Hmm....everytime I am asked the question: Religious Values? on a social networking site that I'm trying to be part of, in my need to be in touch with people I love and think I love :P. My answer usually is 'Liberal.' Yes, I consider myself liberal. But really, that sets me thinking..hmm..do I have any religious values at all? Do I want to have any? No.
Let me tell you why. I'm born a Hindu in a fairly religious family. My parents are proud to be Hindus, and I'm too, at some level. However, I do not want to believe in any religion sometimes. It hurts. A lot. It brings with it a certain kind of expectation, a certain kind of belief, something that constricts free thought, generosity and love even, sometimes. No, it hasn't happened to me as yet, but I know it has, to some others. And I hope it never happens to me. I'd hate for that to happen.
Does religion refer to believing in God? I ask this because I've asked questions about religion to my parents, granny, she tells me: God will punish you. Hmm...didn't the Gujarat riots happen because of religious belief? Or, the Ram Janmabhoomi issue...isn't Pakistan affected by the lack of unity among Shias and Sunnis? Sigh. Then, why religion?
There are some blind beliefs that characterise religion, not just practical stuff like my granny claims. Things like Hindus should wear Bindis, while Muslims cannot, and Christians have a choice? Why? I read a long time back that a Bindi symbolizes the centre of knowledge or something to that effect. Really? I do not think so, and neither does Science or practicality. I wear a Bindi when I think I want to wear it, or when I look good, or :) because my parents are around me, and they'd like it. I do and believe in a lot of things for the sake of others. I know some of you may say, why do something you do not want to? True. I agree. I thought the same when I was 15. Now, I feel otherwise. Now, I feel, might as well, make these people happy when they see me, and live my life the way I want to, when I live all by myself. I think that is a fair compromise.
I think I do not want to believe in any religion. I know its tough. My parents'd hate me not to believe in my religion or do things that characterise me as a Hindu. Things like celebrating festivals in the right way, going to the temple...hmm...sometimes, I think, all I owe them is happiness like this. My marriage, my kids, a pic of me laughing, buying something for them ( could very well be a pen) from my money....believing in some of the stuff they do. They become so happy, so proud, so content that they've raised their kids well, that everything has worked out fine. No, am not someone who is all sappy about family, but recent events have forced me to rethink. I guess I will do it all, and do more :)
P.S: The Bindi is just an coinciding example, and there are loads like this, I can point out!
3 comments:
Once again you've done a good job of pointing out the negatives, but you've omitted the positives !
Religion causes fights but it also brings Diwali.
It brings Id, Christmas, Hanukkah, Holi, Pongal, Kaarthigai, Navarathri, Dusshera etc etc etc. Yeah there is a Hindu touch to this list but i hope the point has been made :)
I've celebrated Id with my friend called Mirza Faheem Baig. I just celebrated Christmas too ! These are events that could promote religious harmony and peace among human beings....
All these functions have messages. Like Diwali symbolizes the victory of truth over evil.
And celebrating these festivals are absolutely justified ! I mean these days, when ppl get together after sometime or of someone gets a promotion or if someone is leaving a country to goto another, there are parties, booze binges and what not........is that necessary...absolutely NOT ! But these things happen....so the celeration of something as powerful yet fundamental as the victory of truth over evil is absolutely justified......
And, it is of no use in mixing science and religion. There are instances in almost everyone's life which cannot be explained by science or practicality. That stranger that appears all of a sudden when you really need help, he/she helps you and you almost never see him/her again.....now why did that happen....can it be traced by science? probably not.....to view everything with the magnifying glass of science and logic could spoil a lot of things....like art ! Theater, music, things that bring out the emotions......do we classify them according to science ? that'll spoil something called spontaneity or the "beauty" of art..
Similarly, religion is not a science.....and it should not be viewed as one....
When someone's mother, father, sister, brother, sister, wife, husband, friend is in the hospital after aserious accident, being treated fo a serious burn , being treated for a long lasting ailment like cancer, being operated at the ICU for a brain hemorrhage, we can talk all the science we want, but its our religion, our culture that causes us to involuntarily chant a prayer... for the purposes of hope......hope that we get to see that person agan...hope that the person lives longer..and this happens to almost everyone, liberal or conservative, hindu or muslim, christian or jew....and who are we saying all these prayers to ? i believe that would be god.....this is the beauty of religion......but if we replace it with the magnifying glass of science, it'll be spoiled immediately.....it just wouldnt make sense... i mean what will praying achieve ? will the medicine's chemical composition change ? probably not. will the patient's immune system react any different ? probably not..then why pray ? why god? or above all, why hope, why that faith ??
Its abstract....not science.....and i really wish they are not mixed together....
pnoasniditiinvie, my only reader - I agree with the first paragraph, but not completely with the second. I have not spoken of prayers or hope here. Each to his/her own there. I pray too, sometimes, and its not necessary for me to go to a temple or anything like that to pray. So, prayers and 'hoping' is not what I am talking about at all :) Hope I made myself clear through this comment
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