Chapter 13: World religions

Question: Why is there religion and what role should it play in our lives?²⁴⁰

Sri Chinmoy: Religion plays a most significant role in the life of the aspiring seeker, for religion is our spiritual home. We start in our spiritual home and then go to the Home of God. Religion is the home we live in until we enter God’s Palace and establish our conscious, constant oneness with God.

It is not good to be afraid of God; God is all-loving. But it is better to think of God with fear than not to think of Him at all. Most of the time an unknown or unconscious fear looms large in those who practise religion. If they do something wrong, they feel that God will punish them. This fear is what compels them to think of God and pray to God. This is the situation most of the time, but not always, with those who practise religion. First they approach God with fear, and only afterwards do they approach God with love, innocence and oneness. But when we practise spirituality, it is never out of fear. Where there is oneness, there is no fear. It is out of sheer necessity that we practise spirituality. Necessity compels us to love God.