Note:
Ennada ivan aah-ooh na Suresh illa Usha blog pathi solraan? Sonthamaa yosikkave maattana nu yosikkatheenga. I just happened to start writing this post on reading the following quote on Suresh's blog and after the "Is there a God?" debate on Neeyaa-Naanaa program on Vijay TV (it was yucky anyway)
"If atheism is a religion, not collecting stamps is a hobby"
There is a major blunder in this apparently "brilliant" statement. Aama ivar periya nakkeerar parambara, sorkuttram, porutkuttram kandupichu solla vandhuttaru...!!! Anyway, religion is a state; hobby is an activity. Atheism is a state that is a negation of another state. Mind you, i din't say negative state: i said it is negation of another state. Nonetheless, both are states. It is a belief, either in the presence or absence of God. On the other hand, collecting stamps is a activity... (kandupuduchuttaruppa columbusu!!!), the absence of an activity doesn't lead to another activity. Just think about it.
Is there a God? Yes, if you believe it and No, if you don't. Well, that might seem too dumb, so uncharacteristic of the author of this blog. But, this requires some deep thought. I don't want to go into the tricky part of defining what is god. Throughout history, man has defined God as all that is unexplainable. Such complex issues are best left to theologians.
Let's focus on an even more important and practical question. Why do we need God? Religion is a tool to integrate oneself. To create an individual: to form the whole from pieces. As ironical as it may sound, I believe that was the purpose. After all, manitha manam oru kurangu. The mind is the most fluid of all things on earth and religion, being the tool used to integrate it, should have a certain structure, call it rigidity if you will. This necessitates rituals and symbols, which are more powerful than words, to create a sense of purpose. Just like the Coke bottle or the Mac golden arches or the Starbucks logo. Man cannot live without symbols, be it in the pitch dark caves of the stone age or in a sprawling penthouse in present day Manhattan.
Symbols are powerful and very personal. And therefore, often liable to be misinterpreted by others and sometimes even by those who use it. So is God just a symbol like the Coke bottle? Much more than that; religious symbols too convey a meaning but something that is much more deeper and valuable than these dumb logos. But, it is when these rituals lose their spirit or bhava and and symbols, their meaning, they become blind-faiths that so-called atheists, "the defenders of rationality", go on to ridicule ad nauseam. Every symbol has a deep meaning, it is us who have lost the keys to the rich secrets of these symbols.
I just hate these so-called atheists for the "superior intellect" that they assume they have just based on the "virtue" of 'denying God'. At best, almost all of these are pseudo-intellectuals who try to make themselves popular by being against something even more popular. You are bad, that makes me better. You dont know logic as we see it, that means we are from MIT. That's sickening reasoning, 'comrades'!!! Intha sabaiyil paattu ezhuthi per vaangum pulavargalum irukkiraargal, kuttram kandu pidithae per vaangum pulavargalum irukkirargal!!
And certainly there are some tools in religion that have outlived their utility and need to be repaired. Some are broken and need to be replaced. But, to claim intellectual superiority just based on denial of other's beliefs is too childish. I know this is the most cliched expression but i have to use it. All religions lead to God, just like all rivers flow into the ocean. Aanaa, problem enna na namma aalungalla pala per nadhikkaraila ukkaanthuttu ithula kulichaa thaan gnanam porakkumnu katha pesittae sethu poyidaraanga. Kadasivaraikkum yaarume nadhila yerangi kulikkarathae illa.
Osho used to say: There are two kinds of religion - one is the religion of the heart and another is the religion of the mind. Today, our hearts are dry and our minds are clouded. So we could follow neither the heart nor the mind. That explains the confusion.
Next: Hinduism - Answer for everything
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5 comments:
Hi Sk,
{I just hate these so-called atheists for the "superior intellect" that they assume they have just based on the "virtue" of 'denying God'. At best, almost all of these are pseudo-intellectuals who try to make themselves popular by being against something even more popular.}
I agree that some of the atheists do behave arrogantly, when they express their so-called 'superior' scientific knowledge to express their disbelief in God. But not all of them are like that. Research has only shown a correlation between intellectual ability and disbelief in God, not causation.
