Sunday, January 25, 2009

Who am I?


I am a lot of me . . . . To some I’m just another guy, to a few I’m just the guy. . I’m a son to some, will be a father to some, for some I’m a brother, there are those who consider me to be a friend, for a few I’m an adversary. . . To some I’m all that matters, and to a lot I don’t exist. I’m an open book to some, and to some, I’m misunderstood. I’m a lover, I’m the guy next door, I’m a fool, I’m intelligent, I’m a man, I’m a child, I’m someone you were looking for, I’m someone you never wanted to meet, I’m blood and I’m flesh, I’m joy and I’m sorrow. I’m who I think I am, I’m that which I didn’t know existed. I’m kinky, I’m mellow, I’m smart and I’m an idiot, I’m compassionate, I’m unkind. . . Sometimes I'm just a sheep in the flock and there are times when I'm a shepherd. .


I am who you want me to be. I am a figment of my own imagination. I create a new me every moment, based on what is required, and I discover a new me every time. I'm fluid, I fill the container and take its shape. They call me flexible, I call myself adaptable. I change with time, I change with weather, I change with age, I change with situation, I find myself reasons to change. Change keeps me going, change gives me an escape, change makes me feel eternal. So, when I am no more, I will still be, because that would just be another change.

There are three of me. One that I think I am, one that others think I am and, what I really am. The objective of my life is to reach a point where all the three of me is one. . . .

Do you still think you know me? I, for one don't. . .

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Paradise Lost


There is this new campaign in the UK and parts of Europe, run by atheists. They have been putting up adverts on buses, challenging the existence of God. The adverts have taglines like, "There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." These as expected have not gone down well with the believers. Christians around the world have been crying themselves hoarse to get the ads banned. One Mr Green of 'Christian Voice', has challenged the adverts on grounds of "truthfulness" and "substantiation", suggesting that there is not "a shred of supporting evidence" that there is probably no God.

Funny, that no other community has protested against this campaign as much as the Christians. Keeping in mind, that they consider themselves to be the most liberal and modern of all religions. In fact, I would have expected the more radical muslims or maybe even hindu groups around the world protesting against this campaign. But, everyone seems to have ignored it other than the church and its followers. What is the Vatican so paranoid about? They have been selling their propaganda around the world for the last 1500 years. Do they really believe that, little, harmless and nonviolent campaigns like these can shake the faith? Or maybe that is what they are scared of, the conversions and brainwashing, that spread the religion around the world, weren’t exactly according the preaching of the Holy Father, was it?

How often do we see atheists protesting against religious banners around the world? They too have their right to free speech and expression. They too can demand what kind of banners and posters they want to see. Why don’t they protest against temples, mosques, churches, synagogues and other places of worship? For an atheist, they are all a waste of space. He would be happier if they opened a bar instead, or maybe a health club, or a hospital, or a school for that matter. Why does he not contest the rights of a school to waste time in teaching children religion? You are only teaching them how to differentiate between people based on something you can’t see.

When will we realize that today, religion isn’t really helping? It’s become one of the major evils of our society. Imagine, Iraq alone had over 29000 people killed in 2008, in attacks by Islamic terrorist groups. India is second with over 3500 deaths, followed closely by Afghanistan and the list goes on. Islam is not the only religion with this problem, we have had IRA in Ireland, the Khalistani movement in Punjab, the Thugees killing in the name of Kali during the British raj, Jews butchered during the holocaust, more than half a million Muslims killed during the crusades. . . .

Maybe we now need to start evolving to live without a religion. Because the way things stand right now, the world is divided into armed camps ready to commit genocide just because we can’t agree on whose fairy tales to believe. And in the end, religion will kill us all.