WHICH RELIGION?
Proven Authenticity
DR. S. Radhakrishnan (1888-1975) the second President of India was a well-known writer and philosopher. In one of his works, titled Religion and Culture, he showed that religion is absolutely necessary for human beings, and that without it, man cannot stay alive. In this regard, he stated, ‘There is no question of religion or no religion but what kind of religion.
’ Dr. Radhakrishnan advocated a form of religion based on the notion of oneness of different religions—the belief that there is a universal Reality that is found in all religions, although with some external differences.
This understanding emerges from attributing to the whole something that actually applies to the part. It is true that there can be partial or minor differences between two different truths and despite this, they can be considered one and the same. But when the difference is of a major magnitude, to claim that they are the same is not tenable. For instance, if one religion says that God is One, while another religion denies the existence of God itself, then both these truth-claims cannot be said to be the same. Both cannot be said to be true at the same time.
Religion is absolutely necessary for human beings, and
that without it, man cannot stay alive.
Some religions claim that personal experience is, or should be, the basis of religion. Such forms of religion are unacceptable because the real issue is one of authenticity of a religion. A religion that is devised on the basis of personal experience cannot claim to be authentic.
The question then arises: Which religion is it that should be accepted? From the intellectual point of view, the answer to this question is that it should be a religion whose authenticity is proven through historical standards. Its prophet must be a historical prophet. Its scripture must be intact in its original form. It must be fully reliable according to the test of history.
