Acharya Prashant addresses the atheism of figures like Bhagat Singh, Periyar, and Marx. He begins by exploring the logical conclusion of their stated belief: if there is nothing metaphysical, then only the physical exists, and the body becomes the ultimate value. However, he immediately questions this by asking why Bhagat Singh would then sacrifice his body, the most valuable thing in a purely materialistic worldview. He clarifies that when Bhagat Singh called himself an atheist, he was rejecting traditional, corrupt, and institutionalized religion. The act of sacrificing one's body for a higher ideal is, in fact, a profoundly religious act. By giving up his entire physicality, Bhagat Singh demonstrated his belief in something higher than the body. For him, this higher ideal was "freedom" (Azaadi). The name given to this higher ideal is irrelevant; what matters is the acknowledgment of a value greater than one's own physical existence. The speaker sympathizes with thinkers like Marx, Periyar, and Bhagat Singh for rejecting the kind of religion that had become an "opiate of the masses" and was worthy of being discarded. However, he cautions against throwing out religion entirely due to its corruption. He uses the analogy, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." Religion, in its true sense, provides essential values like love, compassion, and understanding, which science cannot. He argues that the enmity should be with the filth that has corrupted religion, not with the diamond of true religion itself. Acharya Prashant explains that religion has always needed purification and reform, citing historical figures like Buddha, Mahavira, Adi Shankara, and the saints of the Bhakti movement who undertook this task. The Guru Granth Sahib is presented as a compilation of the purest spiritual teachings, collected to preserve what is beautiful and clean. He concludes that to become truly religious, one must first be an atheist towards the false, counterfeit forms of religion. This "true atheism" is the rejection of dogma and corruption, which is a necessary step towards genuine spirituality.
