Acharya Prashant responds to a question about the perceived childishness and irrelevance of religious rituals. He begins by agreeing that many religious practices are indeed childish, and uses this as a starting point for his explanation. He states that all human beings are born as kids—immature, dependent, and enslaved to their physical tendencies, bodily configuration, and habits. While we grow up physically over 20-25 years and are considered adults, this growth does not always happen in the psychological sense. Inwardly, we are born as kids and remain kids. He then distinguishes between two types of religion. The first is a religion that liberates us from our inner tendencies, weaknesses, and darkness, which he equates with real religiosity or spirituality. The second is a religion that acts as a toy in the hands of the inner child, which is what is commonly seen as organized religion. Unfortunately, what is mostly on display is this latter kind of religion, which is a continuation of our immaturity and becomes another form of bondage. These are often acts of ignorance, distortions of the spirit of religion, characterized by childish displays of ceremony and hollow superstitions. However, the presence of this wrong kind of religion should not convince us that all religion is just this. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that we need real religion, which is not an unnecessary thing foisted on us by history, tradition, or priests. True religion is a liberating, pure force, not the branded kind. It is our very inner urge to not suffer. The essence of true religion is self-knowledge, which is the process of knowing our condition, what ails us, and what a possible solution could be. This self-knowledge must happen in real-time. He contrasts this with introspection or analysis done after an event, which has limited utility. True religiosity is the real-time, instantaneous appreciation of what is happening internally, coupled with a deep faith that freedom from these inner bondages is possible. It is the knowledge that one is in bondage and the faith that one's destiny is liberation from all bondages.