I am not quite sure, if I believe in God. Yes, I do pray, go to worship places. Does it all mean that I am a devotee of God?
So far, I didn’t dare to question the existence of God.
Maybe I was confused. If I say something against God, will it cause any trouble in my life? These thoughts haunted me, maybe or may not be .. I am not quite sure.
But it seems, one thing is pretty clear to my confused mind now, i.e. If God is there really, he will never cause any harm to me only because of my question upon him. If he did, then no more evidence required to prove his absence.
If your prayers came fruitful, why can’t it be just some coincidences?
Earlier my mind was unwilling to shoot like this. But now I am quite sure that he can only help me to prove his existence and won’t do any harm on me, if he is the real Hero.
Why he resides only in worship places, why do we need to struggle to meet him, may be even after a long queue?
Does he need to be satisfied with all these pujas and prayers to open his eyes..?
Does God really want you to go to these worship places to meet him?
Oh God, please help me to have an answer.. Yes, I am also calling him..
I am neither an atheist, nor a blind lover of science.
I feel like, “
God is a state of mind, soothing oneself.
Step back from the people who are trying to market this state of mind, selling Gods.
”
Like in oh my god movie, the actor says “we are God fearing people, not God loving people”. Since childhood we were told God exists everywhere, isn’t it aks. The reason behind going to temple is that the Sanctum is supposed to have a high concentration of magnetic field, which is good. That is why they say it’s good to visit temples. As long we know that there is someone who created us as well as all living beings, and we respect him for that, I don’t think praying or not praying everyday matters. Praying just gives us peace of mind and strength to go ahead in life 🙂
true.. praying is just for our mind, for the easiness of mind.. and while being in that ambiance of temple or church we get that soothingness.
and i do visit temple, sometimes open my listed items, sometimes stand still asking myself what to pray..
Same here. Even I wonder what to pray, I end up saying just keep everyone happy and thank you for giving me this life. I see people praying, rather asking God to give them good health wealth etc. Asking Him to give us strength to go through any hardship sounds like a better prayer than asking Him to give us things 🙂
yaa..exactly, “give me strength to help the dependents.”..i too feel comfortable while praying like that.. may be as I mentioned in my post, “it is a state mind soothing one”
Totally. Temples aren’t created at random places. The ringing of bells…the clapping of hands….the essence…all have some sort of scientific purpose behind them.
I’m neither atheist nor agnostic…I like to visit temples and pray to God, but not as a compulsion or because I’m meant to. The feeling should come from within…and if it does…then whether its bowing down to the temple inside you…your home..your city or anywhere in the world…it doesn’t matter.
God to me is someone who gives us hope in the darkest of times…
If doesn’t matter if God is a force or something else, the hope that he/she gives to the people for the good days fuels up the person’s determination to work hard.
And one thing which I really like whenever such questions appear:
“Don’t believe in anything you’ve heard, don’t believe in anything you’ve seen, don’t believe in anything even I have said it, don’t believe in it unless it matches with your instincts and beliefs.” – Gautam Buddha.
ya.. I do go with Buddha’s words…i do believe in a positive vibe, may be that’s god in your words.
ya…wish you too happy Dussehra and happy Vijayadashmi..
In fact when i scheduled this post for today, i didnt think about it..
and now i am back from temple after book pooja and replying to you.:)
🙂 Btw, would you like to read my latest post? (Blue Watery eyes)
yes, will read in a short while
ha ha.. really happy as someone is there with that fear..but now i m not god fearing..had some insights ;).. hope you too, will have it soon as we are thinking alike..and do let me know once it happens
Actually you are a grown up and mature writer.
I too have my own insights and thoughts on God but you see the world,there are many people who just create controversies on some useless things.
Though everyone has freedom to express one’s thoughts but the same freedom is restricted by this fear of creating issues.
