Today
Over the last few months I have been reading blogs of various people. The blogs have tickled and pickled my brain and I have been tempted for a while now, to start a blog of my own, which I've been putting off. At last the deed is done, despite the reservations. The qualms were primarily because I may not be regular with my postings and I may not be able to come up with anything interesting to write about, and then there are people who will read this blog, whose views may differ from mine......... but isn't it understood and accepted ? to be read and commented? Nevertheless here I am, if not anything else, with the hope that this blog would help me overcome the mundane events of my daily life, and organize my thoughts.
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In response to a simple Christmas greeting, I got a mail, a sermon on salvation from a client - a born again Christian. I have nothing against the Christianity or against Christians, having studied in a convent all through school, 'm ever thankful to these institutions for the way in which they groom the impressionable minds, although a lot seems to have changed since my school days. I am not very religious, surely not ritualistic, albeit interested in theology and philosophy.
The last time I met this gentleman, with his wife at his residence, he gave me a book on Jesus Christ and the husband and wife were all out to convince me that the only path to salvation was through Jesus Christ. I don't know what made them think I was a potential convert. I tried my best to explain to them with my limited knowledge that all religions in principle taught the same thing. Defeated in my mission I finally left their house with the book and a cassette - testimony of a convert.
What I tried to tell them that day and still so strongly believe in is that, all religions teach us how to reach salvation or "mukthi", by being better human beings or in other words by staying away from sin. Whether we choose to believe that, this is attained through the cycle of births and rebirths or through a single birth, following the teachings of a prophet is left to us, to our upbringing and social set up. The philosophy that appeals to one, may not necessarily appeal to another.
As long as man realizes this and exercises a certain amount of religious tolerance, the world would be a better place to live in. What starts today as a casual discussion over tea, may end up tomorrow in forceful conversion or agitation against a particular religion. There should be faith either in a supreme power or in some philosophy which would help one to be a better human being, this need not be called "religion" or the faith need not be invested in person called "God", these are necessary to make life livable. After all who knows whether heaven or hell exists, nobody has returned confirming everlasting peace and happiness.
"The conditions of life may include error" - Nietzsche
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In response to a simple Christmas greeting, I got a mail, a sermon on salvation from a client - a born again Christian. I have nothing against the Christianity or against Christians, having studied in a convent all through school, 'm ever thankful to these institutions for the way in which they groom the impressionable minds, although a lot seems to have changed since my school days. I am not very religious, surely not ritualistic, albeit interested in theology and philosophy.
The last time I met this gentleman, with his wife at his residence, he gave me a book on Jesus Christ and the husband and wife were all out to convince me that the only path to salvation was through Jesus Christ. I don't know what made them think I was a potential convert. I tried my best to explain to them with my limited knowledge that all religions in principle taught the same thing. Defeated in my mission I finally left their house with the book and a cassette - testimony of a convert.
What I tried to tell them that day and still so strongly believe in is that, all religions teach us how to reach salvation or "mukthi", by being better human beings or in other words by staying away from sin. Whether we choose to believe that, this is attained through the cycle of births and rebirths or through a single birth, following the teachings of a prophet is left to us, to our upbringing and social set up. The philosophy that appeals to one, may not necessarily appeal to another.
As long as man realizes this and exercises a certain amount of religious tolerance, the world would be a better place to live in. What starts today as a casual discussion over tea, may end up tomorrow in forceful conversion or agitation against a particular religion. There should be faith either in a supreme power or in some philosophy which would help one to be a better human being, this need not be called "religion" or the faith need not be invested in person called "God", these are necessary to make life livable. After all who knows whether heaven or hell exists, nobody has returned confirming everlasting peace and happiness.
"The conditions of life may include error" - Nietzsche
posted by Unknown at 10:08 PM
