religious flight zone

Early in the book Pi says, “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion” (15). He goes on to discuss different ideas about zoos and how they are not true. One idea he talks about is how territorial animals are. He says that animals must be in a familiar area in order to get food and avoid enemies, the two most important things in the wild. Reading this and remembering that he began with a reference to religion I wondered how the two connect. I think that Pi and Martel may have been trying to convey that people are territorial about their religions too. The analogy between wild animals and religious practitioners is, unfortunately, very valid. People do not want anyone questioning the safety of their religion and will defend this “territory” fiercely. Far too often religious people so worried about what others say or feel about their religious “territory.” Much like the animals Pi describes, people seem to have a flight zone, and if someone from another religion gets to close they attack, and it seems that this religious flight zone has been and continues to be a key factor in inhibiting any type of tolerance between people of various religions.