Religion ... Fragile?

Where does this come from? And, why does this tend to make sense to people? Series of incidents over a period of time ... Makes a sham of secularism, and degrades religion, I must say.

First, there is the priestof the Guruvayoor Temple, in Kerala ... Who believes that the Lord is polluted by the presence of a woman in His vicinity. For, the aspect of the Lord worshipped there is the Brahmachari. Question ... Is the woman not the Mother, the Sister? Even the Brahmachari would defer to the Mother! Polluted? How?

Then, there is the incident of the Salman Fatwa ... By an organization based in Bareilley (dont ask me the name, I dont remember) ... They dont like Salman Khan ... have issued a Fatwa against him ... his fault? Attending the Ganapati prayers! Not participating, too, but being in the same room where the Prayers were happening, and clapping with the chanting.

Makes me wonder ... is religion so fragile? Is our God so fragile? Or our faith in Him so fragile? I dont think either of the two ... The first ... cannot be! The second ... should not be. Which is why I look at the M. F. Hussain controversy, and the pseudo-secularism prevalent in the country, not as a religious issue, but as a socio-political issue, as does most of the population in the country.

What I find unnervind, is that such trivial issues tend to inflame passions. There are lots of people who believe that such a trifle can upset their religious or spiritual balance with God. Who believe that something like this is, God forbid, worth killing for. Reminds me of a sher (ok ... I dont remember the poet):

Aaj agar khaamosh rahe, to kal sannata chhaayega,
Har basti mein aag lagegi, har basti jal jaayegi,
Sannaate ke peechhe se bas ek sada phir aayegi,
Koi nahin hai, koi nahin hai, koi nahin hai, koi nahin!

And, the sad part ... Intolerance breeds intolerance! And, an eye for an eye leads to a nation of blind people.