I wanted to write a post about late Narendra Dabholkar who was killed last week for because he had the courage to fight against superstitions and so called babas. He was trying for a long time to bring the bill against superstitious practices. And the irony is Maharashtra government passed this bill immediately after his death.
But I did not write that post. One: because I was busy with other important things - like TV and my coding. Two, I felt I have some superstitions of my own, which I am unable to overcome. But why do I believe in such things whenI do not even know for sure if God is present or not(absent :) ) ?
But one thing I certainly do not believe in, is the idea of heaven and hell. Come on, who can believe that once we die, our souls -assuming that they are present, will either rot in hell or enjoy in heaven!! How can be there pleasure or pain without the body? I seriously suspect that this concept of heaven and hell was invented in order to keep people away from mischiefs.
So today in my class - no I was not teaching class, I was learning in the class. I have enrolled for a diploma in counselling course. And I am really liking the classes. So today in the class, the teacher was asking us, how do you justify that a seat should be reserved for you in heaven. I asked her what if I do not believe in the concept of heaven and hell.
But I was surprised by the fact that, I was the only one to raise this question out of 30 plus of my class mates. All are women except for one student. And they are all well educated, intelligent, not diffident women. And most are from a generation ahead of me, generation Y(I?). So why was nobody who does not believe in heaven and hell. And how is it possible that there is nobody who does not believe in traditions and sanatana dharma?
In India, or in Bangalore, many women or should I say most women are pious and traditional. Why is it so? Is it because they are brought up that way? It is certainly not because they are less rational. Or is it because women have to believe in God and hence the associated traditions of puja because they are helpless in many situations and hence need some form of support - even if it is from an imaginary God.
But I did not write that post. One: because I was busy with other important things - like TV and my coding. Two, I felt I have some superstitions of my own, which I am unable to overcome. But why do I believe in such things whenI do not even know for sure if God is present or not(absent :) ) ?
But one thing I certainly do not believe in, is the idea of heaven and hell. Come on, who can believe that once we die, our souls -assuming that they are present, will either rot in hell or enjoy in heaven!! How can be there pleasure or pain without the body? I seriously suspect that this concept of heaven and hell was invented in order to keep people away from mischiefs.
So today in my class - no I was not teaching class, I was learning in the class. I have enrolled for a diploma in counselling course. And I am really liking the classes. So today in the class, the teacher was asking us, how do you justify that a seat should be reserved for you in heaven. I asked her what if I do not believe in the concept of heaven and hell.
But I was surprised by the fact that, I was the only one to raise this question out of 30 plus of my class mates. All are women except for one student. And they are all well educated, intelligent, not diffident women. And most are from a generation ahead of me, generation Y(I?). So why was nobody who does not believe in heaven and hell. And how is it possible that there is nobody who does not believe in traditions and sanatana dharma?
In India, or in Bangalore, many women or should I say most women are pious and traditional. Why is it so? Is it because they are brought up that way? It is certainly not because they are less rational. Or is it because women have to believe in God and hence the associated traditions of puja because they are helpless in many situations and hence need some form of support - even if it is from an imaginary God.
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