He doesn't belong to this world. He doesn't want to feel attached to names and numbers, religions and nations, groups and kinds. What am I? I? What "is" I? It's almost impossible for him to spend a day without using the word "I". He wants to use the third person to refer to himself. His soul is craving to be separate from his body. He feels homeless everywhere. He can never tell if it's good or bad. Experience tells him there exists no absolute good or bad. All definitions of good and bad are subjective. One has only to use these terms to get on to something higher and "better". But, what IS it?
He believes in God, but he never saw a point in talking about it. The concept of God is extremely personal to everyone. But, sometimes he can't keep it to himself. He now thinks that the idea of God is an extremely useful idea to live an easy and "good" life.
Once you define death as just non-existence of life but not an actual state, then is it better or worse to "live"? In this world of attachments and desires, how does one remain pure and perfect? He knows something but he can't explain it. He is limited by words and language. Someone told him that linguists couldn't take the idea that language is limiting. Language is a tool. Just like a book. When you understand what it's trying to convey, it's no longer useful. That doesn't mean books and languages are useless. Their purposes are temporary. Permanence only exists outside this so-called "reality". This world is transient. "Maya", it is called, according to "The eternal law". Why is the pursuit of the absolute so hard? Why is he not "there", instead of trying to keep "going" there? Who put him behind this veil and made him want to get out? He wants to use the idea of God just to refer to whatever is outside this virtual reality. God will help you when you are in need, but He is not always good. He will also make you suffer in this world to let you know that this world is not real, and only He is the absolute reality. This is why he and He are spelled differently. Wow! The "he" is trying to reach Him with His help.
This reality is full of frustrations, needs and wants, feelings and thoughts, desires and miseries! Oh God! Help him find peace! The last thing he wants to feel is fear. The only fear he wants to have is the fear of fear itself. How can he do that?
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Hindus upset over Hollywood film "Love Guru"
Please read the article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7460522.stm
before you read my opinion on the issue.
I agree with Dr. Chopra that "the premature outcry against the film itself is religious propaganda". The best part I like about Hinduism is the tolerance it promotes towards other people's beliefs and practices.
"We all know when you show a person with a sari and a mark on their forehead that will be associated with Hinduism." If you have seen the movie "Khuda ke liye", or "In the name of God", and understood what Naseeruddin Shah meant by "Islam mein Daadi hein, magar Daadi mein Islam nahin hain", then you will see what my point of view is: "Hindus wear saris and marks on their foreheads, but saris and marks on foreheads don't make Hindus." One can keep arguing out the details: the points that support your view and the points that support my view, but arguments don't usually address the issue, they merely say "Here's an issue that worries me."
Changing the rating to disable a section of the population from seeing the film is not the way to go, I say, that is not Hinduism. If you are worried that young teenagers might get a skewed view of the religion, you must educate them about the religion and what it exactly is about. If the teenagers who see it think that's what Hinduism is about: Saffron robes, holy beads, saris and Tilakas (forehead marks), then that is what you are making them think. Tell them, that is not what that religion truly represents. Hinduism recommends you to find your own purpose of life and find your own way to achieve that goal. That requires adaptation to varying times and conditions. That means the time has come to question the adherence to dressing and bodily decorations - and it's for you to decide whether or not to keep and support that "tradition".
Religion is always an interesting issue to talk about!
before you read my opinion on the issue.
I agree with Dr. Chopra that "the premature outcry against the film itself is religious propaganda". The best part I like about Hinduism is the tolerance it promotes towards other people's beliefs and practices.
"We all know when you show a person with a sari and a mark on their forehead that will be associated with Hinduism." If you have seen the movie "Khuda ke liye", or "In the name of God", and understood what Naseeruddin Shah meant by "Islam mein Daadi hein, magar Daadi mein Islam nahin hain", then you will see what my point of view is: "Hindus wear saris and marks on their foreheads, but saris and marks on foreheads don't make Hindus." One can keep arguing out the details: the points that support your view and the points that support my view, but arguments don't usually address the issue, they merely say "Here's an issue that worries me."
Changing the rating to disable a section of the population from seeing the film is not the way to go, I say, that is not Hinduism. If you are worried that young teenagers might get a skewed view of the religion, you must educate them about the religion and what it exactly is about. If the teenagers who see it think that's what Hinduism is about: Saffron robes, holy beads, saris and Tilakas (forehead marks), then that is what you are making them think. Tell them, that is not what that religion truly represents. Hinduism recommends you to find your own purpose of life and find your own way to achieve that goal. That requires adaptation to varying times and conditions. That means the time has come to question the adherence to dressing and bodily decorations - and it's for you to decide whether or not to keep and support that "tradition".
Religion is always an interesting issue to talk about!
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