Why I am an Atheist
- Bhagat Singh
'Everyone who stands for
progress must criticize every principle of old beliefs,' wrote the
revolutionary, who was 23 at the time.
Bhagat Singh (born September
28, 1907) was convicted and hanged on March 23, 1931, for his role in the
murder of John Saunders.
This book is a collection of
letters written by Bhagat Singh from Central Jail Lahore in 1930 to his father,
comrades, and the Governor-General of India during the Lahore Conspiracy Case.
I remained silent for 30
seconds after finishing this book, my hands folded. It was the most amazing
book I'd ever read. And the most challenging.
Though there are numerous
quotes in this book, my personal favorite is:
They may be able to kill me,
but they will not be able to kill my ideas.
They may be able to crush my
body, but they will be unable to crush my spirit.
— Bhagat Singh
Bhagat Singh's essay 'Why I'm An Atheist' explains why he rejects the existence of God.
We remember Bhagat Singh as
the revolutionary who defied British rule and sacrificed his life for his
country. However, few of us are aware that he was also a free thinker. He
rejected the concept of God at a time when our country was riddled with
superstitions and criticizing God was regarded as the worst sin.
In 1930, a year before his
execution, Bhagat Singh wrote an essay titled Why I am an Atheist. He discusses
his beliefs and how he came to the conclusion that there is no god in this
essay. His thoughts and ideas, written around 87 years ago, are still
remarkable examples of revolutionary thinking.
He writes that he never
imagined that his belief, would someday lead to such harsh
criticism, beginning with how those around him came to attribute his atheism to
vanity and pride.
It's debatable whether my lack
of faith in an Omnipresent, Omniscient God stems from arrogant pride and
vanity. It never occurred to me that I would become embroiled in such a
controversy in the future. As a result of some conversations with my friends, I
realized that, despite only knowing me for a short time, some of them have
hastily concluded that my atheism is my folly and the result of my vanity.
After openly declaring himself
an atheist, he found it difficult to deal with faith issues. He describes how
his friends thought his fame was a result of the Delhi bombing, and the Lahore
Conspiracy had gone to his head, leading him to reject God's power. He
categorically denies the allegation and explains why.
Friends say I shot to fame
after the Delhi bombing and the Lahore Conspiracy Case and that this fact has
turned my head. Let's take a closer look at why this claim is false. As a
result of these events, I did not lose faith in God. I was an atheist even when
I was a nobody.
Bhagat Singh then recalls his
days at National College, where, despite being a firm believer at the time, he
began to question the existence of God.
During the Non-cooperation
era, I was admitted to the National College. During my time at this college, I
began to consider all of the religious polemics, and I began to doubt the
existence of God. Despite this, I can confidently state that my faith in God
was firm and unwavering. I grew a beard, and 'Kais' was born (long head of hair
as a Sikh religious custom). Despite this, I could not persuade myself that the
Sikh religion, or any religion for that matter, was effective. But I had a firm
belief in God.
But the real shift in his
thinking came when the entire responsibility of his party was placed on his
shoulders. He describes how he decided to read more and more in order to arm
himself with sound reasoning in order to defend his party against any kind of
derision.
His beliefs shifted at this
point, and by the end of 1926, he had embraced atheism.
I was just a romantic
revolutionary, a follower of our leaders up until that point. It was then time
to take full responsibility. For a time, the party's very existence was threatened
by a fervent opposition. Many leaders, as well as a large number of
enthusiastic comrades, began to defend the party against mockery. They made fun
of us. It marked a turning point in my revolutionary career. My heart was
filled with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. 'Study more and more,' I told
myself so that I could counter-arguments from my opponents. My previous beliefs
and convictions were drastically altered. No more esotericism! No more blind
trust! Our perspective had shifted to realism. By the end of 1926, I was
convinced that belief in an Almighty, Supreme Being who created, guided, and
controlled the universe was shaky.
Bhagat Singh makes no
apologies for his views on faith in God, openly proclaiming that the origin of
faith is a man's inability to stand alone in the face of adversity.
Beliefs make overcoming
adversity easier, even enjoyable. God can provide strong support and
encouraging consolation in His Name. You are forced to rely on yourself if you
do not believe in Him. It is difficult to stay upright in the face of storms
and strong winds.
He goes on to describe the
difficulties that a person faces when he abandons traditional beliefs about God
and his power.
You defy popular opinion by
criticizing a hero, a great man widely regarded as above criticism. So, what
happens? No one will respond rationally to your arguments; instead, you will be
regarded as vainglorious. Mental insipidity is the root cause. Independent
thinking and merciless criticism are two essential characteristics of
revolutionary thinking.
The most memorable part of his
essay, however, is when he poses two difficult questions about God's existence:
1. If you believe in an
Almighty, Omnipresent, Omniscient God who created the earth or universe, please
explain why. This world is filled with sorrow and grief, as well as countless
calamities, and no one lives in peace.
The revolutionary thinker
concludes his extensive essay with a well-supported argument, writing that
people should rise above religious dogmas and walk the path of reality rather
than seeking solace in a mystical entity.
Society must fight this belief
in God in the same way that it has fought idol worship and other narrow
religious notions. In this way, man will try to stand on his own. To be
realistic, he must abandon his faith and face all opponents with courage and
valor.
In the following chapter,
Bhagat Singh was astounded to learn that his father had petitioned the Special
Tribunal members regarding his defense.
Bhagat Singh's lines were as
follows.
If it had been done by someone
else, I would have considered it treachery. But, in your case, it has been a
weakness - the worst kind of weakness.
In the last chapter, two things were presupposed by
the Court's decision.
1. There was a state of war
between the British and Indian nations.
2. That Bhagat Singh actually
took part in the war.
As a result, they were taken
as prisoners of war.
They were misidentified as war
prisoners by the Court. That is why Bhagat Singh requested that they be shot
rather than hanged.
Happy Reading
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