My Views on Religion and God

I was born in a Brahman family, profoundly known for its superiority over other races, castes an what ever one calls. so, since childhood I was listening to the Hindu Mythologies and the basic principles on which the religion was built. As I grew, I came to know the world in its true essence., heard and saw people's suffereings, deaths, poverty and misery etc. When I popped questions regarding these, I was told that its because of their sins in the previous births and what not, along with some supporting stories. Once, read a proverb regarding the Men's greatest virtue, think all of you have come across, i.e., "Forgiveness is the Greatest of all the Virtues," and collecting quotations and proverbs had become a hobby ever since.

Among many of my collections, the one that caught my attention is the above one, and I started thinking of the basic building principles of the Hindu religion and the Almighty. If that was regarded as one of the greatest virtues of Humanity, then why didn't God had it? Was it only the virtue of the Human beings and not the God? If the highly reverred God couldn't forgive those who had committed sins, then why is it regarded a a virtue at all. So, in order to satisfy myself, I started to look for the answers from various books on religion as following the footsteps of a man before you is a good way to start. But, I couldnt find satisfactory answers for my few questions as I had the habbit of not accepting anything so easily, that it is told/written like that and I should accept it, its not my way of understanding things.

So, I started to find the answers from my own reasoning and some of the briefings that I could come across from here and there as making our own footsteps is a better way to end though we started on someone else's footprints. So, here is what I got from my ability to think and find reasons for my own questions, I started to disbelieve in the presence of the God, what dictionaries describe as an Athiest which I am going to write in detail in my short series of blogs on My Views on Religion and God.

My Idea of Education...

Here comes another view of me regarding the ‘help’ that I had discussed in the previous blog. I made a statement, “Help others in what ever way you can.” So, naturally questions crop in the mind regarding the ways/methods to help others. In this blog, I want to tell my views of helping others by broadly classifying them as…

[1] Education
[2] Emotional/Moral Support
[3] Social help

This blog is dedicated only to education and would write on the remaining two in my consecutive blogs. Education doesn’t me to teach them regarding the latest technologies and know how, but to first make them read and write in any language, in which they are comfortable. Discuss with them one subject at a time in a broader way. Let (or help) them find their own interest. Then according to their interests, guide them in proper directions.

Starting from the age of 4 years, teach the children, the basics of all the subjects like languages, mathematics, science and social studies (both with their 4 constituents). Also include in this duration, ample time (almost equal) for arts, crafts and sports for all round development of the children. Increase the level of difficulty of the subjects in phases over a span of 8-10 years. If they exhibit good performance in arts and sports, discuss the pros and cons of selecting them as their career paths or else suggest them to take it as a hobby or some extra-curricular activity.

If they exhibit greater interest in formal subject, let them find the subjects in which they are weak and strong, so that they can excel choosing one of them as their career starting point. Then, guide them through the particular subject in a broader sense, its constituent branches, the basic education one should have in order to excel in that particular field, available career paths, and the problems and challenges they can face etc. The student should be helped to chalk out a clear cut strategy to enter into the field they are interested in along with a few alternatives in their area of interest. Then, give them ample time to ponder over the various areas and pick up one career so that they can excel in their favourite area.

This would put off the pressure from the students as they study only the subjects they are interested in. Just teach the subjects in the class and counsel the student individually to analyze their areas of interest; there would not be any need of exams, compare and grade them. Also, there wouldn’t be any reason for the parents to scold their children. But, this doesn’t make it full, make them update their general awareness, not only bookish but also that are not bookish. Let me give an example: make the children to do basic activities like bank transactions, railway reservations, buying groceries, traveling etc. Make them an individual who can live independently, that they can do their jobs themselves and take suggestions for perfection now and then. Whets the use of a Master’s degree if one doesn’t know how to book a railway ticket or take a demand draft.

This would make the children do their daily needs independently, with out depending on their parents for each and every thing. For this to be successful, the parents should understand the concept and not spoon feed their children. Let the students decide what is good for them and don’t make their pride rule over their children. Don’t forget that great inventions in the history have come from individuals who excel in their areas of interest and not their parents.The noble man understands what is right. The inferior man understands what is profitable.

"Success in life comes not from holding a good hand, but in playing a poor hand well."Even spreading these kinds of ideas is also education.

