Religious belief of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy resulted in him being considered the Voltaire of South India. Periyar E. V. Ramasamy was mainly regarded as positive propagandist who always condemned the ruthlessness of religious influence on society, mainly the domination of the Brahmin. At a very tender age, he also felt that some people took the help of religion only to shield and deceive innocent people and considered it as his mission in life to warn people against priests and superstitions. Periyar stated that "religion goes hand in hand with superstition and fear. Religion prevents progress and suppresses man. Religion exploits the suppressed classes".

Religious Ideology of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
Through Periyar"s movement, the Temple Entry Acts of 1924, 1931 and up to 1950 were created for the non-Brahmins. Another accomplishment took place during the 1970s when Tamil replaced Sanskrit language as the Temple language in Tamil Nadu, while Dalits were finally eligible for priesthood. Periyar opposed religion virulently, because according to their views, the so-called men of religion invented myths and superstitions to keep the innocent and ignorant people in darkness and to go on exploiting them.

Periyar and Hinduism
On Hinduism, Periyar believed that it was a religion with no proper distinctive holy books or the origin but to be an imaginary faith preaching the greatness or superiority of Brahmins, the badness or inferiority of the Sudras or the untouchables or Dalits. His contemptuous attitude to the baleful influence of Hinduism in Indian public life is strikingly similar to the anti-Catholic attacks of the enlightenment philosophers. In the year 1955, he was arrested for his public outrage of burning the pictures of Lord Rama at public places, as a symbolic protest against the Indo-Aryan domination and degradation of Dravidian leadership according to the Ramayana epic. The great social reformer, Periyar also criticized the images of Lord Krishna saying that they were Aryan Gods and considered the Dravidians as Sudras to be "sons of prostitutes".

Periyar also openly suggested that those who were marginalised or secluded within the Hindu communities to think of converting to other faiths like Islam, Buddhism or Christianity.

Periyar and Islam
On Islam he said, in many of his speeches, that it was good for abolishing the disgrace in human relationship. He also commended Islam for its belief in one invisible and formless God; proclamation of equal rights for men and women; and advocating of social unity.

Periyar and Christianity
Periyar viewed Christianity similar to the monotheistic faith of Islam, and explained that their faith says that there can be only one God which has no name or shape. Periyar took an interest in Rev. Martin Luther, where both he and his followers wanted to liken him and his role to that of the European reformer. Thus, Christian views such as that of Ram Mohan Roy"s "The Precepts of Jesus" has had at least an indirect influence on Periyar.

Periyar and Buddhism
Apart from Christianity and Islam, he also found in Buddhist religion akin to the philosophy that he believed in. Though he did not accept the religion but somewhat found in that the religion has a basis for his thought and ideology.