* Picture from Times of India, dated September 14, 2010
Alex Stewart, an Australian lawyer who works with the Queensland University of Technology, tore the pages of the Quran and the Bible.
Many people were taken aback by this incident. At first, even I was surprised when I heard of it. As a matter of fact, the news angered me. But after reflecting on it for a while, it dawned on me that we can look at this situation from a very different angle altogether.
Let’s not strengthen our voices in protest of the same. Let us strengthen our Religious beliefs and sentiments instead.
It is almost natural to live a mundane life. Trivial things become matters of concern for one and all. But how often do we take the time to reflect upon higher issues? Issues that help us reconnect with our origin?
We often forget about our faiths, rituals and traditions. We get so caught up with our lives and the lives of others that we are left with little or no time to let our souls do the talking.
It is only during times like these when our Religious sentiments are aroused. We protest in retaliation. These protests become publicized, they become issues of debate and sooner or later, the movement fizzles out and we get back to our routine lives.
So why don’t we take a different approach? We can and we should use our strengths to armour ourselves against all odds. Strengthening our belief in ourselves and our faiths will give us renewed energy and will give us a momentum to think beyond the periphery of the earth. Hence, we will no longer be dithered by the happenings of the world.
It is almost natural to turn to the Almighty for help in times of difficulty. But if we are already immersed in devotion, will we recognize any such trouble at all?
I believe that Religion is a feeling of the heart and we need not necessarily depend on worldly expressions to practice our faiths.
To end the discussion, I would like to share a thought which is related to the tearing of the pages from the Quran and the Bible. I say,
‘ Our Religious teachings are NOT just on paper! ’
I agree Fazilat. A truly religious person doesnt need to resort to any kind of public display of his faith to prove how devoted he is. Most religious issues that blow out of proportion are actually political issues. Scratch the surface and thats what you'll find underneath.
ReplyDeleteKeep writing. Looking forward to reading more of your work. :)