IS FANATICISM VALID TODAY?

It is pertinent to question whether Fanaticism is valid in today's society. It is one of the maladies that affect the well being of society. What exactly is fanaticism?  It is a state of mind wherein you consider your religion,language,caste, creed, community or even your country as the greatest. Not merely that, you down grade and try to establish, one way or the other, the superiority of your religion, language or others. Fanaticism has done so much disservice to society that we have to reconsider if this attitude is to be continued in society. Religious and social leaders speak a lot in platitudes but when it comes to practice fanaticism has the last laugh! Religious fanaticism is as vile and dangerous as others.The 'jihads' or religious wars during the early centuries between the Christians and the Muslims have taken the toll of  hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. Christians had fought severe wars for the sake of their holy place, Jerusalem, the birth place of Jesus Christ. Muslims consider all, of other religions, as infidels! Even in the same religion there are sects that are opposed to one another. Protestants, Catholics,Sunnis and Shias among Christians and Muslims respectively are at logger heads with different beliefs and ideologies! The latest illustration of fanaticism is the rise of brutal and savage ISIS that has launched a series of heinous crimes, beheading, looting, murders and conversions!

      Another serious type of  fanatic zeal is that of language. Linguistic fanaticism isas dangerous as religious fanaticism. You consider your language as the best and th greatest! Is Sanskrit the mother of all languages? Is Tamil greater than Telugu? Should we read and learn Hindi which is a nort Indian language? Such silly questions arise and poison one's mind! We should remember that all religions and languages are great for the followers of that religion and language. They are like our mothers. Simply because you Love your mother you cannot say that others are no good or bad!
       If God is the same for every religion why is HE described differently by different followers of religions? God is One no doubt. But he plays different roles for different persons. The head of the family is father to one, brother to another, and husband to the third and is called by different names by different persons. So the One God is described in various namesor ways as per  the particular aspect in which he appears to his particular worshipper. As Sri Ramakrishna points ' Let a man be Christian in the matter of mercy, a Muslim in the matter of strict observation of external forms, and  Hndu in the matter of universal charity towards all living creatures." All religions are different paths leading to the same God like the waters that fall from the heaven eventually flow into the sea!
         Linguistic fanaticism has an emotional impact and leads to senseless violence! It is present in Tamilnadu pronouncedly. Anti Hindi agitation had created a lot of trouble earlier.The issue is being politicised. Though people are not against Hindi or Sanskrit, the new generation of politicians are against these two languages. They oppose anything that encourages Hindi and Sanskrit.
         " THERE IS ONLY ONE RELIGION, THE RELIGION OF LOVE. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD HE IS OMNIPRESENT"
             THERE IS ONLY ONE CASTE, THE CASTE OF HUMANITY. THERE IS ONLY ONE LANGUAGE, THE LANGUAGE OF     THE HEART.----Bhagawan Sri Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba
         Is it not better for us to dissolve all differences of religion and language and exhibit our feelings of Love and sympathy for all our brethren irrespective of color, creed and religion? Humanity has to go a long way in realizing the values of universal Love,brotherhood and compassion