Well, I thought of writing this article after reading my friend Divya's write up on divinity at her blog http://poignantrose.blogspot.com/2006/08/divinity-defined.html. When I commented on that article, I realised its about time I write my views on the same...so here goes...
Well, as Divya had said that she does not believe in the concept of religion, in submitting to a supreme power when you need help, she does not believe in the exploitation done, the commercialisation done through religion. Said she rather believed in the entities (the pagan way), the sun, the moon, nature!!..So, I was thinking about it and this is what I guess my views are (I write I guess because there are some things, some topics on which you cannot be so sure of your views..but that's the beauty of thought!!)....
It is very much true that religion indeed has been exploited..the cacophony, the excessive trade, everything just supports the claim!!..But then, like I had told her, is it not into the very human nature to exploit anything and everything to its own benefit. I mean, the human society has a tendency of using everything that involves more than one person. Lets assume a situation where there was no religion, no god to worship..lets assume the pagan days when human faith would rest upon nature. If such were the case, then how can we be so sure that the sun, the moon, the stars, nature would not been exploited. Well, I'm pretty sure they would have ;because like I said, its in the very human nature to exploit anything that can be beneficial for it, even in the remotest of ways. There are so many things around us that are used up for one motive or the other, but that does not and should not stop us from continuing believing in the same..that would be against the very concept of individuality!!..I mean our belief on anything should not be dependant upon what is happening to that particular thing..there are loads of bad things in the world..but keeping faith and continuing your belief is what is making the world go round..But in no way am I contradicting Divi's point.Both the views lead to the same conclusion-Its all about choice!! Yep, it was her choice not to believe in religion because of the exploitation that was being done, which is perfectly fine in a way!! But my choice is to continue having faith because i believe not in religion, but I have faith in the human faith!!
Oh, by the way, please do not think that just because I'm supporting religion means I'm religious..its slightly more complicated than that!!
Like I said, I do not believe in religion, i just have faith in the human faith! I believe in the power of the human will, I believe in the divinity of humanity. It is not religion that is divine, it is the human belief that is. Is it not surprising how conveniently we take humans to be the centre of the universe- I mean think about it, be it any religion, gods are always taken to resemble human beings..Brahma created the universe and the amazing thing is he looked like nothing else but a human!!..I guess had animals had the potential to rule the planet and communicate, they would have pictured god as an animal, won't they? But we have just never ever questioned this have we? U know why?..because its not really the form given to god that we believe in, but we believe in the human thought that gave rise to that form and hence, we never question it!!..I mean I am a very strong believer of god..and I m pretty sure everyone is, even those who call themselves atheist..but my belief is not in any particular god, but I very much believe in every religion..because if you ask me, religion is not about god..its about the humans, its about the way of life..its about what should be the ideal behaviour: but who would listen to it just like that, so for that we gave it the supreme tag of god's commandment. And it makes total sense..god is everywhere..he (or she) is within us, he is the human thought that created religion, he is the human faith that helps us go through the toughest of times. God is not any entity, he is just a force..one force that survives on faith..and this force is so beautifully embroidered into the fabric of life that it just amazes me!!..Science can never, doesn't matter how much it tries, explain everything, because its not supposed to..but neither can religion..so there we are, what we have is a perfect combination of religion and science, each complimenting the other!!..none alone can stand, none alone can satisfy!!..All is one and one is all- a cosmological conspiracy..yes, god is in our thoughts..for me, god might be in my parents, for others in a statue!!
As for surrendering to a supreme power,I think that's very interesting..another one of the mysteries of the human kind!!..i mean think about it, none of us can deny (OK! maybe some can!) that keeping faith in one supreme power has helped us in tough times, the thought of having one hand above us has given us light in the dark, hasn't it?..but i still stand strong in my views..its yet again nothing but human faith..it is this human faith that gives strength to humans themselves and they become their own destiny makers..of course, there are times when you do need to surrender and it is in those times that the human faith establishes a nexus between the humans and the supreme power, the force that I talked of..so basically, my philosophy is: it all comes to one word: faith...a choice..and whatever you choose have faith in it..The force does not want worshipping, it does not want religion..all it wants is faith..the biggest religion always was and will always be humanity, the religion of love, the religion of harmony!! (i do not wish to elucidate any further upon the religion of humanity because i think its too cliche and all know of it)..
So, there we go: Divinity is indeed divine..everything is..the moment you have faith (in anything) you get in touch with this divinity!!..so my message to all will be, just have faith..be it in religion, be it in god, be it in anything..but just have faith!!
6 comments:
Hey Adhi, 1st of all, I'd like to point out that I don't believe in the pagan method.. i just said that even those would be a more logical substitute to our present method of worshiping made up gods... I also don't choose not to believe in this cos of the exploitation.. i just don believe cos i choose not to believe.. its all in the head n its all cos of faith, right? i just dont have that...