So I think it’s better to listen on such grave issues.Atleast until I’m able to express my things properly.
ya, i can understand what you are trying to convey Neha..i also had undergone this phase, so i can much relate it to..I am not explaining much as i am quite sure you will realize these controversies at a point of time in your life.. till then let us continue the same path
thanks Prashant.. Really feel comfortable when there are people like you around me..agree with you fully that it is not worth to spend money in worship places, instead make it avail to the needed poor people…i doubt people are becoming so blind that they lost their ability to understand the business happening behind all these
Same here. It is better to helo someone in need or feed someone hungry than paying money for expensive flower baskets that get thrown or rotated.
I’ve found chanting sholkas or Hanuman Chalisa very relaxing when I was rattled about something, and I’m not the one who HAS to visit temples.
Thats great atleast i am not the only one who’s doing unusual stuff and like i mentioned to Akhila its better to do what your heart feels right without letting gyaan to society as its a sensitive matter of faith & belief.I initiate doing this when i saw one of my friend and hope someone else will do this looking onto me whereas i like to visit temples the enchanting bells everything is mesmerising just not like to distribute unnecessary things to someone who doesn’t need it.
yes, varsh may be that’s the reason we go to worship places, to get that soothing ambiance..
Good post Akhila. Wish you a Happy Dasera. ☺
thanks varsh
God I think he is more of man made.. just to keep us fearing.
In another 100 to 200 years more gods will be added.. as myth takes over.. Otherwise tell me why so much bloodshed on the world.. and why innocent people are dieing everyday. .
Temples and other holy places were built for a reason.. If we look at old ones they were simple.. nowadays even the buildings have to be gold plated.. still a poor person is hungry in front of a temple.. which god wants that. .
We need the man in the mirror to do something..
exactly.. i too feel “god is manmade”.. i feel pity on the human beings including myself, for being trapped in that business. Didn’t had an eye to see the underlying facts. Either we are afraid or we are reluctant to change the traditional mindset..
You are god, am god, we all are god ! 🙂
ippo ellam okay..;)
and we have to help ourselves and help each other.. 🙂
If there is any universal mystical force in the universe you can guarantee that it is not any god that any religion would recognise, nor any force who responds personally to anyone, nor an arbiter of morality – it might be more akin to atomic energy. Religion does so much harm peddling its man-made indoctrinations. Religion is power. There is no need to go to religious places, your nearest park is as full of any god as your church, temple or synagogue.
ya.. it might be the electro magnetic energy or any kind of nuclear energy. we can never see it, only we can feel it..or people pretend to experience the existence of god. i doubt cant it be some coincidences..
ya.. he is residing in one’s own mind…many a time, we miss to read it..or as Prashant told, we go to temple to satisfy our parents..
we all mimic in a way or other..either we just continue with same prayers as did yesterday too, or demand something new…. It’s a trap actually.. and will take time for one to escape from that..
happy Dussehra to you too..
true..do self help, help others ..
ya, i know, if i start a discussion on this with my parents or relatives, definitely, i will be kicked out..;)
I think that often faith and belief in God is clouded by fear of God
I don’t believe In God,I need to do everything myself,I dnt let god do anything:)
Exactly! But people praying thinking if they don’t, God will punish. He won’t. Just a thank you for giving me this life is a good prayer. 🙂
Fantastic post and question. I think there is something higher and greater than us but don’t think that any religions I have looked at have got a real grasp on what it is yet. I pray too, I’m not sure who to, maybe the universe will do at the moment.
I collect the bits I like from different religions and leave what doesn’t sit well with me. I’m eclectic in my belief and until I find something that screams out to me, that is how I will stay. Very thought provoking post, thank you 🙂
thanks Liza for expressing your mind..you are right, religions are not trying to help you, but many are into a kind of business type..i donno if someone will be offended if i tell like this.. still i have to..the earlier we escape from those marketing hands, the sooner we will realise the ultimate truth.
I think the best thing to do first is find our own truth, that’s the most important thing for any one of us 🙂
true.. self realization and listening one’s own heart
I will also not firmly say that yes God exist and he is the one who created us all, but I can surely say the surreal feeling that arises in our heart when we pray is something unquestionable and we human believe the energy which soothes us, helps us and caresses us whenever we pray.
