Abhijit Naskar's Blog - Posts Tagged "godliness"
Science & Religion - Why the conflicts remain?
Science and Religion – why are there so many conflicts between these two? Why do these two distinct feats of the human mind has not yet been able to join hands in the name of harmony? The answer is simple. The conflicts between science and religion still remain in this day and age, because though most people understand what science means, they do not have a clue what religion means – and they do not even have a clue that they do not have a clue.
I do not expect anything from those in the side of religion, or to be specific, from those who hail themselves as “fundamentalists”, because they are incapable of bringing the faculty of reasoning into action when it comes to the authenticity of their doctrines. In simple terms, the fundamentalists are mentally ill people. So when you encounter such individual, wear a smile on your face and simply say to them – “get well soon.” This would probably not turn them instantly into some sort of sentient humans, but at least you would know that you did your part in the name of sweet harmony.
Now let’s turn to the other side – the side that I think you are on. Those on the side of science, i.e. on the side of rational thinking, are the ones I have the most expectations from. They can think for themselves, unlike the fundamentalist patients on the other side. You do not even know my friend, even you are on the side of true religion. Rational thinkers simply are not aware of this fact, because of the definition of religion that has been imposed on all of us by our deluded society. Even the atheists would start to see religion as a positive element of the human society once they recognize what true religion really means. So, let me give you the simplest definition of religion which I proposed in my treatise on religious fundamentalism entitled “Illusion of Religion”.
“Religion is the process of internal growth, not a lifeless bag of foolish words.”
So, far from what we all have been taught by our ancestors, that when you follow your cultural scripture, you are being religious, real religion has never really been attempted to understand by most of the human population. You are religious when you care about your fellow humans influenced by your own conscience, not due to obedience to your scripture. That’s why, the atheists and agnostics are the greatest religious people on earth. Remember this my friend, true religion has to do with humans, not with books. And that’s the religion I advocate, and indeed that’s the religion which most of the prophets of human history tried to spread. But due to the human craving for a messiah and secure doctrines, those prophets became divine figures and their teachings combined with later incorporation, ended up being divine irrefutable gospel.
So, you see, religion has nothing to do with scriptures. Religion is what your conscience constructs as your baseline behavior in your society. As I have said in “Illusion of Religion” –
“Whether you call yourself a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Hindu or an Atheist, if you have kindness in your heart and compassion in your act, you are on the right path of religion.”
So my dear humans, the true reformation of religion lies in your hands. You are the most capable people to do so, because the fundamentalists on the other side, are too deluded to think anything productive and healthy, that concerns all humanity. Their illness makes them concerned only of the exclusive survival of their dearest scripture. Hence, the fate of humanity lies in the hands of civilized, conscientious and compassionate humans.
Further Reading
Illusion of Religion: A Treatise on Religious Fundamentalism
[book; Principia Humanitas]
I do not expect anything from those in the side of religion, or to be specific, from those who hail themselves as “fundamentalists”, because they are incapable of bringing the faculty of reasoning into action when it comes to the authenticity of their doctrines. In simple terms, the fundamentalists are mentally ill people. So when you encounter such individual, wear a smile on your face and simply say to them – “get well soon.” This would probably not turn them instantly into some sort of sentient humans, but at least you would know that you did your part in the name of sweet harmony.
Now let’s turn to the other side – the side that I think you are on. Those on the side of science, i.e. on the side of rational thinking, are the ones I have the most expectations from. They can think for themselves, unlike the fundamentalist patients on the other side. You do not even know my friend, even you are on the side of true religion. Rational thinkers simply are not aware of this fact, because of the definition of religion that has been imposed on all of us by our deluded society. Even the atheists would start to see religion as a positive element of the human society once they recognize what true religion really means. So, let me give you the simplest definition of religion which I proposed in my treatise on religious fundamentalism entitled “Illusion of Religion”.
“Religion is the process of internal growth, not a lifeless bag of foolish words.”
So, far from what we all have been taught by our ancestors, that when you follow your cultural scripture, you are being religious, real religion has never really been attempted to understand by most of the human population. You are religious when you care about your fellow humans influenced by your own conscience, not due to obedience to your scripture. That’s why, the atheists and agnostics are the greatest religious people on earth. Remember this my friend, true religion has to do with humans, not with books. And that’s the religion I advocate, and indeed that’s the religion which most of the prophets of human history tried to spread. But due to the human craving for a messiah and secure doctrines, those prophets became divine figures and their teachings combined with later incorporation, ended up being divine irrefutable gospel.
So, you see, religion has nothing to do with scriptures. Religion is what your conscience constructs as your baseline behavior in your society. As I have said in “Illusion of Religion” –
“Whether you call yourself a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Hindu or an Atheist, if you have kindness in your heart and compassion in your act, you are on the right path of religion.”
So my dear humans, the true reformation of religion lies in your hands. You are the most capable people to do so, because the fundamentalists on the other side, are too deluded to think anything productive and healthy, that concerns all humanity. Their illness makes them concerned only of the exclusive survival of their dearest scripture. Hence, the fate of humanity lies in the hands of civilized, conscientious and compassionate humans.
