Got enough guilt to start my own religion
-- Tori Amos, "Crucify"
In this piece:
Let us start with the basic assumption that majority of the populationbelieves in a God. Let us assume that he does exist. But not unarguably.
For atheists -- there's food for thought, too.The second assumption being that any pronoun which begins with a capitalletter refers to Him. For political correctness & easier reading.
Forget modern day messiahs, pop icons have an opinion about Him.Momentous occasions in our lives spin us back to our faith. God, over thenext 100 years, hmmm? With the million agendas, hidden or otherwise -does the world have the time to think about him? How much credit wouldWarren Buffet give to God for sound investments? What about your washer-lady between feeding her husband and 7th child? And your local politicalheavyweight? The liftman - when he between the 4th & 5th floors? Themanager of the textile mill at new Bombay? The Children flying kites onthe terrace?
It's been a rare day. I thought about His existence & purpose. A fewrandom notes.
The praying reflex It is not because we believe that the Great Guy UpThere is listening and sorting out our problems one by one. He never wasa genie on the run, trying to grant anyone's wishes. Besides no one hasever conclusively & scientifically proved that he exists.
Most of us pray because -- we've got to talk to someone. And by merelybeing silent god's the best listener one can imagine. Because we doimagine that is there.
One-stop-shop
Your arch rival is praying for the same horrid things that you wish him.
He believes you deserve it as much as you think he does. He truly thinksthat of the two - he is more righteous, justified and basically virtuous.Funny, the same thoughts run through your head. I doubt God runs acompany where Directors are assigned to various species of humans. Soit's the same guy listening to him, to you, to me, and the owner of thestand where your morning paper was bought. Go figure his priorities.
In time of need
So you prayed when your team was selected. Then again, when you narrowlymade that submission deadline. Once more when your love brought youunimaginable bliss. Plus when your project ran through with accolades. Orwhen your chocolate brownies did not get burnt. When you spent the daywith a school pal after ages. Your boss gave you the new cabin. Youmissed getting run over.
Hey, no one does. For if we pray for all the serendipity in our lives, wewon't have the time to really live. God's around the corner when we feellife falls short of expectations. He is there for the time the browniesdo get burnt and your dog dies and the professor need a little pleadingto get those grace marks and when a raise would be most welcome.
In the next hundred years, God will take less of our time. Like today'skids -- we will expect a superachiever who minds his own business and doeshis job well.
God Inc. with sound liquidity & a growth plan.
Artificial Life
Don't know if you missed it last month - but I almost did. Asupersomething scientist in a freaky enormous lab in the developed partof the world (the papers told me) has synthesized a gene. In extremelysimplistic terms -- he has created the basic unit of life from plasticcompounds. He has made life. And all this while the world is under theassumption that God has monopoly rights on those kind of things.Fascinated? Frightened? I don't know how to react yet - because this putslittle question marks on things like Karma, re-incarnation, re-birth, thesoul and other such personal faith.
One popular entity
Run a search on your friendly neighbourhood search engine and here arethe stats.
GOD; 21ST CENTURY : 1.5 MILLION HITS
The Internet is the medium with the message for the next century. We seecultures steeped in rituals, beliefs and traditions. Our holy books tellus how to live. They are beacons in a fog for some and as important asthe morning cuppa to some.
The Net -- rivetted to technology and the mindset of generation to come.It is also an unbiased transmitter for anyone with a voice. It almostruns a "situations vacant/wanted" for new faith. For the disillusionedlot -- there is new hope and for the cynical - lots of loyal company.Chats on the Almighty and sites professing the Second Coming. Got areligion? Broadcast it.
You don't know what it is (but it makes you comfortable)That is reason enough to hold your belief in God, in your religion oryour choice to abstain from it. God has been & will be a choice.That doesn't change.
Metadata: