Saturday, June 02, 2007

to be religious or not...

Religion.

Well, we were dicussing about it at home. Somehow it limits us. From performing any bad acts which is good. It also restricts our train of thoughts.

As we were talking about this, we came to the conclusion that religion is a word that carries huge amount of worth in it. It's something from which many things can be discovered, reinvented to satisfy one's mind.

It's cliched. Very. We just have to spend some time on it to realise the cliche(ness) that it portrays.

According to me, religious is another name for the practises we follow. Very absurd? Isn't it, yes. I think so too, and it makes sense to me.

Coming to the practises that is follow at home, despite the various backgrounds that we come from, all of us have a lot of similarity in us. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, communication, the kind of music that we favour, the hobbies that we indulge in......

Perhaps, as a south indian i am to eat rice and sambar at home, somebody from the north eats the same too. It's that we add different spices to suit our conveniences.

Does it allow changes to be incorporated into it?

We are the most evolved on planet earth, and we are expected to churn out something new every time. But, implementation takes time(lots at times). At the same time, it works.

I used to call myself non-religious, some time back. Religion is so very linked to god and godly matters, that it is difficult to draw a line(however thin it may be) between the two.

I am religious, in the practises i follow. Rice is my staple food too(though i don't prefer it), i wear kurtas, i language i speak, the way we celebrate festivals...

On the other hand, they are some things that i don't do. And i feel satisfied not doing those things. Trying to find the reason behind this, is worthless. Perhaps, it helps. It took my family to acclimatizing. And me to modify my rigid opinions on some matters.

To be continued...

ps: These are my very own views. I might sound obnoxious at places, sorry for that. I am to continue on this, intermittantly perhaps. Those who don't find it apt, can skip this article.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good thought..
However its also a way the cultures are defined...! when we start defining something, it just gives an end! and there it stops..

Manu said...

Well religion is the making of the man, that had defined some sets of rules and practices to make man do godly activities. That is the reason they vary from places to places. But the binding thread among all of them is the eternal human values that are preached or taught by all these religions.
well waiting for ur continued completed post.

Srik said...

Religion is not about God and godly things, its about how one leads his life.

Its a way of life.

Not harming people around one, is his religion.

The godly connection comes where one believes that if I follow my religion of behaving myself properly, then God accpets me!!

Nice thoughts SK..keep it flowing.

Anonymous said...

Religion..is made up of rules and practices...and theres a saying attached to its formation...its said that...since man is the most evolved froms of creation on Earth has to be bounded and controlled in his manners , actions , thinking capabilities.

There should be some thing for which they fear and believe...and be able to decide.. on what is right and whats not..through these beliefs and practices...one learns the process of life..though there are a few extreme practices..lets just consider that...currently though there is lot of clashes between different religions and groups...what could be the situation if there was no god fearing attitude within the people...it would be unimaginable

mouna said...

veena,
yes, cultures spring from religion again. cultures mainly consist of practises that have been followed and are being followed presently...

defining something and arriving at a standstill. i guess the culprit is our mindset, we simply fail to think beyond it. what do u say?

manu,
very true. afterall, all religions try to project the same values of kindness, benevolence etc..

but, i don't know, i kind-of feel that overadvantages are rampant...

srik,
super!! :)

as what 'anon' says, perhaps a 'god' was intilled so as to create fear in man. he is bound by some rules, thus he'll proceed in the right path.

anon,
absolutely! trying to imagine a situation where people feared nobody, could not be restricted, allowed to lead a life as it would've suited them sounds terrible.

speaking about extreme practises, what made them come by? they are also integral in our lives... there's something bad attached to everything sacred... or we create it..

Anonymous said...

There used to be a time when religion used to define how people live, but i think times are changing...with so many intercaste marriages happening..now religion has become for the children a matter of choice...hope this never brings confusion and hope people can live with their choice in peace and without any compulsion...

P.S..thought i would share my view too... :)

mouna said...

priya,
intercaste mariages, or a present-day child having to choose religion: i don't think so.

it's so imbibed in us that it's difficult to shrugg it off. we might say that we do not follow and all that. invariably without our knowledge we do follow practises.. don't practises(with attachments) make a religion?

Anonymous said...

For one, I have always believed that language and food are two binding factors,which brings humans closer. Religion is one of the many media, which helps in this direction. Your example of rice and sambar (I prefer huLi) says it all.

Religion is a necessity. What is more necessary is understanding the idea and concept behind it. And, that's where education comes in.

Srik, the "way of life" religion is just your religion. trust me, not all religions are like that (most aren't, actually). I so wish they were.

mouna said...

ds,
language.. hmmm, i would rather say communication or the need to communicate. language may bind people form different religions in a geographical area. it also is different for people belonging to various locations though they belong to say, the same religion..

as to the 'way of life', i still think it to be the primary idea behind any religion...

Anonymous said...

I meant that language and religion were two of the most important factors which binds people.

I certainly don't agree that 'way of life' was the primary idea behind all religions. Wishful thinking, sure.

Srik said...

Im with you DS when you say that Language and food habit binds people together....

My personal experience...was roaming in Hyderabad...heard Kananda words from behind, and my senses got straightened to listen to those words again..later i made frieds with that person :-) This repeated in other non-Karnataka places as well.

mouna said...

ds,
yes, after srik gave that example. it makes sense :)

srik,
super thanks!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and I meant language and food binds people together...not language and religion (misteeek in my comment above, I am sure you knew).