"I very much believe in every religion..because if you ask me, religion is not about god..its about the humans, its about the way of life..its about what should be the ideal behaviour".. very well put! but who exactly is to decide the ideal behavior? we cant have 1 or 2 ppl doin tyhat n puttin "God's" signature on it now, can we?
God is a way of looking at things.. uve put it very well when u talk about ur parents n a statue.. well about science and religion... i think sometimes that a higher power exists cos science cant explain everything, but then again i think its not too much time b4 science progresses and does exactly that.. so then, will science take the place of God? Again.. its a way of lookin at things.. for some ppl, science is god.. tho i realise that im contradictin myself in that last part.. U get it.. We dont exactly think alike, but very very similar... Watever it is, wonderfully written!
faith is a very strange truth- invincible truth... as long as we r fastened by faith, we shall cling on to our belief as truth even if it is against the opinion of the rest of the world... do u see therefore how much distortion material truths can be subject to, in the eyes of faith... that is where i have a question- if ur faith is in divine humanity, do u consider mankind infallible, or is mankind justified in fallacy?
and one more thing... our own hindu mythology, the mahabharata and ramayana potray very similar ideas as pagan mythology... go thru them in detail; u'll c how divinity is not factor... even lord krishna was not divinely correct... since he was human - but vishnu is divine... similarly arjuna was far from divine , but his father "indra" was.
@Divi!!....firstly, im sorry if i anyhow misinterpreted ur thots..hope u didnt mind tht much..i'll change tht in my write up soon..
secondly, my clarifications..ehem ehem..well, to begin with..u got my idea f religion wrng..like i had expressely put up, i thnk religion is a way of life..not a formal scripture written by 1 or 2 ppl..see, religion defines the ideal behaviour not thru god but thru humans themselves (look, i knw my views are weird but i am thoroghly convinced)..religion teaches us tht being gud is the way to be..by religion i believe wht we perceive to be the will of god not others, i knw in this model ppl are free to infer god in negative ways also but nthng can be fool proof now can it?..
secondly, abt the science thng..im afraid i cant agree, science will nvr explain everythng..and like i said, neither can religion..its about the amalgamation of the 2 tht is the answer..after all both come from my idea of divinity-"the human faith"..one is a result of the human faith in questioning, the other of the faith in simply believing!!..well, and as for thjinking alike..i dnt thnk ne 2 ppl can ever thnk alike..thts agnst individuality..its alws similarity..the end result is the same..the stream of thot is diff but the ocean to which it flows is the same!
@sannoy..firstly, thnx a lot for the comment..must say its very good!!
u've indeed brought about very valid points, but its just that ur understanding of my write up is slightly different from what is my thot..but tht wht its abt naa..an interaction of thots..so here goes..
see, firstly, im sry but i dnt thnk faith n truth can ever be the same..ur faith is not in universal facts..u have a faith in smthng much higher..and secondly, thr also is a very subtle diff between faith and belief..bujt thts totally upon individual perception..kher, the pnt is..faith in one thng can not blindfold u..thts called extreme behaviour which be it for nethng, is bad!!
secondly..yes my faith is in the divinity of humanity..but whoever said humanity means human beings..i so does not..and besides even if it did..who said tht divine means perfect..humans have every rght to be fallible coz its not a person who is divine butg the humanity inside him that is.and since u arfe the one who brought in scriptures..ill tell u..if divine being cud not be fallible, then how wud u explain the many examples that we have of the lords to have made mistakes in anger or envy..u knw..divinity is just abt having a force..not being perfect..and thirdly..ur scripture point is really gud, but see, the thng is tht i never said pagan mythology is not acceptible..the centre point of my philosophy is faith..if u have faith in the pagan ways, gloriusly follow them!..and also,i cant say tht divinity is not a factor...it is..but divinity is just a very misunderstood and falsely perceived word..wht u r talking of are accepted religious believes..but our discussion is much above tht..once a thot is accepted only thn can beliefs be formed on the same!..but just to satisfy ur curiosity..krishna mght not have been divine..ok..so wht, thts wht i said..its not one person who is divine..it is the essence presence in all tht is..and tht essence in him was vishnu, who like u said is divine!!
but yet again..i must say,ur very impressive a commentor..hope u liked my write up!
my bet is god isnt religious
:P
Hmmmm..I think unconciously, we have started a chain of 'knowing who you are and what you believe in'.
U got inspired by Divi's post on her blog and Im now inspired by yours, to pen down my beliefs or their lack thereof as a post on my blog.
I just believe in a supreme power and not a fixed entity.
I completely subscribe to James Redfield's theories of Life, Death and living..and Religion and God and everything he sez...
If any of u guys r interested, just ask me, Ill fwd the ebook to u...its titled 'The Celestine Prophecy'.
Ill elucidate about it in my blog post..
Thanx Adi fer da inspiration :)
Until then,
Sayonara
Post a Comment