So if we pray and feel blessed then surely we are made to do that, just as we human are meant to love each other.
thanks vishal for your thoughtful words…who can answer what was there int he universe, before the the bingbang..? will there be another bigbang…? some of the questions asked by theists..wondering me why they think it to be god behind all these mysteries..i donno..puzzled a lot
I think we are blessed.with a human life to unsolve the puzzle.
ha.. there you are.. good point
I have full trust in God although I don’t come from a religious family. I pray at home itself every day for one minute, you don’t have to go to temples etc to show that you are actually praying, just remembering god and be grateful to the abode is enough. Every time that I found myself in a difficult and painful situation, I always go to churches or temples to just sit there pray and reflect and I always leave the place more relaxed and in peace with myself. I find in God someone with whom I can share my grief. Yes, I believe God exists.
if you believe in god, that is your power. and there is no doubt that the power will help you overcome any crisis…and i do pray, go to temples, yes, i too feel relaxed after my bhajan..but may be i am trying to find my inner self itself, and not thing outside me..
Totally. I get you, trying to find your inner self and make peace with yourself. I’ve gone through a tough time with this. Don’t give up and be strong 🙂
is it.. how did you manage to win over your tough time..i know it will be different from mine.. but just curious to know
I like your question and rationality about this very much 🙂 This is what I believe…..
If God teaches us what comes to human beings the most natural way, then yeah there is a God. If there is a God, He/She is neutral, neither for nor against our side. It’s the vibrations through our very existence in the universe that I believe is God, the One who sustains our state of being and energy. What we do with our God depends solely on us. We can either yield the Energy for living a better life, or to make others blind followers and building a business on it, or make non-believers suffer for their ignorance. Ultimately, it’s all on us 🙂
Thumbs up on your views. I do believe in a positive vibe, or in that way my mind is tuned… If that’s god, yes i do agree. And i wish to believe that there are nany more mysteries left unexplored..
Without mystery left, there won’t be any advancement, there won’t be any room to improve 🙂 So don’t worry, your wish is just fine! 😀 I believe in a God that makes me, me. That God who has shaped and given me the wonderful world I live in, with many amazing people. What more can I ask? 🙂
well. who knows whether we are being watched now by some unknown..
yeah, who knows 🙂
Haha…ya,that was the reason that i hesitated to post this before. But now i feel more comfortable, if there is god, he can never be offended on my question
In the Chandogya Upanishad it is written, “The rivers flow east and the rivers flow west, and all into the infinite sea. Tat tvam asi (thou art that), beloved son!” Many centuries later, the Ajivikas, a group which was still flourishing in the 14th century CE in what is now the Tamil-speaking area of Southern India, taught that there were no gods and that all was pre-determined. Although this latter was overly-fatalistic by contemporary standards, it did away with the lying thievery of the Brahmanas. Today, what you are expressing is called “pan-psychism, that all things are sentient and/or “ensouled,” which is what we three hold.
Roy, Sara Jane, Ceannt
pan-psychism.. a new term for me…are you really interested in these upanishads and all, read them..?
I’m 68 and I began reading the sacred books of the world when I was about 14. Before that, it was the Christian’s Bible. Over the years I went through much of the Vedic and post-Vedic literature, as well as a good number of works pertaining to Buddhism and Jaina. There is much that appeals to me in “Indian Sacred Literature” (to be inclusive), but several of the things I go back to are the Upanishads and the “Moksha Dharma” section of the Mahabharatta. To me, they echo strong pan-psychist ideas, and are definitely dualist, especially the Samkhya ideas within the Moksha Dharma.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panpsychism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samkhya
the Moksha Dharma is mentioned in the second Wiki
thanks a lot for sharing the links..i will cehck it out..
Don’t know if GOD exist, choose to believe the divine does, it keeps my hope intact there is someone looking after us as adults n all happens because d divine has a plan… As you said a mind trick indeed!
hmm.. i feel, it is something making us disciplined , controlling our deeds..
