Don't Categorise And Pigeonhole Individuals In A Hurry: A Rejoinder
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
18 May 2024
"Maturity Consists Of Not Allowing
Childhood Traumas To Determine Your Adult Life."
While I appreciate Mr Nasser’s aforementioned pithy
observation, I don't agree with its uniformity in all spheres.
This apercu
is much more applicable to psycho-sexual behavioural patterns. For example, the
behaviour or proclivity of rapists and pederasts is often determined by the
sexual trauma experienced at a tender age. That trauma affects their psyche and
turns them into sexual predators at a later age and stage.
But in the
case of an individual abnegating religion and god and turning to atheism cannot
always be ascribed to childhood traumas or a difficult relationship with one's
father. Mr Naseer has cited just a few examples of the so-called atheists who
didn't get along with their father.
Moreover,
Voltaire and Franz Kafka cannot be branded as atheists. Voltaire was a
rationalist; sort of an iconoclastic rationalist. You cannot call him an
atheist. Likewise, Kafka declared himself an atheist in his adolescent years.
So, it was more of a ' schoolboy atheism, ' or more aptly known as 'starry-eyed
atheism' not originating from any sense of disillusionment but out of fashion.
The writer
suggests that atheism and apostasy are behavioural aberrations born out of
childhood traumas and a difficult relationship with one's father. Three famous
figures of ancient India, Makkhali Gosala (Ajivika teacher), Gautam Buddha and Mahavir
were natural atheists (Prakrit Nastik in Sanskrit). They were born more than 2,
600 years ago and were coevals. All three had no problem with their fathers.
Nagarjun,
the exponent of Madhyam Marg (Middle Path) in Buddhism and a Mahayana Buddhist
philosopher was very attached to his parents even after becoming an ascetic.
This 'second Buddha' (Divam Buddham) vehemently denied god and
scriptures and even criticised Buddha on many occasions. Dharmkirti (6th or 7th
century) was one of the main contributors to logic in classical India, he
developed a refutation of god's existence like many of his fellow Buddhist
thinkers. He called his father Pratidhaan (Sanskrit for 'an ideal
father') as it was his father who egged him on to doubt and question.
Auguste
Comte, father of Sociology, enjoyed a cocooned childhood but became an atheist.
Daniel Dennett didn't undergo any childhood trauma but throughout his life, he
denied the existence of god and considered theism to be a mental aberration and
a psychological anomaly.
Russian
writer, philosopher and anarchist Mikhail Bakunin (1814-1876) was close to his
parents. Yet, he was an atheist. World's most celebrated atheist Richard
Dawkins has no issues with his dad. He had a smooth childhood.
The list of
such atheists who never faced any childhood trauma is endless. An observation,
however great or sagacious it may appear, cannot apply to all situations and
individuals.
An attempt
to find weak roots and connexions to prove one's point often falls flat. Moreover,
psychology doesn't and cannot always help explain intricate human behaviour and
preferences because every human is a veritable ' volcano of emotions ' and is
unique.
So, please
don't categorise and pigeonhole individuals in a hurry. Mr Naseer will not
disagree with me on this count.
----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul
is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He
has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several
languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/categorise-pigeonhole-individuals/d/132339
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