The blog name comes from here...a small voice

What do you think of the Country you were born in? Did you ever think of the rich heritage it has? Do you think the way the country is progressing is good in the long run? Were you satisfied with all the functionalities of the nation? I am sure that every one of us would come out in a dissatisfied and frustrated tone. So, what are you going to do? We have two possibilities before us; either to help in bringing about a change in the system or to remain idle, silent and follow the system. The latter must not occur, as, though we are small, we are a force. If we stick close together and keep bringing in new people, we will definitely, be victorious over the system.

Even, every one of us must have thought at least once that this country and the people need to change. Who do you think should come forward to make a change? Is it the government, who had enough problems with the neighbouring countries? Then, think again... It should be “US.” We are the power of our country and we have to create the difference. Are you thinking whether you have it in you or not? Yes, you have it in you. Every one of us has the potential to bring change, might be small, enough to make a change.

In order to help in bringing any change, we must prepare ourselves by first understanding our responsibilities towards other human beings, our society, our country and whole universe. That itself is the beginning to bring about this change. Are you thinking how can a single person change the Indian society???? Let me make it clear.

Imagine a drop of water on your palm. It won’t calm your thirst nor destroy your city. But, what about the droplets that gets collected together to form into an ocean? Ocean has got its strength from all of its individual drops. Remember, without these drops, it wouldn’t be the same as. In a similar way, if every individual starts playing his/her part in nation's upliftment, all of us, together, can bring a revolutionary change, a change which some of the individuals, like today’s selfish bureaucrats, can't stop.

In order to make all these small droplets into a great ocean, you need a great visionary, to influence and inspire these droplets, without whom these droplets will only complain about the system and pollute the ocean as a whole. So, I take the initiative to mention a few elements that are needed to lay the foundation for the CHANGE I intend to make.

Before going to the details let me tell you my deepest emotion, I recognize more profoundly than ever before; that as a true Indian,

“I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but
I have the duty to fight for truth and justice,
I have the duty to fool those who think that we are impractical, fanatics, showy and airy,
I have the duty to yell at them that it’s none of their business,
I have the duty to request them to leave us alone, and
I have the duty to see to it that our nation does not suffer a catastrophic collapse despite the richest culture. “

If you obey, then, nothing at all, can make you out of it unless you yourselves have no faith in your prescriptions, if so, THEN REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE and leave, otherwise join me in making the society a synonym of Heaven.

So, if you are among those who want to change the system that tries to exploit you, you have to first change yourself, the way you think. Focus upon the wrongs we encounter each day, think of a way you want to change it or how you want to see, don’t accept just because we have to. Just think out of the box, to be simple, be a REBEL.

Rebel doesn’t mean what some of you think; a kind of ferocious human, with a sword with the desire for killing others!! He is a person who think what others don’t. Do’s what many of us don’t. I would try to be clear with a couple of examples.

[1] You see an accident, rush to the spot, go and help the injured, call the ambulance, inform his/her family/relatives. This wont cost you a single rupee, but, how many of us do this??

I think, you know the answer, “Not even a few of us.” But you feel compassionate for him/her.

[2] In a recent survey conducted by an international agency, to rank 150 cities based on the kind of people living in there considering the factors like being friendly, cooperative, responsibility and humbleness, Mumbai was ranked among the last 3 in all the parameters. It signifies how kind our people are!!

So, this is my attempt to make you one of those kinds, a rebel. The only ignition point is your realization, which makes you feel responsible. By this time, you might have understood the important qualities of a rebel. Yes, a person with the virtue of Humanity and courage make a rebel. Both the qualities are important as only the latter makes one hostile, futile and outrageous and the former makes one lame and compassionate.

I don’t care who don’t agree with me. But, those who whole-heartedly feel what I told is true, do try to change yourself such that both these qualities would be imbibed in you forever and join hands, remember the Ocean. Just remember that “The toughest opponent you will face ever is the fear within. Once you conquer it, you can conquer the World.”

One must realize now how much happier one’s life would be when one is working with others. “The rent we can pay for living on this Earth is to help others.”

Whether they are helping you, or you are helping them, burdens seem a little lighter and time, a little sweeter. Then, the country will change itself.

I would like to end by quoting that,

“WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET; WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE.”

Pehla blog

Till now I didn't see any strong reason for blogging, and some of my views changed through the long run ever since the blogging started. I came across some of the blogs from my friends, found some interesting thoughts and thought that it would be a way for me to tell the world (of course a small one comprising my friends) what I feel and felt at some memorable moments, to share and discuss few thoughts with my friends (who all read to my blogs). So, hope all the bloggers would encourage me through this journey and cherish some happy moments along with me.