Further Reading
Illusion of Religion: A Treatise on Religious Fundamentalism
[book; Principia Humanitas]
The God Sonnet | Honor He Wrote
I gave you the tablets at Sinai,
I drove your chariot at Kurukshetra.
I gave you the ayats word by word,
I woke up Siddhartha 'n the carpenter.
No matter the time, age 'n technology,
I always rise to treat the common cold.
Amidst a world full of sore coldness,
I only need ten vessels absurdly bold.
I have nothing to do with perfection,
Far from it, I've got plenty to improve.
With each new vessel my sight broadens,
With each identity my existence renewed.
Keeper am I of this terrestrial neighborhood.
I am your innermost fire of god and good.
I drove your chariot at Kurukshetra.
I gave you the ayats word by word,
I woke up Siddhartha 'n the carpenter.
No matter the time, age 'n technology,
I always rise to treat the common cold.
Amidst a world full of sore coldness,
I only need ten vessels absurdly bold.
I have nothing to do with perfection,
Far from it, I've got plenty to improve.
With each new vessel my sight broadens,
With each identity my existence renewed.
Keeper am I of this terrestrial neighborhood.
I am your innermost fire of god and good.
Language of God (The Sonnet) | Dervish Advaitam
A Jew may say, Hebrew is the language of god.
A Christian may say, Aramaic is the language of god.
A Muslim will say, Arabic is the language of god.
A Hindu will say, Sanskrit is the language of god.
A biologist may say, DNA is the language of god.
Mathematicians say, math is the language of god.
A psychiatrist may say, libido is the language of god.
Physicists say, Quantum Mechanics is language of god.
A politician may say, control is the language of god.
A capitalist may say, currency is the language of god.
A cop may say, law and order are the language of god.
A philosopher may say, wisdom is the language of god.
I don't know all that, I'm a being most ordinary 'n simple.
I only know that kindness is the language of a human.
A Christian may say, Aramaic is the language of god.
A Muslim will say, Arabic is the language of god.
A Hindu will say, Sanskrit is the language of god.
A biologist may say, DNA is the language of god.
Mathematicians say, math is the language of god.
A psychiatrist may say, libido is the language of god.
Physicists say, Quantum Mechanics is language of god.
A politician may say, control is the language of god.
A capitalist may say, currency is the language of god.
A cop may say, law and order are the language of god.
A philosopher may say, wisdom is the language of god.
I don't know all that, I'm a being most ordinary 'n simple.
I only know that kindness is the language of a human.
What is Divinity (The Sonnet) | Dervish Advaitam
Hands joined in prayer ain't no divinity,
Hands stretched in help are true divinity.
Saying grace before meal ain't divinity,
Graceful kindness is the actual divinity.
Marking a cross on yourself ain't divinity,
Crossing out the self for others is real divinity.
Confessing errors to a preacher ain't divinity,
Correcting errors by yourself is true divinity.
Selling glories of a dead messiah ain't divinity,
Refusing all glory to lift another is real divinity.
Sitting cross-legged in meditation ain't divinity,
Standing up bold against injustice is true divinity.
Divinity never comes from bible, marvel or vatican.
Burn yourself for others, and you'll know salvation.
Hands stretched in help are true divinity.
Saying grace before meal ain't divinity,
Graceful kindness is the actual divinity.
Marking a cross on yourself ain't divinity,
Crossing out the self for others is real divinity.
Confessing errors to a preacher ain't divinity,
Correcting errors by yourself is true divinity.
Selling glories of a dead messiah ain't divinity,
Refusing all glory to lift another is real divinity.
Sitting cross-legged in meditation ain't divinity,
Standing up bold against injustice is true divinity.
Divinity never comes from bible, marvel or vatican.
Burn yourself for others, and you'll know salvation.
Combine without Condescension (The Sonnet) | Bulldozer on Duty
When all combine without condescension,
We shall witness God’s face.
Then we shall realize beyond all doubt,
God has never been a person but a state.
A state of mind where division disappears,
That is what godliness means.
A state of sight where separation withers,
That is what holiness means.
This state is beyond beliefs and doctrines,
It is the sacred valley of life beyond life.
There is no life so long as we are divided,
Life united is life brought to life.
There is no God, only heart nonsectarian.
In that heart, You, I, the Father, the Son, all are one.
We shall witness God’s face.
Then we shall realize beyond all doubt,
God has never been a person but a state.
A state of mind where division disappears,
That is what godliness means.
A state of sight where separation withers,
That is what holiness means.
This state is beyond beliefs and doctrines,
It is the sacred valley of life beyond life.
There is no life so long as we are divided,
Life united is life brought to life.
There is no God, only heart nonsectarian.
In that heart, You, I, the Father, the Son, all are one.
Fundamentalism is not a neurodivergence, but a lethal neuropsychiatric condition | Sin Dios Sí Hay Divinidad: The Pastor Who Never Was
Fervor of faith is not the problem, bigotry of faith is the problem. Or to put it simply. Religion is not the problem, fundamentalism is the real problem. But we must be aware of what a fundamentalist is. A fundamentalist is not necessarily a person who takes the scripture literally, rather, a fundamentalist is a person who deems their own religion as the only true religion, and all others as heresy. Some fundamentalists do interpret the scripture metaphorically, and still manage to remain a bigot.