But what is to stop me from saying that the religious people are also condescending and arrogant in their own beliefs? If you did not know, about 45% of Americans think that the world is going to end soon, that Jesus Christ is going to come to America, and that only followers of Christ will enter the gates of heaven. Think about that!45%!
Atheists have been condemned and ridiculed by religious people, who say that they are incarnations of Satan himself, and that they will be burned in hell. In what light does this put religious moderates and extremists in?
{Religion is a tool to integrate oneself} At least that might have been the reason in the past, I guess. But now its more like a tool to start a third world war.
{...it is when these rituals lose their spirit or bhava and and symbols, their meaning, they become blind-faiths ...} Why would the rituals and symbols loose their values in the first place? Why have humans, if we had found it to be so spiritual and valuable, let them loose their meanings? Like I said in my comment to my other friend in my blog, why did not religion, with all its rituals and symbols, progress? There should be some other explanation for it. You tell me what it is.
In all my posts about atheism, I have only wondered about why people are so gullible to the beliefs of their religion as I once was. Never did I make any bad comments on religious people. Some religious extremists seem to be idiots, only because they have been indoctrinated in such a way. But I didn't call any of them idiots.
{But, to claim intellectual superiority just based on denial of other's beliefs is too childish.} Atheists don't just deny other's beliefs. They support theirs' with concrete evidence from science. And what do religious people have to support their beliefs? Their symbols and rituals? Their scriptures? And how concrete is that?
It's a long comment. Sorry about that. Take your time to read and reply:)
Priya:P
{But now its more like a tool to start a third world war.} Religion might be shown as an excuse, but not the cause. War is always about economics and power, though religion/racism might provide a facade.
{why did not religion, with all its rituals and symbols, progress?} What do you mean by progress? If you mean intellectual arguments, India has discussed much more about the existence/absence of God. As i said, it depends of your type, use MBTI or whtevr. Religion of heart/mind. I have seen people in a transcendental state when she does poojas. Though I have my own doubts about God, I just cant ignore their experience just because it is "their" experience. Symbols are tools to tap your emotions.
{And what do religious people have to support their beliefs?}
"god is the most powerful invention of man".... need i say anymore ;)
Though I have my own doubts about God, I just cant ignore their experience just because it is "their" experience. => idhudhan sishya being agnostic.
Ok, you are right when you say that namma aalunga nadhila kulikkamaye poidaranga-nu.
Religious books edutheengana they say that God is everything, and god gives you everything and all that. Now seeing that, are we gonna think that we approach god only for "wanting" things? How many of us really go to a temple to only think about God? Atleast, "ennai nimmadhiya vachiru iraiva"-navadhu solrom, do we say "eppavume unnai ninaikum arul vendum"? So religion for the mass has become more like a tool that helps you get things you want. Idhuku per religion kidayadhu, it is more like exchange offer, naan thenga udaikaren, nee ennai pass panna vachidu type.
Seri ok, detached life lead pannu-nu sila books irukum, but how pratical are they? A detached life also does not look good, I mean, I cant stop wanting a mercedes, nor can I think that losing my iPod is trivial although I know that desire is the root cause for all sorrows. That would mean I am not enjoying the little things of life, however materialistic they may be.
Idhukellam answer, kadavul illai ;) So naan religion en wants base panniyum follow panna matten, detachment-um thevaiyilla, I lead my life, and my brains help me do it - I guess this might be the reason for those atheists.
Religion en progress aagala-nradhuku there are a lot of obvious reasons - munnadi ellam makkal dharma padi irundhanga, each sect had their dharmas to follow, and they did it. But these days, we are running behind our professions than spending time with our family, idhula do we have time for religion? kovils have become the resorts for the elderly and for people who are yet to step into the actual worldly things like profession.
Anyways, dont want to bore you more, appeat!
Yeah, i know what you mean. Haha:) Okay, enough of this small talk. I know your take on this issue. Or kind of... It's a good post anyway;P
pesama amaithiya erunthu partha kadavul theriyuvara ?
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