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Bhagat Singh: Why am I an atheist?


Shaheed Bhagat Singh

I reject the existence of an omnipresent, all-powerful, all-knowing God. I am not an atheist for the reason that I am arrogant or proud or vain, nor I am a demi-god, nor a prophet, nor I am god myself. I am going to sacrifice my life for a cause. What more consolation can there be! A God-believing Hindu may expect to reborn as a king; A Muslim or a Christian might dream of luxuries he hopes to enjoy in paradise as a reward for his suffering and sacrifices. But what should I hope for?


I know that my life would end when the rope is tightened around my neck and the rafters moved from under my feet. Without any selfish motive of getting any reward here or in the hereafter, quite disinterestedly I have devoted my life to the cause of freedom. Our forefathers evolved faith in some kind of supreme being, therefore, one who ventures to challenge the validity of that faith or denies the existence of God shall be a kafir or a renegade. Even if his arguments are so strong that it is impossible to refuse them if his spirit is so strong that he cannot be bowed down by the threats of misfortune that may befall him through the wrath of the almighty. He should be decried as vainglorious.


I am an atheist not because of vanity. My disbelief in God has turned all the circumstances too harsh and this situation can deteriorate further. Being a little mystical can give the circumstances a poetic turn. But I need no opiate to meet my end. I am a realistic man. I want to overpower this tendency with reason. I am not always successful in such attempts. But a man must try and make efforts. Success depends on chance and circumstances. It is necessary for every person who stands for progress to criticize every tenet of old beliefs. He has to challenge the efficacy of old faith. He has to analyze and understand all the details. Any person who claims to be a realist has to challenge the truth of old beliefs. If faith cannot withstand the onslaught of realism, it collapses.


British rule is not here because of God's will but because of the lack of will and courage to oppose it. Not that they are keeping us under subjugation with the consent of God, but it is with the force of guns and the bullets, police, and militia, and above all because of apathy. One of my friends asked me to pray. When he got informed of my atheism, he said, "When your last days will come, you will begin to believe it. I said, "No my dear friend. It will never happen. I consider it to be an act of degradation and demoralization. For such selfish motives, I will never pray."

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