For the Love of God!

     I chanced upon one of those extremely rare times where I could watch movies back to back. I was quite excited to catch up on the new releases and enjoy the comfort of a multiplex. My husband and I got a little adventurous by chasing a Hollywood flick after our very own Bollywood, but least did we know the core of both the stories was the same: “Belief in GOD”. Now that’s all I wanted after a long tedious day….Phew!! Anyway, I sat through both of them. But surprisingly neither turned out to be preachy (thank God for small mercies) nor with an agnostic view point. (Which I thought was the best part). I could relate to both of them.

Later that night instead of hitting the sack straight away, we got on to scrutinizing the movies. What we liked what we didn’t, whether the movies justified their stance or were they instigating. Fortunately my husband and I are both not very religious. We believe in HUMANITY foremost. So we could relate to them even more. To watch those movies one has to have a perspective or else the message in the movies falls flat. Which apparently like me millions others worldwide have, thus making them smashing hit of the recent time.

In my life so far I got a chance to experience two different faiths (I am a born Hindu and a Baptised Catholic). I don’t think either made me come even close to being religious. Both these Faiths have acted as a guiding force into believing in ME more, rather than any ritual or superstition. And that in return made my Belief Stronger in GOD, A Spiritual Being, A Positive Energy. A Power so Supreme.

The protagonist in one of the movies quotes “Religion divides and rituals are all manmade…” (which I believe in too )and developed and followed by people of the era gone by maybe for reasons best known to them. But following those rituals blindly today without knowing them is not a progressive thinking. Belief in God is nothing more than Believing in your Own Existence. If that’s the belief you have too, then it’s only important to treat your own body as a temple in which God would reside. I let God choose me instead of me choosing which God.

Recently my son experienced different festivals celebrated here (Janmasthmi For Lord Krishna, Ananth Chathurti for Lord Ganesha, Navratri for Goddess Durga and Dusshera for Lord Ram) and now Christmas is in the pipeline. Every time he would ask me why are there so many images of God. It’s hard to explain to a child in a multi-cultural set-up. All I could tell him was different people perceive God differently. 

For me I have him believe God is in his heart and is with him all the time. His every behavior, whether good or bad; directly affects God. This makes him cautious about his attitude towards every living thing. He doesn't necessarily have to go to a special place or have an image in front of him, to convey his feelings to God; all he has to do is keep a hand on his heart and begin. And that’s how he does it every night before bed. Even saying sorry to “his” God if he had been unkind and sometimes telling “his” God to make a sick friend alright. This is the essence necessary to capture. To be a Good Human Being takes a top slot in our upbringing.

Psst...Although sneaking into the temple for the love of “prasad” should be forgiven ;)