10 Nov : We need to hear God once again under the skies of Europe…Europe must open itself to God, must come to meet him without fear, and work with his grace for that human dignity which was discerned by her best traditions, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI said in Vatican City on November six celebrating Mass for the Holy Year of Santiago de Compostela.
Pope further added: The Europe of science and technology, the Europe of civilisation and culture, must be at the same time a Europe open to transcendence and fraternity with other continents, and open to the living and true God.
Religious statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, suggested that in order to keep people in religion’s and God’s fold, religious organizations and their leaders should make religion more vibrant, attractive and engaging.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that we (religious leaders and organizations) were responsible for the alienation of many believers. Our efforts at social control, judgmentalism, stagnant approach, etc., might be turning them away resulting in many of them questioning belief in God, equating religion with fear, etc.
Rajan Zed pointed out that life was getting complex and distractions were increasing, so religion was slipping away from the priority list of many. Conventional style of dealing with spirituality and religion did not appear to be effectively working, especially with today’s youth. Make it more exciting and challenging, Zed suggested.
A spiritual world will be a better place to live than a non-spiritual world, Zed adds.