the heart of all religions..

The scriptures, the rituals, the temple and such great ideas and institutions enshrined in any religion is meant only as training grounds and practicing fields where human values and morality are taught and imparted to the followers 

However, every institution suffers from some sort of dogmatism and reluctance to adapt, and the persons in greated control of such institutions or who happened to have some influence over others tended to mix some personal interest or selfish agenda too, often very unobtrusively to the lofty ideas as also in the working of the institutions existing to further such ideas and also the literature highlighting such great thoughts..

The scriptures, rituals, institutions and the ideas were pure and honestly and genuinely intended for the welfare of one an all.. 

The basic scripture often got contaminated or adulterated by subtle addition of ideas furthering vested interests. An impartial reading of such literature would enable any person with reasonable diligence to differentiate between the grain and the chaff..

However it has to be noted that in higher levels of any religion, the rituals and verbosity retreated to positions far behind, permitting the sublime principles of pure relationship between the man and the maker to reach the forefront..

For example, the Advaita Philosophy of Shankara declared unequivocally that there is absolute unity between the living being and the Supreme one.. and that all that is manifest or in in vogue is just an illusion.. 

But funnily, the seers who are supposed to be the upholders of advaita philosophy are often revered as Gods incarnate, and as superior to the ordinary living beings.. Is that intended by the lofty principles of Advaita?