A Word on Religious Zealousness

I have always said to myself that I should refrained from talking about race and religion in the forum. I am not keeping my word this time!

One of my dearest friends posted the following in our WhatsApp chat group. I lost no time in advising that our WhatsApp group was maybe a wrong audience or platform for him to help evangelise.

Who is Jesus?

In chemistry,

  He turned water to wine.

In biology,

  He was born without the normal conception;

In physics,

  He disapproved the law of gravity when He ascended into heaven;

In economics,

  He disapproved the law of diminishing return by feeding 5000 men with two fishes & 5 loaves of bread;

In medicine,

  He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs;

In history,

  He is the beginning and the end;

In government,

  He said that He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace;

In religion,

  He said no one comes to the Father except through Him;

So, Who is He? He is Jesus!

  The Greatest Man in History

Jesus had no servants,

  yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree,

  yet they called Him Teacher.

Had no medicines,

  yet they called Him Healer.

He had no army,

  yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles,

  yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime,

  yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb,

  yet He lives today.

I feel honoured to serve such a Leader who loves us.

Let's celebrate Him; He is worthy.

The eyes beholding this message shall not behold evil

The hand that will send this message shall not labor in vain,

   and The mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall smile forever.

Remain in God and seek his face always.

Amen!!

I am not against any religious advocacy. People who are true believers of the couple of main religions are usually men and women of high moral standards. This good friend of mine is a case in point.

But this WhatsApp chat group comprises mates some of whom are devout Buddhists and Daiosts (Taoists) . A few are free thinkers. They will not be comfortable reading it. There was already a posting by another mate which purportedly came from an organisation called ICARUS - a Geneva-based organisation called the International Coalition or the Advancement of Religious [sic] and Spirituality. This organisation is said to have bestowed "The Best Religion in the World" award on the Buddhist community. The award was voted on by an "international round table of more than 200 religious leaders from every part of the spiritual spectrum!

Being a skeptic, I googled for more information. There was simply no credible body that went by that name. (Doesn't the lack of English grammar in its very name say volumes of its bogus self?)

On another occasion, I saw a Facebook posting which proclaimed a certain religious prophet was the great man to have walked on this Earth of ours. 

All these gave me a great deal of discomfort. Sure, our religion's God and his prophet(s) are greatest to us. But shouldn't we keep it to ourselves? Religious belief is a very individual choice. It may not be good to keep insisting that your god or prophet is greater than others'. 

Indeed the ICARUS's "news release" and the above posting on Jesus can prove to be counter-productive. In the latter case, the way the author rationalises actually reflects crude logic in some of his or her lines. Does Divinity need such explanations?