I had certain misgivings about writing on this particular topic for sure, for I'm no religious person in the eyes of the world, and am little acquainted with religious texts and doctrines as it is. But then, I thoroughly believe that religion in itself has very little to do with God. Religion basically consists of certain dictates that allow man to coexist with society and the creation as a whole. God is merely an auxiliary concept, in order to justify those dictates, nothing more. But when one recognizes the mere triviality of one's self in comparison to the entire universe, one's head invariably bows down with reverence and fear of an unknown omnipotent.
Now I tend to go with Einstein's concept of a personal God. Unto each man is his own God. One can never really say for sure whether God exists or not, so what can be better than create in your own mind the most reverenced image of Him that you can think of, for is it not true as well that unto each man is his own code of morality? He may not be the all-powerful providence presiding over everything on heaven and earth, and sparing none on His Day of Judgment. For some he may be a down-to-earth day to day kinda guy, who makes the most of his life and what he has, for others it may be the love of their life, and so forth.
We are all autonomous creatures. We have complete control on everything we do. Is it too conceited on our part to think of it this way, viz the fact that we exist makes the world around us exist, for there really is no world beyond that we may perceive. If we take up the newspaper one fine morning and find out that there's an Ebola outbreak in Zaire, it is to us merely an an article in a newspaper, nothing more. And it is not an illusion, this, it really does not exist beyond print until and unless it spreads over to our neighbourhood, or we make up our mind to travel to Zaire then and there. One may tell me that I have no heart, and I am too selfish to think beyond my own narrow walls, but dear friends, such is the unimpeachable truth. Similarly, all that we see look the way they do simply because we see them that way, and it has nothing to do with the things themselves. Therefore for the colourblind, there may be only one shade of red, although for others they may be by the hundreds. It is not true that somethings wrong with him, it is merely that in his world only one shade of red exists. And the blind are blind because they have decided a world for themselves where seeing is undefined, or differently defined. Hence it is we ourselves who give shape to the world around us. Therefore are we not the creators of the world, are we not Gods ourselves?
You may ask me what my God is like. Well what with the newfound liberty in this matter, I may finally have my say. I, too, as most others believe in the omnipotence of God. It is the traditional concept of omnipotence that I have a problem with. God is truly the Almighty, and no one stands above him. Hence there is no point whatsoever in asking His forgiveness for follies committed by us on Earth. In fact such a line of thought is irreverent, for to ask forgiveness of one who is in total control of everything is equivalent to blaming him for the deed, because it could not possibly be done without his consent. Therefore the only way we may address Him is in prayer, and our pleas should be such that no hopes of their being acknowledged are ever entertained, for it diminishes their worth as a prayer, and makes it seem more like a dictate unto Him, which is absurd to say the least.
But then, my God does not judge people. Nothing we may ever do is wrong in His eyes for all that we do are mere reflections of His own self. The moments in which we may get a glimpse, a brief trailer of his dazzling splendour is when we see something really, really beautiful, something that makes us very happy. Indeed, it is simply those moments that we live for, and is it not God that makes us live?
Yours sincerely
Jude
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Another Poem
[This poem I wrote back in 2006. In fact I wrote two poems on a single day back then. This is the second one. The other, I shall also post, but that will come later. It is entitled 'A (stray) Dog's life'.]
Kindly eyes on a comely face;
Brave vagabond of the streets-
Gladly reposing in the grime
While others sleep on satin sheets.
Wealth and riches, glory, fame-
Of them, what do you know?
Fears and cravings, tears and pain-
You've conquered them long ago.
Hunger gnawing at your heart:
Fears and restraints, they depart.
Striving forth in ways unwise,
One scraggy bone the only prize.
But once you've earned your daily bread-
All your sorrows, watch them fade.
Lie down gentle, close your eyes;
You've entered canine paradise.
Yours sincerely
Jude
Kindly eyes on a comely face;
Brave vagabond of the streets-
Gladly reposing in the grime
While others sleep on satin sheets.
Wealth and riches, glory, fame-
Of them, what do you know?
Fears and cravings, tears and pain-
You've conquered them long ago.
Hunger gnawing at your heart:
Fears and restraints, they depart.
Striving forth in ways unwise,
One scraggy bone the only prize.
But once you've earned your daily bread-
All your sorrows, watch them fade.
Lie down gentle, close your eyes;
You've entered canine paradise.
Yours sincerely
Jude
On Morality
I say, what exactly is the whole idea behind good or bad? One can rephrase this question as follows: when we do something, do we have a choice? Could we possibly withdraw if we wanted to?
Now, if we take the scientific approach and all, then the question has little meaning, for science, or at least physics does not exactly distinguish between the living and the inanimate. Therefore, within the realm of science, such a discussion is, by default, futile. But casting aside this approach for the moment, let us stop to analyze ourselves a bit. We all have regrets, almost all the time about petty things to things of mammoth proportions that weigh down on us like a road roller, and possibly much more frequently than we care to admit even to our selves. But the fact is that we never really learn, and at most learn to live with our mistakes.
My firm belief is that Man is never really responsible for his actions, and to consider yourself to be in command is possibly the greatest delusion of all. Obviously, this may be interpreted as a license to unlimited wickedness, but then we cannot be wicked beyond a certain measure wisely proportioned unto each. Likewise, there is a strict upper limit on our capacity to do good.In this manner, Man is no better than animals, as everything he does is solely to satisfy some immediate need.
