It was Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), the British Mathematician, Philosopher and more importantly the Godfather of present generation atheists, who stated it so categorically that he does not see any reason to believe in any form of God. Since then, the body of human knowledge has increased exponentially. Many more sub-atomic particles have been discovered, including the God Particle, and space scientists have literally pushed the contours of our physical reach many million times into the Space. But all that we have achieved so far gives a clear-cut idea about the direction of Human development and where we will reach eventually.

Patterns of human endeavor for understanding the Universe is a multi-pronged one and billions of dollars are expended for this every year. The theoretical Scientists (especially Physicists) will continue with their thought experiments and applied Physicists and other Scientists will come up with new discoveries every now and then. Then there is the struggle to correlate the two that will generate more questions than answers which calls for more future endeavors. Whatever be our achievements so far, it is certain that experiments by humans and equipment, with finite capabilities, can never ever find conclusive answers for questions about our infinite Universe. Leave alone all other questions, we have not yet defined the expanse and structure of the Universe, even in the twenty first century. It will never be possible too.

Need of God

When our level of understanding the Universe remains so limited at all times, the need for an undefined infinite entity becomes a bear necessity to fill in the gaps. Since time immemorial, the concept of such an entity called God has been an indispensable part in all the tribes and civilizations that have independently evolved in various parts of our small planet. The reason is obvious. But for such an unknown undefined entity, their level of knowledge can never satisfy their quest for understanding the world around them. As Science and Technology in their times improved and they could understand, explain and even predict more and more natural phenomena, the quantum of unknown undefined areas also grew in equal if not more measure. In such a situation, Religion and Spirituality evolved as natural tools for satisfying their eternal quests in appreciating the unknown God.

At all times, we can easily define God as the sum total of all that is unknown or unexplained so far in this Universe. This is the easiest way to define an unknown entity whose existence is absolutely required to explain our Universe. Quite contrary to Russel’s outright rejection of God, the more we explore and the more we try to understand everything rationally, we are sure to conclude that there is every reason to believe in some form of God to endure our rationality in the modern world. This is exactly why most of the cutting-edge Scientists are ardently against Atheism, which will make them look like fools against the mounting evidence of an all pervading force that is sustaining this Universe. The only doubt in their minds is about its name and form. 

Form of God

There has been no other culture and civilization that has dealt with the concept of God uninterruptedly for such a long time than Sanatana Hindu Dharma in India. In fact the definition of God has undergone a systematic evolution during its discourse in the Dharma stretching over atleast 5000 years. From Dwaita to Vishita Adwaita, the final verdict was in favour of the much acclaimed Advaita Philosophy enunciated by Adi Shankara, the revered Malayali Monk who is considered as one of the most intelligent human beings ever alive. In simple words, Advaita means that an element of God is present in everything that constitutes the Universe and like the physical phenomenon of Resonance, those who can match their resonant frequency with the natural frequency of God can become God itself (attain Moksha).

Now the question comes to envisaging such a God for our day-to-day reverence and worship. There are so many choices, starting with a formless concept (but with an unchallenged final Prophet) as in Islam to a bearded human like form as in Christianity (again with a Godson and countless Saints) to the myriad idols as in Hindu Sanatana Dharma. The first two involve human beings in the form of Godson, Prophets, Saints and are inherently fallible and error prone. Hindu Sanatana Dharma also involves Avatars and much divine Rishis, but all of them ultimately worship and bow down in front of some idols. In the free and liberal frame work of Hindu Sanatana Dharma, the source code of God is freely available to all its followers and they can customize it to any idol form they want for worship.

In Hindu Sanatana Dharma, the believers are actually reflecting on themselves when they are worshipping in a temple in front of their idol God. In their mind they have already attributed all the ideal qualities to their chosen idol forms, which being unliving and non-human are completely infallible and devoid of all forms of negativity, errors and defects. Idol form of our own personal God can be as powerful and ideal as we want it to be. When hundreds and millions believe in the same idol God, it becomes all powerful like the idols at major temples all over the world. Idols make our lives easy and easier for the poor, simple and helpless humans to worship, complain to and even curse. And those whose prayers are sincere, intense and consistent might even ultimately become one with the deity, whom they have already attributed all the ideal qualities to. In Hindu Sanatana Dharma, each temple is a representation of our own body with the presiding deity in the form of the stone idol at the place of our working heart. What can be more representative of God than that?