Religion as a mere adjunct to Worldly Life

In John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress", dealing with the spiritual journey of "Christian", he meets a "Mr. Worldly Wise-Man" of the town of "Carnal Policy." Christian tells him about the burden of sin he is carrying. Mr. Worldly Wise-Man directs him to a town called "Morality", where dwells a "Mr. Legality", who will help him get rid of his burden. He has a son, "Civility", who can also help him.

However, before Christian could go on this false way, he meets "Evangelist" (True Spiritual Teacher), who guides him back to the correct way.

Later, Christian meets "Money Love" who says: To become religious is a virtue, by what means soever a man becomes so. It is lawful to get a rich wife, or more profit. The man that gets these, by becoming religious, gets that which is good of them that are good, by becoming good himself; so that here is a good wife & good profit by becoming religious, which is good.

Even though Bunyan wrote the book in 1678, its relevance is evident even now, as the function of religious leaders of all denominations is viewed as helping people in their worldly problems, rather than giving them spiritual guidance. It is sad to see them as talking like Mr. Worldly Wise-Man, Mr. Legality, Mr. Civility or Mr. Money-Love rather than as true spiritual advisors.

Two Germans with contrasting views

"The Protestant Ethic & The Spirit of Capitalism" (1904) by Max Weber, a German Protestant, glorifies economically productive hard work as a pre-requisite of Capitalism. This seminal work also influenced N.R.Narayana Murthy of Infosys. Basavanna, the 12th Century social reformer & religious leader also held similar views. He said "Work (by itself) is  Kailasa" (abode of Lord Shiva) not just a way to attain Kailasa. The noted playwright Girish Karnad attributed the prosperity during Basavanna's time to this ethic of hard work.

On the other hand, "Leisure - The Basis of Culture" (1947) by Josef Pieper, a German Catholic, propounds that it is leisure leading to culture, which makes human life worthwhile. It should be noted that Pieper, being a Catholic, places the Contemplation of God at the top of Cultural activities. Workoholism leads to absence of leisure & hence denying Cultural Life, which is the sine qua non of human existence, without which human life may self-destruct. Bertrand Russel, in his "In Praise of Idleness" (1935) also advocated a four hour workday as quite sufficient to fulfil our needs, the rest being leisure to be spent on cultural activities. Of course, Lord Russel, being an atheist, did not suggest contemplation of God in leisure!