“Those who in the name of Faith embrace illusion,
kill and are killed.
Even the atheist gets God’s blessings-
Does not boast of his religion;
With reverence he lights the lamp of Reason
And pays his homage not to scriptures,
But to the good in man.
The bigot insults his own religion
When he slays a man of another faith.
Conduct he judges not in the light of Reason;
In the temple he raises the blood-stained banner
And worships the devil in the name of God.
All that is shameful and barbarous through the Ages,
Has found a shelter in their temples-
Those they turn into prisons;
O, I hear the trumpet call of Destruction!
Time comes with her great broom
Sweeping all refuse away.
That which should make man free,
They turn into fetters;
That which should unite,
They turn into sword;
That which should bring love
From the fountain of the Eternal,
They turn into prison
And with its waves they flood the world.
They try to cross the river
In a bark riddled with holes;
And yet, in their anguish, whom do they blame?
O Lord, breaking false religion,
Save the blind!
Break! O break
The alter that is drowned in blood.
Let your thunder strike
Into the prison of false religion,
And bring to this unhappy land
The light of Knowledge.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
Comments on: "In the Name of Faith" (2)
Was googling about Siachen and somehow came across your Blog..and now reading this wonderful piece of work from Rabindranath Tagore..Thank you..its a beautiful poem..
With the bitter differences created by politicians and media..more than half of my country fail to realise that we have such similar cultures.. I have shared a room with a Pakistani friend while working in Africa and I really bonded well with him.. In fact I was closer to him than Indians working there..
Im hopeful that India and Pakistan can solve their differences by building trust and more people to people contact..Im hopeful that we can solve our disputes by peaceful measures..
God Bless!
Thank you. May your creed increase more on either side of the border. Stay blessed.