Yup, it’s just a internal monologue which we all have with ourself…
So some who have gone through or seen extreme pain in life refuse to believe n those who have seen good n bad, balance it off as reward, punishment, lesson etc etc…
Akhila I don’t believe in God,but this is my first statement
I believe in God
Second statement
I never pray for anything in front of God but I always take part with my family in different pujas even I organise all things for worship of God…
This is the tradition in all Indian family….
But I don’t believe God ever help you or solve your problem but whenever everything wrong happens in life by chanting the name of God we feel that there is someone who take care of us actually this someone is our inner power ..
Which came when we take name of God but actually God is in your soul,
You are the one who help and solve your own problem…I don’t think any God exists who can solve your problem granted…
God is a power not a person
He is a creature…. that’s all..
well, we are going to worship places, doing all those poojas, spending money and all. and interestingly many a times we are doing it just to satisfy our loved ones. we dont want to break the rules of rituals and so blindly go with that and even teach the next generation in the same way, making them fearful of god…what i feel now is, should never force our next generation to follow us.. let them decide their path
Yes, Akhila you are right and I agree with you but I thought this is our responsibility to teach our children about the rituals.
Because every religion has different rules,rituals…here I don’t want to comment on religion conflict but just rituals which came from our old generation…
I also don’t say follow it blindly,
As I know more about Hindu religion…
Where we read ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Geeta’
According to me,i don’t think I have too much knowledge about religion even my religion.But here,i thought ‘Ramayana’ is a story where ravan defend by Ram and at end “Shri Ram” wins.There is a moral
Burai pr scchai ki jeet”
“On wrong right wins”
So,it is a fact
Whenever we teach our children something it’s important to explain FACTS …not just blindly…
☺
ya….we need to have an eye to watch the morals of every religion and teach the best of it to the next generation.
I believe that there’s an energy inside all of us that actually guides us and is making us live, that energy really don’t need a label – it could be anything. And as far as my experience in life is everything that’s happening is all due to past karmas that affect our today, so its better we focus on that energy to avoid confusion.
true shalz..how knows whether there is a science behind this energy..may be a kind of electromagnetic energy.
Possible but since most of the mysteries of life occur first, then proved later so, i believe science is actually complimenting the faith/ energy mechanism. Lately, i read Angels and demons by Dan Brown and they have described a sort of anti matter and essence that’s all in us and that’s awesome.
I wouldn’t want to believe in a deity who would punish me for not believing in his or her existence. My freedom is too important to me. Does that sound arrogant?
Not arrogant at all.
not arrogant at all..somehow people appear to be god fearing, and not god loving…when we realize the difference, things appear to be easier
Very astute!
Nice Post ..
i Like Your Post Somuch ..
Thankyou For Share It <3 🙂
Come Visit My Article ..
UniQue / News / Love Anyting U Need ..
Thankyou
https://kenikmatanpria.wordpress.com/category/english-corner/
thanks.. will check your post soon
hmm..that vision is much important, too watch God in every smile, every butterflies..etc… and yes, those little pleasures are my happiness, making me energised..
thanks for your words..true that nothing can help us to understand the god, other that our own faith/belief..
interesting thoughts, thought provoking questions! daivathinu sthuthi sakhave!
hmm..daivathine vilichu nammalokke tuned ayille…iniyum angine thanne vilikkum eppozhum….
hmmm…but on a serious note, your questions are very much relevant! the ‘perception’ of god or a supreme power often provides one the much needed peace of mind. and of course, the views on existence of god and his/her manifestations differ from individual to individual, depending upon a variety of factors ranging from upbringing to geo-political environment! to put in simple words, ‘god’ is a state of mind, and how one’s mind wants to see/believe god is purely up to him/her! lal salaam, comrade (ma’am) akhila
and let that state of mind be in one’s own control as there are many business eyes around us
hahaha ‘business eyes’ around us! so true. but then, no ‘mind’ can go out of control unless, deep inside the ‘heart’ of that mind, it wants to be controlled/does not mind being controlled. that much inherent strength it has….alle
oh..ithoru mahathvachanam thanne anallo …;)
kaliyakkiyathennu parayalle..satyamayum paranjatha
njaan ingane mahavachanam saadharana ezhutharillennariyaamall ma’am-inu? pakshe shariyalle? now, god help me!!
