All of us have our personal Gods: folks with whom we talk each day to sort our head out. Especially on days when nothing goes to plan, Rama, Jesus, Allah, Buddha etc become very real people on whose head we tend to pile the sum total of the many reasons why we didn't do enough research for that project and why it is particularly His responsibility to take charge and tend the episode to magnificence.
Some amongst us shrug now - I am not pathetic enough to need a nonexistent figure to get me through life. But there you go, all lies. When that internship call never came and when the bus took too long to arrive, your mind battled to claim hope. That strength which kept you going, the unfounded, irrational faith you bestowed on "the Universe",your resume, "grand scheme of things", the bus timetable... that confidence which carried you through? I refer to it now. I call it a Him. A God. Yours and mine.
History and mythology give us much evidence of many incarnations or representations of God, through the ages. Allah talked to us through Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him), the Bhagawatham glories Lord Krishna's life and miracles, the story of Virgin Mary and her Son who was resurrected to redeem the world is easily more popular than all the Friends seasons put together. Really, we have so many examples and incidents to draw our perception of God from.
But as I face a difficult, uncomfortable situation in life, I sometimes pause my entreaties to Him and question with ire, do you have any clue what I am going through? As I am required to deal with issues that only a twenty year old student living in the 21st century would know, how on earth am I to draw lessons from your Krishna Avatar? Things were different then, dude. When Draupadi stuck to her principles and Arjuna was renowned for his valour, community judged them with a different set of values and criteria. A Draupadi or Arjuna in this day and age may be made mockery of. Allah's instructions that clearly indicated the way to reach Him are suddenly open to a million and more reinterpretations. In a society today where there is no absolute right or wrong and every darned thing is relative or assigned to a motive, where gentle means a wimp, nice means fake, wrong means right (until proven wrong, but then again!), sarcasm means intelligence, hard work means work smart... where the heck does God fit in?
Now, how would He walk, talk, think and act? What sports would He play? His favorite music? Would He drink and smoke? And have a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend? Is He even a girl or guy to begin with?
In this vastly different world from Ayodhya and ancient Nazareth, where really would a twenty year old God find His place?
I am going to find out. Construct Him, piece by piece.
(Join me, if you please. Do drop me your suggestions through comments/mail/shout in the air... I'm excited, this will be a ride! Fo Shizzle)
4 comments:
Where the heck does God fit in?
Everywhere. God is the only thing that will always be relevant.
And how does that relevance show? If He walked amidst us in flesh and blood today, flinging his bag over the shoulders, discussing the latest Game Theoretical concepts - how would he be?
An experiment, it is.
U are talking about the scenario as to how it would be if god decided to take a avatar now in the 21st century..Interesting thought. They do say that god appears when there is a huge turmoil in the world..Considering the current state of affairs now would be a good time for Him to drop by.
I think He is already here. Taking decisions, making choices and living perfectly.
He lives as one of us, so seamlessly blended into the Toms, Sallys and Harrys we know that I'm afraid we fail to recognize Him. But who is He? How would He be?
A guide to constructing Him, so we can say hi if we do find Him outside or hopefully, in ourselves.
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