Religion, a personal choice.

 

Hinduism is all about Dharma and Karma and serves as a guide to leading a peaceful and harmonious life. As it is based on the premise of reincarnation,  one needs to be careful with their  words, actions and deeds. With due respect to Christianity and Islam,  Hinduism  does not impose conditions or restrictions upon its followers  and is rather scientific in its approach to teaching Hindu values.  I am proud to be a practicing Hindu having grown up in a household where reciting slokas and lighting the lamp during prayer was the daily regime. The practice of conversion does not exist in Hinduism but it is  perplexing to see many Hindus converting to Christianity over promises of healing and prosperity. Just as it is a personal choice to convert one’s religion and faith  it is also a personal right to remain loyal to the religion you have been taught to be by your parents. It is unduly wrong to force another religion on anyone who has not raised any doubts over his or her faith. It is also perfectly understandable when people decide to change their faith at the time of their marriage to a person of another religion.  Hinduism does not call for such requirements. Sermonizing once in a while is okay, I guess.  Human beings desire peace and happiness,  just that happiness does not depend on one’s personal faith or connected rituals. Happiness is the ability to lead a life with detached attachment to all that we hold as  most precious and carrying on with no expectations from others and remaining constant in our pursuit for personal growth in terms of wisdom. Manipulating Hindus to convert their religion to Christianity is a institutionalized  human trafficking.  Those who are a part of it cannot take credit for bringing more sheep into the flock of the Good Shepherd if  Jesus has not asked  of them to do so.  I doubt he can manage so many followers singing hallelujahs for it can get very loud indeed for his own comfort.  Every religion is great in its own unique way, but my personal belief is that Hinduism is the most scientific in its approach. As simple as that. I don’t have to preach Hinduism to anybody, most of those who love to practice Hinduism take it up voluntarily and assimilate it in their daily life even without really going to temples.  

I believe good intentions in dealing with another human being  go a  long way to build our savings of good karma. I don’t believe in grabbing what is not morally, ethically and legitimately mine. I don’t think empires built on someone’s else’s grave will last long enough to keep its citizens happy. Confidence comes out of the ability in accepting one’s own imperfections of personality and not attempting to have an image makeover to deceive the public. Feeling insecure over another’s capability and achievements only reflects diffidence and a sense of inadequacy. Crushing another person to ensure personal growth is cowardice just as breaking into a house in the absence of its inmates and handling the personal property of an inmate is equally an act of a coward who is incapable of leading a legitimate fight based on values. Cowards outsource their insecurities to hatchet men and harass an individual, even if it is a woman who is willing to face the perpetrator all by herself without any help from others. It is not a sin if one procures information about another person surreptitiously or using illegal methods, but selling it to unsavory elements and using it for blackmail will be treated as a sin probably in all religions. Surveillance and stalking are conceptually two different things but when it is used to change historical facts and create new history then it does become a problem. This is no moral lesson but the outrage of being targeted for no valid reason except to spew venom and keep another person on the boil. Charm of things is to let things just be. A friend once commented ”When you admire the beauty of a flower silently, is brings about a surreal sense of appreciation and joy; but when you comment upon it ,the nuanced sense of beauty  that one is experiencing would be lost.”. The aggressive attempt to change a person’s choice of leading one’s life is violation of a person’s privacy and personal space. Eavesdropping or bugging a residence is not the same as having a decent conversation in the living room with friends and family. You send people who are wired to eavesdrop on those who are considered terrorists or corrupt public officials and not on private citizens who are harmless and mind their own business. If one does not intend to deal with me in a direct manner, it is only fair not to interfere  with my internet space and give me the privacy that I and my family legally deserve. Losing family members  to another religion  is painful because it brings about such a huge cultural shift that it changes personal equations to a large extent.