Please keep aside your religious sentiments/prejudices and read from the perspective of an independent individual.

Which is the world's most successful institution till date? For me the answer is Religion. From time immemorial man worships probably everything that is above his power and reach. He has been worshipping natural forces, celestial bodies, animals, ancestors and what not. Why does man need religion or God?

Development of faith in God can be attributed mainly to 3 factors: fear, ignorance and helplessness . Fear of lightning might have persuaded a pre historic man to worship it. Ignorance about the universe might have led him to worship Sun and stars. Being helpless before lethal animals should have led them to worship the same.

But now that we know the folly in these acts of worship it's reasonable to think why these idols don't just fade away. The answer is they just replenish themselves and adorn the garb suited for each age. Because irrespective of time it's being a characteristic feature of humans to rely on something that gives him hope. He just wants to make himself believe that some supernatural power is out there to help him in his needs.  God,as presented by religions, gives him just that support .

Now, what's the role of religion in society. Religion is something that gives a structure and framework to faith in God. Each religion prescribes a fixed set of rules, rituals and acts that promises the believer nothing but God. It is influencing the lives of human beings more than anything  else in this world. They set the ethical and moral standards for the human lives. Almost all religious doctrines call for love, compassion, benevolence, charity and brotherhood. It's also a fact that a lot many people draw their inspiration to lead a moral life from the religions they follow.Religion is supposed to guide an individual to God. It should make him open up his closed mind and lit it with the light of wisdom. The true purpose of religion is ,quoting the verses from  the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, "tamaso ma jyotirgamaya"(Lead me from darkness to light). 

But is the religion serving it's true purpose at this juncture? No empire or civilisation has lasted in our world indefinitely. However great they  may be, all of them have passed from their glorious periods to a state of decay. Religions are also not an exception. All religions have their roots at the messages of a Messenger. For Christianity it was Christ, for Islam it was Prophet Mohammed, for Buddhism it was Buddha and so the list goes. All the religions have had humble beginnings with their followers clearly understanding and following in what they believed. Rituals and rules came slowly to give an organised framework for the act of worship. But the decay started when people started to forgot what these rituals and rules stand for. They were followed just for the sake of them to be followed and no questions were asked. From the status of the path to God, religions have downgraded themselves just to groups with which people like to be identified with just like race or caste. Religion has become another means for people to socially organise. This can be demonstrated with the following example. 

It is well known that no religion in this world promote violence or use of coercion in any form. But history often draws a different picture. Crusades were waged by European kingdoms under the auspices of Catholic church. Innumerable riots have taken place between Hindus and Muslims in India. In Myanmar Buddhists are persecuting the minority Rohingya Muslims and in Middle east Islamic militants are annihilating people of other faith. How can any religion in this world justify any of these inhuman actions? This can only be explained by the underlying tendency in the human mind to show others that he is right and the one who opposes him is wrong.

So as an individual what can we do? I think one must start by evaluating ones own faith. Ask yourself on what religion you believe and why? If it comes to your mind that you are believing in a particular religion for the sole reason that you were born to it, then it's high time for you to think. If you are praying to a God or a deity just because as a kid you were told to do so  shows that you are following nothing but blind faith. Instead you must have a solid reason for believing in God. Choice of religion is always your convenience because no religion gives you God outright. They are just different paths leading to the same destination and as a believer it is your task to discover God in the religion you follow. Now if you are not finding a convincing answer, then it is better to live as an atheist. Are you worried that God will be angry for you being inquisitive? Well, you cannot even consider that entity to be God if it is so narrow minded. 

Closing remarks ;Never believe what I have told here for granted; think and find your own answers. 

Have you ever wondered why movie stars enjoy so much attention and fanfare. People will do just anything for them. Some love them, some worship them and some are so obsessed with these people that we may feel that they are really crazy . The incessant influx of movie stars into Indian political scene also has no other reason.

Why does people behave in this manner? After all these actors are also mere human beings like us;only difference being they are really good in something.

The reason is simple. For a typical fan (of an actor) his idol is everything that he himself wanted to become in life but is unable to become. Just imagine how a typical Indian hero looks like. Well that image changing every day and so lets focus on the latest one. He must be well built (A six pack will give you extra credits!!) ,must be handsome, must dance well and so it goes. Now consider our Aam aadmi; he will be either too lean or too fat (forget the six packs :p). , he will have just average looks, and for him dance will be like rocket science!!

Now what happens is that this Aam aadmi will see himself in the Hero. He feels that it is he who fights the bad guys ,it is he who flirts with the heroin, it is he who is  it is he who is wooed by beautiful women, it is he who is dancing and so it goes. Thus movies give him a platform where he can do things that he otherwise cannot do in real life. Movies like FightClub, The Secret Life of WalterMitty, BirdMan all have a similar story line. They are the story of common people who wants to look like some thing else in life.

Hi All,

Let's talk about Dallas Buyers Club . The first thing that comes to your mind is Matthew McConaughey . Mr.Woodroof is not a saint. He is  alcoholic and  drug addict. He fucks prostitutes. He cheats people and so it goes. 

His world turns upside down when he is diagnosed   with AIDS.He was given with a life of just 30 days.  As we can expect he is totally broken on hearing this. Even though he is much lean and seems pretty weak, he himself believed to be much stronger and a macho. But the disease was sarcastically smiling at him and he is feeling nothing but helpless. 

But as a race human beings have shown a certain quality ;Endurance. It is the only thing that can explain the existence of humans as a race as today. When circumstances become hostile , when life becomes miserable , when friends turn foes, when one is pushed down to the bottom, then there are 2 possibilities; he will either give up his hopes for a life or he will embrace life like never before. Out of these Woodroof chooses the second. He literally researches about the whole area of AIDS and finds out the choices available to him. He gets to know about a drug called AZT. It is actually a new medicine in it's trial state. Nevertheless Woodroof manages to get regular doses by bribing the hospital attendant. Once that route is stopped he finds that he could avail them from a physician (Dr.Vass) in Mexico. He goes to Mexico with every last penny he got and finds the Doctor. There he told about the ill effects of current course he is administering and is put on a course of Vitamin and protein supplements. Gradually his health improves and  returns to United States.

In US, Woodroof discovers the scope of a new business he has accidentally found. A totally new disease that is spreading fast; With no cure; even without a standard treatment procedure . Now Woodroof sets out to cash in on this. On his return he takes as much medicines that he take and with them he sets up what is called 'Dallas Buyers Club' . A part of the undertaking was financed by a trans woman Rayon whom he met when he was in hospital for the treatment. It was like a club where one can get a course of medicine for membership fee of $400. Dallas Buyers Club becomes an overnight success and people starts to flock in.

Mr.Woodroof becomes a busy entrepreneur. Meanwhile FDA ,the regulatory body for drugs finds the Woodroof's self styled treatments as a threat and confiscates his belongings. He files a legal suit against FDA for continuing his venture. But he loses the case . But he is given with a heroic welcome back in the club. Later it is shown that he died after 7 years against 30 days as the prediction of the doctors.

Now what is the takeaway from this film. Here we can see a person who was given a 30 day window by his doctors . He could have live and die within that period but what he did was to fight. Of course he tries to cash in on the new possibilities; but as for the people concerned it was a real help. What he administered to them was hope rather than a set of pills. When everyone including the doctors left them he Woodroof gave those patients something that made them live. Actually it the same course that we follow even today. 

It's over only when you say so..