Acharya Prashant responds to a question about the misuse and disrespect of idols of gods and goddesses by intellectuals and artists, who defend their actions as freedom of expression, arguing that religious characters are public figures. Acharya Prashant clarifies that the issue is not merely about hurting a community's sentiments but is a more practical matter that needs to be understood. He explains that all religious and mythological characters are created with great subtlety and for a very high purpose. They are not just historical figures to be trifled with. The speaker uses an analogy to explain his point: the human mind is a complex entity, entangled within itself, much like a room with many locks. The various religious characters, stories, and deities are like finely crafted keys designed to unlock these complexities. Just as a key is a precise instrument that cannot be used arbitrarily—one cannot write with it or use it for the wrong lock—these religious symbols also have a specific purpose. To misuse them is not a sin but an act of foolishness. Those who tamper with these symbols are not blasphemous but deranged, and their place is in a mental asylum. The root of this problem, according to Acharya Prashant, is ignorance of Vedanta, which is the foundation of Indian philosophy, spirituality, and religion. Without understanding the Upanishads, one cannot grasp the true meaning of the Puranas, the glory of the Devi, or the significance of the various forms and names of deities. This lack of understanding is why people get hurt by such acts; they themselves are unsure of the true meaning of their religious symbols. If they were certain of the truth, they would see the detractors as foolish and would not be offended. He distinguishes between time-dependent practices, which can become outdated superstitions, and timeless truths. While customs like feeding a bullock before a journey are now obsolete, the fundamental human conditions of anxiety, fear, and ego are timeless. The remedies for these conditions, found in scriptures like the Gita, are also timeless. The Gita remains ever-new because the human mind's delusion and doubt are the same as they were for Arjun. Therefore, tampering with these timeless symbols and truths is madness because it destroys their utility, just as altering a key makes it useless for opening its intended lock.