Which religion?

Our country is passing through a very difficult phase in its history. Apparently, we're making a lot of progress in the technology sphere, infrastructure, science and in the field of commerce and trade. It has resulted in the making of a new generation with a lot of money to spend, will to travel, adventurous, ready to take risks. But despite all these, are we happy? Religious fundamentalism, and the consequent intolerance, 'honour killings' murder with least provocation, arson, looting, vandalism all these threaten to tear the thin fabric of our society.With the active connivance of politicians most of the culprits go scot free.Politicians themselves aid and abet violence as we see the umpteen number of bandhs and hartals we're subjected to and their frenzy to make each one a 'great success'! Recently, we were shocked when a professor's hand was chopped by some miscreants. His crime? He prepared a question paper in which one question was derogatory of a religious head. A raid of the houses of some of the goons involved in the incident allegedly revealed conspiracy to target various places of worship.
Evidently, all these show the malaise that has set in our society. Religious leaders sow seeds of discontent and hatred. They exploit the gullibility of the poor and the middle class. We cannot tolerate fellow human beings.It is in this background, we should read the following conversation between DalaiLama and Leornado Boff, a Brazilian thinker and author of Theology of Freedom. Leonardo asked Dalai Lama:" Your Holiness, what's the best religion?"
He thought Dalai Lama would reply-Tibetan Budhism or some other oriental religion much older than Christianity. He looked Leo in his eyes, smiled and said "The best religion is the one that gets you closer to the God; it's the one that makes you a better person."
Leornado: "What's that makes me better?"
He responded: "Whatever makes you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical.The religion that will do that for you is the best one"
Lama continued:" I'm not interested, my friend, about your religion or if you're religious or not.What is really important to me is your behaviour in front of your peers, family, work, community and in front of the world. Remember, the universe is the echo of our actions and our thought.The law of action and reaction is not exclusively for physics alone. It's true of human relations. If I act with goodness, I'll receive goodness. If I act with evil intention I will get evil.What our grandparents taught us is the pure truth. You'll get what you desire for others. Being happy is not a matter of destiny; it's a matter of option."
Finally he said:" Take care of your thoughts because they become words. Take care of your words because they'll become actions.Take care of your actions because they'll become habits.Take care of your habits because they'll form your character. Take care of your character because that'll make your destiny and destiny will be your life. There's no relilgion higher than this truth."
How relevent this interview today is something I leave to you to ponder about. One of my friends had send me this gem of a conversation by e-mail.I thought I should share it with someone who reads this.