I
am reproducing below excerpts from my “A Letter To God”, as the letter itself
is too long for my blog. But I have taken care to see that the central theme of
the letter is reflected in the paragraphs reproduced.
“Dear
God,
I
think I can address you like that, as you are dear to everyone. My dear, would
sound too possessive. So I will leave it at that. This is the first time I am
writing to you and so was at a loss as to how to start the letter. The next is
the question why I am doing it. I am not sure why. I have been speaking to you
for such a long time but I am not sure you heard me.
-
- - - - - - - -
Whenever
I faced a crisis, I prayed for a miracle to make things happen. It never did,
the way I wanted them. Things took their own course. Sometimes good things
happened and most of the time nothing. It looked as though my prayers were
never answered by you. Things happened just the way they did. It appeared that
even you had no control over the course of my life.
-
- - - - - - - -
I
still cannot understand why some people are born with everything they want
while others in penury. Some live up to a ripe old age while others are cut
away in their prime by accidents and terminal diseases. The only answers I get
is, that it is destiny and the result of our past karma. Which means, that I
shall have to wait for another birth to reap the benefits of the good actions
that I have done now. This is not acceptable, as, who is sure of a another
birth. I do not know what I did in my previous life, to deserve what I have in
this life. May be if I did, I can plan for a future life, by living my present
life accordingly. This would only make everybody strive for salvation. As to
what is salvation is a another question.
-
- - - - - - - -
People
tell me “ ask God whatever you want and you will be given that”. Is it so? I
believe that my integrity will be at stake if I do such a thing. If you are the
all knowing as we believe, then what need is there for me to ask you what I
want. You already know the answers. There is something in me which says that
there is a good and there is evil. My conscience says be good. But this I guess
is relative . what is good for me may not seem so to another. So unless there
is a mode of reward and punishment we will never know whether we are on the
right path and this has to be in the present. Here I am not talking about the
laws made by the human. These are fallible. Your eternal law will have to be
effective immediately.
-
- - - - - - - -
I
am sure that you understand my anguish. After all to whom else can I talk about
these things. I am neither an atheist nor an agnostic and will not like to be
dubbed as one because I still believe in you. Only I do not understand your
game, all that thing about karma and destiny. I have serious doubts about
miracles. Like I have now started maintaining that miracles do occur only if they
are destined. I am using your words only. I am convinced now that even you are
bound by destiny.
-
- - - - - - - -
I
agree that you give tremendous amount of hope to people who have faith in you.
You offer the necessary prop to overcome the hurdles we face in life. But my
only grouse is that I am not fully convinced in respect of the disparities in
our conditions of existence and the explanations of karma. For me the only
reality is the present. By that I mean the present life where I can still remember
the past and correct my actions where I have gone wrong before, and to avoid
repeating the same mistakes which had brought me pain and sorrow.
-
- - - - - - - - -
Maybe
like Hermann Hesse says” we are a wave that flows to fit whatever form it
finds”.
But
I believe in you, for without you I am lost. I live in hope, that I shall find
the answers someday, with your help. I at least understand now, it is hope that
drives us on.
You
are a friend, philosopher, guide and GOD.
Yours
truly, till I remain,
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1 comment:
Your letter raises pertinent questions. It also explains why you believe in God and yet cannot understand his ways. It seems to me that there is no evidence of God ever having made any appearance although miracles have been talked about time and again. Your questions are applicable directly to the concept of God. I do not believe in God now but I can relate to your thoughts deeply as I would keep getting them in the past. They are very genuine and I especially liked how you questioned the notion of Karma and pointed out ethical disparities. Memory is limited yet a human being is held responsible for a life that he does not remember to have lived! How can that be? While your letter is addressed to someone you believe in, the questions seem to end in an impasse and take you back to the psychology of hope. Thanks for sharing it. I also relished reading your Haiku. The words are very beautifully strung. We will meet sometime. - Ajay
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