In a movie which I saw recently there was a very nice dialogue, "religion is art, religion in a representation of many art forms through out the world. Some express religion through Kawali (a type of song, singing in praise of God) or basal or hyms...religion is about the architecture of the beautiful churches, mosques, monasteries and temples all over the world, the frescos, the paintings..."
I think whoever wrote the dialogue of that film was bang on. It has been said a lot of times I am sure but religion is a very strange and mysterious thing. But to me religion is faith and faith is hope, when I am about to venture into something or am in need of assurance or when everything else fails, I pray. Again praying is an individual thing, everyone prays in different ways. While some believes in rituals and worshiping, some just talk to oneself in a very personal way. Praying is a very personal way of delivering a message, probably one of the core very core and oldest forms of communication. A communication with something or someone, not sure which, in order to achieve or seek comfort.
Just to site an example, today a few of my friends went to a temple. We went because one my friend had got a job which he had wanted for years and he finally got it, he went not to make a huge donation or to worship, he just went to the temple and tell his God that he appreciates what he has got, he was thanking God in his own way, in his own personal way. Now I wonder how it works, do you think that God looked his way and said,"okay let's help him out. Let him have the job" and he got the job, or is there a criterion that everyone has to meet...in some ways a criterion to qualify to get the job you wanted...who knows how it works...but the point that I am trying to make in this article is that everyone or the most of us has our own concept of God. But I know that a lot of my concept of God is my communication with him/her, which in turn, is based on all the exposure to different cultures, media and literature.
What is my concept of God?
My relation with God is simple...he/she ( I am yet to decide on the sex) is like a very powerful friend...This friend is not Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or any other. My buddy is someone who inspires me, motivates me and gives me courage...the rest is all me. My achievements are my own, my failures are my own...But like any powerful friend, during a major disaster, I call out to him to save my backside. Sometimes I have bribed him even...I don't forget my friend when I am basking in the glory of success, neither do I nag when things are going pear shaped.
As I spoke to a lot of my friends on the topic of God. There were so many concepts which came up. Some very interesting, some very lame, some bizarre. But what I found was that in my set of friends, everyone had a very similar concept as I do. A bit different here and there, but essentially the same philosophy. So can we say that this concept that I have reflects the current social format, by that I mean the same way as the formal structure is giving way to a more informal society where referring to your boss, Richard as Richie is alright rather than the Mr. Gere which was prevalent in a more conservative time. This also tells us how the communication methods have changed over time...
From beggars to millionaires, from artists to convicts, everyone prays, everyone talks to God...How do you connect? Share with us...
- Yours Truely
I think whoever wrote the dialogue of that film was bang on. It has been said a lot of times I am sure but religion is a very strange and mysterious thing. But to me religion is faith and faith is hope, when I am about to venture into something or am in need of assurance or when everything else fails, I pray. Again praying is an individual thing, everyone prays in different ways. While some believes in rituals and worshiping, some just talk to oneself in a very personal way. Praying is a very personal way of delivering a message, probably one of the core very core and oldest forms of communication. A communication with something or someone, not sure which, in order to achieve or seek comfort.
Just to site an example, today a few of my friends went to a temple. We went because one my friend had got a job which he had wanted for years and he finally got it, he went not to make a huge donation or to worship, he just went to the temple and tell his God that he appreciates what he has got, he was thanking God in his own way, in his own personal way. Now I wonder how it works, do you think that God looked his way and said,"okay let's help him out. Let him have the job" and he got the job, or is there a criterion that everyone has to meet...in some ways a criterion to qualify to get the job you wanted...who knows how it works...but the point that I am trying to make in this article is that everyone or the most of us has our own concept of God. But I know that a lot of my concept of God is my communication with him/her, which in turn, is based on all the exposure to different cultures, media and literature.
What is my concept of God?
My relation with God is simple...he/she ( I am yet to decide on the sex) is like a very powerful friend...This friend is not Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or any other. My buddy is someone who inspires me, motivates me and gives me courage...the rest is all me. My achievements are my own, my failures are my own...But like any powerful friend, during a major disaster, I call out to him to save my backside. Sometimes I have bribed him even...I don't forget my friend when I am basking in the glory of success, neither do I nag when things are going pear shaped.
As I spoke to a lot of my friends on the topic of God. There were so many concepts which came up. Some very interesting, some very lame, some bizarre. But what I found was that in my set of friends, everyone had a very similar concept as I do. A bit different here and there, but essentially the same philosophy. So can we say that this concept that I have reflects the current social format, by that I mean the same way as the formal structure is giving way to a more informal society where referring to your boss, Richard as Richie is alright rather than the Mr. Gere which was prevalent in a more conservative time. This also tells us how the communication methods have changed over time...
From beggars to millionaires, from artists to convicts, everyone prays, everyone talks to God...How do you connect? Share with us...
- Yours Truely
I do not know if I am 'religious' in the way commonly thought of in that I do not believe in rituals as a way of communion with my god. It is my faith or rather my belief. Its very simple. every day I spend some time, from 15 minutes to a few seconds...it depends on how pressed I am for time...for my communion with my god. I set a plate of sweets, a glass of water, light an incense stick, never for a second believing that 'god' will come and have those quietly when I am out of the way. Sometimes I even forget. I don't believe that I have to take a bath or wear freshly laundered clothes to communicate with god. I ask him/her for loads of favours, for myself and for my loved ones. but, believe me, in that little time that I sit quietly I feel like I am talking to someone with whom I can share everything, with whom I can cry and rant and rage, but also smile in happiness about some prayer that has been answered. I never feel guilty about asking for so much, for I feel deep inside me that here is the only place where I can ask for anything. I am there to ask, it is for my god to grant me those. It is a communication that is intensely personal, confidential and sacred.
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