Why I am an Atheist and Other Works

by Bhagat Singh

The day we find a great number of men and women with this psychology who cannot devote themselves to anything else than the service of mankind and emancipation of the suffering humanity, that day shall inaugurate the era of liberty.

Because Mahatamaji is great, therefore none should criticize him. Because he has risen above, therefore everything he says may be in the field of politics or religion, economics or ethics is right. Whether you are convinced or not, you must say, “Yes, that’s true”. This mentality does not lead towards progress. It is rather too obviously reactionary.

But man’s duty is to try and endeavour, success depends upon chance and environments.

Any man who stands for progress has to criticize, disbelieve and challenge every item of the old faith. Item by item he has to reason out every nook and corner of the prevailing faith. If after considerable reasoning one is led to believe in any theory or philosophy, his faith is welcomed. His reasoning can be mistaken, wrong, misled and sometimes fallacious. But he is liable to correction because reason is the guiding star of his life. But mere faith and blind faith is dangerous; it dulls the brain, and makes a man reactionary.