Rape and Sexual Assaults: The Role of Religions and Media

Prof. Josh Sreedharan
Wed, 22-03-2017 02:30:10 PM ;

   

                   

It was none other than the great philosopher Immanuel Kant who said that Churches and dogmas have value only in so far as they assist the moral development of the race.  Examining the ills of our society in general and sexual assaults on women in particular, it’s fair to say that such things happen not because of the failure of state but because of the failure of the religions.

 

Religions impart moral education to their followers regularly. Especially the modern religions do this on every week. We presume that the tens and thousands who throng to their places of worship are given training for moral development. This, we believe, give them training in ethical behaviour!

 

But in secular states, governments do not and cannot give training to the students on moral and ethical development. The state is expected to give education to sharpen their intellect and become clever to sustain their lives and if possible to become responsible citizens . The state can book people for their offences but it is not responsible for their behaviour towards fellow beings.

 

Think of the recent sexual crimes in Kerala as example. Who are the alleged offenders? Not only those who belonged to different religions as members of the faith -- the people who belonged to the lower strata of life like Govinda Chami but also who belonged to the elite group. So too people of all sections of society are involved in such actions-- say leading politicians , bureaucrats, academicians, physicians, journalists etc. So it is not a question of your secular education or vocation. The best comedy often we read is when politicians blame the opponent’s party responsible for the members' immoral traffic.  No political party can give training on moral and ethical subjects except that of fundamental groups and ironically such training can be prejudiced and even be vicious! 

 

So if all sections are involved irrespective of their class, race, ideology or religion, the finger points at two aspects related to the individual-- 1. his body 2. his mind .

 

When it comes to the body, what you consume is what you are added on your genetic features. Don't forget that sexual desire for the opposite sex is natural for all organic beings including human beings. If one doesn't have it, genetically something is wrong with that person. So feel proud that you have desires. But as an individual living in a group one has to control it to tune with the society.

 

Who has to control? There appears the mind which is the most enigmatic feature of all beings on earth. Don't think that the mind simply obeys all the orders of the body which means mind requires training in that area. That training is what is expected from religious or spiritual institutions!

 

So it is their failure to impart such training on taming the excess sexual desire of individuals that often create such issues.

 

In our society one evil influence that even negates the orientations of religious institutions are the media! What is fed on you continuously, you show that character! If media irrationally and repetitively dwell on sex only, sex dominates excessively in your mind, even influences a priest more than the preaching of his faith.

 

Hence to tackle these issues there should be a new approach that has to be started with examining the failure of religions and the harm that media circulate in the name of freedom of the press.


josh sreedharan Josh Sreedharan is Professor of English at Department of Studies in English & Dean, Language Faculty at Kannur University