I am not an atheist . I am not a deeply religious person either at least the way i see the religion being practised these days by many .
These days i attend many functions where the people who are going for long pilgrimage are sent off . Its nice to see aggregation of people seeing off a person on a long journey and that too to visit a holy place . But the logical person in me cannot help thinking a few little thoughts .
Where is God ? Whether he is called by whichever name or even if we call it spirituality or vital force isnt he everywhere ? Especially for " heavily religious persons " arent they in a position to see that the God is more around them than in a far away land ?
Recently i saw a person starving . (he was not a beggar but didnt have money to buy food in the afternoon ) . Paradoxically he had just visited not one but two houses where people were going for pilgrimage and there was feasting at both these houses . But this person was not offered food . Having consciously observed many " religious " persons i was not shocked cos i have seen these things before .
. On one of these days i met a young man (35 is young :) ) . Extremely boastful ( i thought that was also a crime since he also claimed to be very religious ) i had to listen to his stories for a few minutes ..( i can be polite sometimes ) . I asked him casually whether he had done this great pilgrimage which costs a few lakh rupees . Being young i expected a negative answer . He told me not only that he had done it , but also that he had done it long back because " You never know when you are going to die . So i finished it early " . Then again he continued his boasting dialogues and i excused myself . I thought to myself
Why do these humans assume that God is like them ... who keeps a to do list and has a checklist for people before admitting them to heaven or hell ? In that checklist how many points he adds or deletes for boasting(pride in certain religions is considered a great crime as humans are supposed to be submitting to their creator ) and how much for pilgrimage ? And how much for sending a man on empty stomach ?
Now i also see some truly religious persons who I am sure will go to heaven . They are rare but one i have observed doing the following things :
1. She looks after a household where noone be it the rich relative , the poor relative , the beggar goes back empty handed . ( i mean empty stomached ) .
2. In fasting times if there is a guest they will get their usual hospitality including food . Oh my God that is sin right ? In fasting times everyone should fast right ? Her point was since religion is personal she will do the fasting herself but still serve others their food without demur . It is logically much more tougher to keep your fast when you are serving food for others . She didnt give a lecture on "Religion is personal " but was practising that without a word .. (I found that wonderful ) .
3. She observes all the rituals which is expected in her religion but i have never seen her preaching to others what they should practice nor i have seen her indulging even in "minor " vices like boasting , spreading rumours , insulting other people etc etc ..
I dont know whats the opinion of organised religion and the people who have their own versions of belief in them but i am sure of one thing ... God or spirituality is here just around you .. And there is no greater direct route to heaven than being kind to Gods children ...(ya that includes the poor and other religions followers too ...) . Agree with me ? Great . Disagree with me ... Feed a hungry stomach and then we will talk .. Till then .. goodbye
These days i attend many functions where the people who are going for long pilgrimage are sent off . Its nice to see aggregation of people seeing off a person on a long journey and that too to visit a holy place . But the logical person in me cannot help thinking a few little thoughts .
Where is God ? Whether he is called by whichever name or even if we call it spirituality or vital force isnt he everywhere ? Especially for " heavily religious persons " arent they in a position to see that the God is more around them than in a far away land ?
Recently i saw a person starving . (he was not a beggar but didnt have money to buy food in the afternoon ) . Paradoxically he had just visited not one but two houses where people were going for pilgrimage and there was feasting at both these houses . But this person was not offered food . Having consciously observed many " religious " persons i was not shocked cos i have seen these things before .
. On one of these days i met a young man (35 is young :) ) . Extremely boastful ( i thought that was also a crime since he also claimed to be very religious ) i had to listen to his stories for a few minutes ..( i can be polite sometimes ) . I asked him casually whether he had done this great pilgrimage which costs a few lakh rupees . Being young i expected a negative answer . He told me not only that he had done it , but also that he had done it long back because " You never know when you are going to die . So i finished it early " . Then again he continued his boasting dialogues and i excused myself . I thought to myself
Why do these humans assume that God is like them ... who keeps a to do list and has a checklist for people before admitting them to heaven or hell ? In that checklist how many points he adds or deletes for boasting(pride in certain religions is considered a great crime as humans are supposed to be submitting to their creator ) and how much for pilgrimage ? And how much for sending a man on empty stomach ?
Now i also see some truly religious persons who I am sure will go to heaven . They are rare but one i have observed doing the following things :
1. She looks after a household where noone be it the rich relative , the poor relative , the beggar goes back empty handed . ( i mean empty stomached ) .
2. In fasting times if there is a guest they will get their usual hospitality including food . Oh my God that is sin right ? In fasting times everyone should fast right ? Her point was since religion is personal she will do the fasting herself but still serve others their food without demur . It is logically much more tougher to keep your fast when you are serving food for others . She didnt give a lecture on "Religion is personal " but was practising that without a word .. (I found that wonderful ) .
3. She observes all the rituals which is expected in her religion but i have never seen her preaching to others what they should practice nor i have seen her indulging even in "minor " vices like boasting , spreading rumours , insulting other people etc etc ..
I dont know whats the opinion of organised religion and the people who have their own versions of belief in them but i am sure of one thing ... God or spirituality is here just around you .. And there is no greater direct route to heaven than being kind to Gods children ...(ya that includes the poor and other religions followers too ...) . Agree with me ? Great . Disagree with me ... Feed a hungry stomach and then we will talk .. Till then .. goodbye
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ReplyDeleteGhar se Masjid hai bahut door chalo yoon kar lein/Kisi rote huye bachhe ko hansaya jaye...
ReplyDeleteDoc, your write up reminded me the above couplet by Nida Fazli, it means something like 'The mosque is far away from home. So, let us just make a crying child smile'.
Feeding an empty stomach is the best deed a human can do. But, most of us just use religion to feed our own ego & show off pomp.
@paresh its so obvious but religion is the most misused thing these days ..
ReplyDeleteI often wonder why at least feeding a hungry stomach which will cost just a few rupees is not being done by these "hyper-religious fanatics " ..No use trying to change them but i do it whenever i can though not a hyperreligious person
"Why do these humans assume that God is like them ... who keeps a to do list and has a checklist for people before admitting them to heaven or hell ?" SO TRUE.
ReplyDelete