hmm.. nammal pinneyum pinneyum god ne thanne vilichokondeyirikkum..
athu shariya akhila… pakshe angane vilikkumbo oru samaadhanam kittumallo
true, never we can tell our kids to struggle if they wants our blessings..if we are the children of God, never he too will ask us to struggle to meet him..
Yes dear Akhila so true. We are all his and you know the fun of it that he loves us more than we do cause we are all so caught up in our world. So be happy always and leave all to him. Thanks.
Wow . Someone started question … Good start …
who can end it..;)
Why should there be an end
to have an answer..
Certain things are better left unanswered
uncertainties are challenging, but uncomfortable as long as it is open ended
I’m u already got 104 response. Well actually essence of rituals , poojas are misinterpreted .by most of the people. I believe belief is good but not blind believes..
well, if the belief is enriching your mind, there is no harm in that..isnt it
Correct . like going to temple where earth’s magnetic force is good u feel the positive vibe , the teertha or holy water they give when contains tulsi has medicinal values , the aroma of flowers and incense sticks would delight ur mind . and the gentle hymn of prayers too. But that should not be followed like a blind belief .. And believe only if we offer something u get something by god n all
exactly, infact many a times i felt that it is that ambiance attracting our mind..
Of course belief is a state of mind, just as atheism is also a state of mind.
When it comes to faith, the most important thing – by nature is to believe. There are, of course, many reasons to believe, and arguments not to believe.
But when you think about it – there are a lot of ridiculous things you believe in that are only true because you believe in them.
For example:
Belief in fellow man
Belief in law and order
Belief in equality
All these things fall flat when you stop believing in them. Imagine a world where no one believed in those things – then, none of it would hold true because nobody would be able to trust another.
It just goes to show that collective beliefs can shape society for the better.
The same applies to religion.
Hmm..everything depends on the way we take things. If you wanna do, go ahead..or simply skip that..and once decided, should not be regretting upon the same…religion, faith everything comes under this..thanks for your thoughtful words
Belief in God or Gods / Goddesses may have given us civilization, but is this anything more than the worst evil ever? Civilization means warfare, disease, poverty and leaves 99% of the people of the world at the mercy of the 1% who are rich and who control governments and religions worldwide. Civilization needs to end. One of the oldest lies ever told is that we are naturally cruel, vicious and predatory. This is utter nonsense. We are better than that and MUCH better than ANY “god” ever concocted by ANY religion. We are divine, we ourselves. Have you never known this? It is the one great gift which we humans possess. Do not be deceived by the lies of the priests and “true believers.”
i can feel the frustration in your words, frustrated by the monopoly of a law “survival of the fittest”…
Personally, we’re not frustrated, although I find myself wishing sometimes that anyone who hears “tat tvam asi” or “thou art that” in whatever language you might imagine would let the words illumine their hearts. I guess it’s the difference between hearing and listening. Still……it is the heart itself, my heart, your heart, everyone’s hearts that can waken into an awareness of All That Is. “Pranam,” the old Hindi blessing that means “peace.” I’d be happy to learn the Malayalam equivalent.
Roy
Meant to add, that if you notice, it’s not always the fittest which / who survive. Intelligence and cunning play their part! 😛
do you think that cunningness can survive ever..
ANY politician who ever lived got there by cunning. Will it survive? As long as we the people look to “leaders” instead of ourselves for answers to social problems.
Hmm..true..
Akhila…some how I cannot agree with you…to say God is just a state of mind…
glad with your comment manu .infact while i posted this, i expected many such answers as you did. ..but many were of the other kind…
Its true….reading through the comments I too had the same feelings…
Thanks for the suggestion..added to my list