Book(s) that changed the way I think - Religion

Disclaimer : This article has no intention to comment on the merits/ demerits of any particular religion.

The first book that changed the way I think is "Jesus Lived In India"- by Holger Kristen.I read this book 8-9 years ago. The book is a step by step investigation into the life of Jesus Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection. Holger Kristen ( hence forth -HK) takes you through a series of "proofs" , scientific explanation, and great logical reasoning to prove that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross , as is popularly believed, but escaped with the help of his disciples and went on to live the rest of his life in Kashmir, India.

Now, Christianity ,as a religion, is based on the foundation of "the Crucifixion"- the concept of Jesus dying for to absolve others' of their sins . So where does it leave Christianity if it is proved that Jesus did not die on the crucifix at all??

Behold !! Guardians of Religious Sovereignty !! Don't draw your swords yet ! I did not say I endorse the view nor that all that is written in the book is the "gospel" truth. What the book did to me was much better and liberating..

Flashback : I am a Hindu and am brought up on a healthy diet of religion, beliefs and customs. Nothing too harsh,just in the right doses. It is very hilarious to think now that when I was 9 or10 years old , when asked if I knew about the 2 World Wars ; I replied "ofcourse, WW1 is thewar in  Ramayana and WW2 is that in Mahabharatha" !!!! The great Amar Chitra Katha's and books in local languages added colourful stories from Mythology. So I believed in Krishnas, Ramas and the other innumerable gods, we Hindus are generously blessed with, and their divinity and miracles.I went to temples,believed in divine powers of obscure gods, believed in Pujas,believed to an extent in traditions related to religion.

 After I finished the book " Jesus Lived In India" I was consumed by the thought - what if the book is right? What if Jesus did not die on the cross? What if he had lived the remainder of his life in India??? Then the whole foundation of Christianity would be shaken; in fact, there would be no foundation. That's when it struck me with a violent force that perhaps the gods did not exist...at least not as the gods we are taught to know. They might have lived and roamed the earth in those times, but as mortal beings. They may perhaps have been exceptional leaders , with fantastic following. They would have been "different" from the normal people of those times. 

This thought was further ingrained into me when I read "The Bible"- the 2nd book that changed the way I think.It was an abridged version, told in a story book fashion, and with illustrations. To me, a person with out preconceived notions regarding Christianity, "The Bible" was a fantastic tale , which happened 2000 odd years ago, about the fight of a group of disadvantaged people against the tyrannical ruling class. They had great leaders , great vision, and great strength to achieve the vision.

Shorn of the "divine aura" ; the Bible was just an epic , a tale, maybe, a historical log to me - albeit a fantastic one. Then I went on to remove the divinity angle from the gods in the countless Hindu stories I was exposed to. Rama could have been a good king of the yore, lucky to have a chronicler by the name of Valmiki. So would Krishna be. If the exaggerations are tempered down with rational explanations ( and that is quite possible) then the miracle stories become simple and beautiful tales of the olden times.

That was when religion disassociated with spirituality and GOD for me.  Customs and traditions (Parampara and Reeti Rivaz- as our great Big B keeps saying in the great patriarchal roles he plays ) related to religion became meaningless. Castes became absurd. Every thing that human beings do in the name of religion became sham.

 That was when I came across the horrible truth called " Organised religion" ( very akin to organised crime eh?) and the way a select privileged set of people exploit other set of gullible people with religion. 

Having already transformed with the help of these two books - the third one drove the final nail in the coffin. It is " The DaVinci code" ! One of the most brilliantly written book in recent times, the book is erudite and is a perfect blend of mystery, religion, history and thrills. And with yet another possibility of shaking the foundation of a prominent Religion.

I am free now. I am not bound by unreasonable beliefs; unnecessary customs or misplaced faith. I can think clearly, at least as far as religion is concerned. 

I am free.