Based Periyar's ideas on religion and God that were moulded by his upbringing in a society split along caste and religion lines.

 

Periyar believed that the idea of God was created by the privileged class to enslave and oppress the underclass. He thought that religion was a tool of oppression and that the lower classes were maintained in a state of ignorance and servitude by religious rituals and beliefs.

He said that there was no evidence from science to prove the existence of God and that people's belief in him was just the result of superstition and blind faith. The training that occurs in people to accept the existence of God from the moment they are born, in his opinion, is continued by religious organisations and activities.

In addition, Periyar criticised the caste system and the way Dalits and other marginalised groups were victimised in the name of religion. He believed that the caste system resulted from religious convictions and that caste prejudice and the caste system itself were mechanisms used to uphold the servitude of the lower castes.

Periyar's experiences as a social activist and politician in India who fought for the rights of underprivileged groups shaped his views on God. He believed that the lower class ability to advance and be freed was significantly hampered by religion and that it was used as a tool of oppression. He advocated for a society that is logical, scientific, and egalitarian and believed that in order to achieve these goals, it is essential to reject all forms of organised religion.

Few quotes of Periyar on The idea of God

"God is a creation of man and religion is the opium of the people."

"The belief in a supernatural power has been responsible for the degeneration of the human race."

"The concept of God is the greatest hindrance to human progress."

"Religion is not only a superstition but also a great social evil."

"The idea of God is used to control the masses and keep them in line."

"The worship of God is nothing but slavery."

"There is no evidence to support the existence of a single all-powerful deity."

"The idea of God is a tool used by the powerful to maintain their position."

"The concept of God is just an illusion, a figment of human imagination."