware of false prophets… inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”

The scandal is not only their hypocrisy but society’s silence. When we mistake charisma for truth, when institutions discourage questioning, manipulation festers.

Religion as Political Weapon

Karl Marx called religion “the opium of the masses.” His critique was broad, but in politics today, the warning feels prescient. AAAcross the globe, faith is increasingly drafted into partisan battles. Temples and mosques double as campaign stages. Pulpits echo electoral slogans. Sacred symbols become props for rallies.

The result is predictable: religion divides instead of unites. “Us versus them” becomes the default rhetoric. Violence is justified in God’s name. In such moments, religion does not elevate the human spirit—it reduces it to a pawn.

Quiet Service, True Faith

And yet, another story unfolds away from headlines.Sikh langars feed millions daily, with no questions asked about caste or creed. Christian charities run schools and clinics in remote corners where governments barely reach. Buddhist monasteries double as shelters during floods. Muslim communities use zakat to fund education and health for the poor.

These are not spectacles. They rarely trend online. But here lies the authentic heartbeat of religion: compassion in action, service without discrimination.

The Work of Renewal

If religion is to heal rather than harm, renewal is urgent. This requires courage at both institutional and individual levels.Education must emphasise shared values across traditions, not just dogmas. Religious institutions must be transparent, accountable, and resistant to personality cults. Interfaith dialogue must go beyond polite conferences into joint service projects—feeding, healing, rebuilding.

Above all, individuals must reclaim agency. Gandhi put it sharply: “Do not ask God to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet.” Faith should not excuse passivity. It should inspire responsibility.

Choosing Chains or Wings

Religion today stands at a crossroads. It can continue to be chains, binding people with fear, dogma, and division. Or it can be wings, lifting us toward justice, compassion, and truth.

The choice is not abstract. It plays out every time faith is used to whip up hatred—or to feed the hungry. Every time a pulpit preaches exclusion—or service. Every time followers accept blind obedience—or ask hard questions.

Martin Luther King Jr. often quoted this powerful reflection which was very popular amongst activists during American Civil Right and anti-war movements, “The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.”

But it bends only  when people bend it. So it is with religion. It will bend toward liberation only when believers resist its misuse, expose false prophets, and live its deepest values. Faith can be chains. Faith can be wings. The flight depends on us.

K.G. Sharma is a Freelance journalist, retired from Indian Information Services. Former senior editor with DD News, AIR News, and PIB. Covered BRICS, ASEAN, Metropolis summits and contributed to national and international media. Presently, Consultant with UNICEF Nigeria. Mail : kgsharma1@gmail.com

(Views are personal)