Such a comparison is by no means degrading. On the other hand, it is rather beautiful. Consider this world running solely on the principle of immediate gain. Every breath you take, every move you make, gives you greater peace than before. In this way, everything that you do adds up to your peace of mind. Thus doing good or bad is for us purely a primal need, just like hunger, sleep etc. And can you really punish anyone for going out of the way to satisfy such needs as those? And this applies not to you alone, but to every living creature on the planet. And for this very reason we are all one and the same - the daffodils in a lonely garden, the flock of geese at the break of dawn, the cattle in the field, every one of them!
So the question that automatically rears up is whether all forms of punishment be abolished? Well, I guess we couldn't if we tried, desirable as it might be. For there is in us this desire for vengeance and retribution, along with the omnipotent fear that will forever compel us to inflict punishments upon wrongdoers,just as another part of us will plead for mercy and emancipation. Nothing wrong with either I assure you, merely a trait, or a way of the world. Hence, blasphemous though it may sound, I couldn't logically respect Mother Teresa any more than the greedy capitalist that sucks the lifeblood out the poor. For it was in Mother Teresa an all encompassing need to do good. She couldn't have lived in any other way even if she tried, nor could the aforementioned capitalist, for not unto him was rendered this wonderful gift. I guess, she new it, too, and therein lay that sea of universal love.
Therefore, it is a remarkably stupid thing to hate people. It is not uncommon for the just, benevolent men-of-the-world to show great compassion for beggars and the downtrodden. But just think about the unlucky ones that are repelled by the mere sight of them! One should feel sorry rather than angry when one sees them kick away a beggar as though he were a curse,
for the curse is upon them that they are so greatly perturbed by so trivial a thing. Hence, the best way to go about it is to love one and all irrespective of their deeds and ways. It is by no means an easy matter, and may be acquired only through long and rigorous self-training. But then, sometimes when you are all alone and have nothing much to do, you might give this mode of thought a thought, and then feel the surge of love welling out from within. Do it right and you will be blown away by the current, and therein shall lie your true salvation.
Now, bear in mind that I do not practise all that I preach. In fact I am nowhere near, merely one of the multitude, absorbed in my own petty regrets and foolish hate. Regardless, I firmly believe that this is the best path of all, and for the effort that I have put into this article, may somebody, somewhere be a tiny bit happier than he was.
Yours sincerely
Jude
Now, if we take the scientific approach and all, then the question has little meaning, for science, or at least physics does not exactly distinguish between the living and the inanimate. Therefore, within the realm of science, such a discussion is, by default, futile. But casting aside this approach for the moment, let us stop to analyze ourselves a bit. We all have regrets, almost all the time about petty things to things of mammoth proportions that weigh down on us like a road roller, and possibly much more frequently than we care to admit even to our selves. But the fact is that we never really learn, and at most learn to live with our mistakes.
My firm belief is that Man is never really responsible for his actions, and to consider yourself to be in command is possibly the greatest delusion of all. Obviously, this may be interpreted as a license to unlimited wickedness, but then we cannot be wicked beyond a certain measure wisely proportioned unto each. Likewise, there is a strict upper limit on our capacity to do good.In this manner, Man is no better than animals, as everything he does is solely to satisfy some immediate need.
Such a comparison is by no means degrading. On the other hand, it is rather beautiful. Consider this world running solely on the principle of immediate gain. Every breath you take, every move you make, gives you greater peace than before. In this way, everything that you do adds up to your peace of mind. Thus doing good or bad is for us purely a primal need, just like hunger, sleep etc. And can you really punish anyone for going out of the way to satisfy such needs as those? And this applies not to you alone, but to every living creature on the planet. And for this very reason we are all one and the same - the daffodils in a lonely garden, the flock of geese at the break of dawn, the cattle in the field, every one of them!
So the question that automatically rears up is whether all forms of punishment be abolished? Well, I guess we couldn't if we tried, desirable as it might be. For there is in us this desire for vengeance and retribution, along with the omnipotent fear that will forever compel us to inflict punishments upon wrongdoers,just as another part of us will plead for mercy and emancipation. Nothing wrong with either I assure you, merely a trait, or a way of the world. Hence, blasphemous though it may sound, I couldn't logically respect Mother Teresa any more than the greedy capitalist that sucks the lifeblood out the poor. For it was in Mother Teresa an all encompassing need to do good. She couldn't have lived in any other way even if she tried, nor could the aforementioned capitalist, for not unto him was rendered this wonderful gift. I guess, she new it, too, and therein lay that sea of universal love.
Therefore, it is a remarkably stupid thing to hate people. It is not uncommon for the just, benevolent men-of-the-world to show great compassion for beggars and the downtrodden. But just think about the unlucky ones that are repelled by the mere sight of them! One should feel sorry rather than angry when one sees them kick away a beggar as though he were a curse,
for the curse is upon them that they are so greatly perturbed by so trivial a thing. Hence, the best way to go about it is to love one and all irrespective of their deeds and ways. It is by no means an easy matter, and may be acquired only through long and rigorous self-training. But then, sometimes when you are all alone and have nothing much to do, you might give this mode of thought a thought, and then feel the surge of love welling out from within. Do it right and you will be blown away by the current, and therein shall lie your true salvation.
Now, bear in mind that I do not practise all that I preach. In fact I am nowhere near, merely one of the multitude, absorbed in my own petty regrets and foolish hate. Regardless, I firmly believe that this is the best path of all, and for the effort that I have put into this article, may somebody, somewhere be a tiny bit happier than he was.
Yours sincerely
Jude
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