Religion means that we are servants. Otherwise, how can Krishna demand that we surrender to Him? Therefore the proper word is dharma or the living entity’s inherent quality. Every living entity in whatever form is dependent, no one is independent. The common understanding of religion is faith, but faith can change whereas dharma or being dependent is an unchangeable fact, i.e. not something manufactured at a particular time.

Veda means fact and it is apauresam or not postulated, manufactured, concocted or cooked up at some point in time to serve some transient idea. Unfortunately, and reprehensibly, all main line religions (including Hinduism) have a history of self-service, when the real purpose of the religion has been perverted to support the structure around it. Or, the essence has gone and most thinking people are not such fools that they haven’t noticed.

Now, why does this remind me of an institution I was once so proud to belong to?