After all, you see outside, what is inside. So the point is, if you want to see integration in the world, first you gotta irrigate your heart, not your colon, of all division. Until you understand undivision, you won’t understand divinity. No sabes unidad, no sabes divinidad.
Even if you have never heard of Jesus, even if you have never heard of Buddha, even if you have never heard of Moses and Mohammed, even if you have never heard of Nanak and Naskar, you can still be divine. But if you never treat another person with kindness and dignity, you can never be divine.
It’s your behavior that makes you religious, not your belief. Besides, even in this day and age, if your belief still keeps raising walls, instead of bringing them down, it’s time you seek medical help. Because you see, bigotry is not a legal problem, it is a medical problem, just like alcoholism is a medical problem. Fundamentalism is not a neurodivergence, fundamentalism is a lethal neuropsychiatric condition, which requires immediate medical attention.
After all, you see outside, what is inside. So the point is, if you want to see integration in the world, first you gotta irrigate your heart, not your colon, of all division. Until you understand undivision, you won’t understand divinity. No sabes unidad, no sabes divinidad.
Even if you have never heard of Jesus, even if you have never heard of Buddha, even if you have never heard of Moses and Mohammed, even if you have never heard of Nanak and Naskar, you can still be divine. But if you never treat another person with kindness and dignity, you can never be divine.
It’s your behavior that makes you religious, not your belief. Besides, even in this day and age, if your belief still keeps raising walls, instead of bringing them down, it’s time you seek medical help. Because you see, bigotry is not a legal problem, it is a medical problem, just like alcoholism is a medical problem. Fundamentalism is not a neurodivergence, fundamentalism is a lethal neuropsychiatric condition, which requires immediate medical attention.
My First Love (The Sonnet) | Divane Dynamite
Doing God’s work and doing God’s propaganda are two different things. And the world has enough propaganda as it is – what the world needs is God’s work – what this world needs is service – service not to the idea of God, but to the helpless and destitute – service to those who have nowhere to turn to. This, my friend, is called practical divinity.
“My First Love (The Sonnet)
My first love was not science,
My first love was theology.
Then what got me hooked on science,
Was the spark of electronic circuitry.
Eventually through happy and sad accidents,
Everything fell into its proper place.
Science, theology, and much more
got mixed up, and I ended up pioneering
the empire of humanitarian science.
I am a better scientist because of theology,
I am a better theologian because of science.
Hand in hand they found fulfillment,
When with poetry I built a heartfelt alliance.
I have no gift, it’s just that, expansion is my lifeblood.
In a world run by narrowness, the smallest act
of expansion seems like an act of God.”
“My First Love (The Sonnet)
My first love was not science,
My first love was theology.
Then what got me hooked on science,
Was the spark of electronic circuitry.
Eventually through happy and sad accidents,
Everything fell into its proper place.
Science, theology, and much more
got mixed up, and I ended up pioneering
the empire of humanitarian science.
I am a better scientist because of theology,
I am a better theologian because of science.
Hand in hand they found fulfillment,
When with poetry I built a heartfelt alliance.
I have no gift, it’s just that, expansion is my lifeblood.
In a world run by narrowness, the smallest act
of expansion seems like an act of God.”
Land of Love is Godland | Amor Apocalypse
Every sapiens is atom bomb,
Every sapiens is a power plant.
Reckless mind is mayhem machine,
Hateless mind is lightland.
Land of love is godland,
There’s nothing else more divine.
Divinity is but a lesser synonym,
There’s no god, only lover divine.
Aşk vatanımdır,
Milliyetim aşık.
Benim adım insan,
Benim adet insanlık.
Faith is subordinate to love,
Philosophy is subordinate to love,
Science is subordinate to love.
Until you feel it in your bones,
You’ve got plenty dust to wash off.
La fe está subordinada al amor,
La filosofía está subordinada al amor.
La ciencia está subordinada al amor,
Sentir esto en tu alma es ser humano.
Every sapiens is a power plant.
Reckless mind is mayhem machine,
Hateless mind is lightland.
Land of love is godland,
There’s nothing else more divine.
Divinity is but a lesser synonym,
There’s no god, only lover divine.
Aşk vatanımdır,
Milliyetim aşık.
Benim adım insan,
Benim adet insanlık.
Faith is subordinate to love,
Philosophy is subordinate to love,
Science is subordinate to love.
Until you feel it in your bones,
You’ve got plenty dust to wash off.
La fe está subordinada al amor,
La filosofía está subordinada al amor.
La ciencia está subordinada al amor,
Sentir esto en tu alma es ser humano.
Trance of Totem (The Sonnet) | Vande Vasudhaivam
This is my decree to my soldiers of the future,
Refrain from raising my giant lifeless structures!
Use the funds to build schools and hospitals instead,
Providing free/affordable education and healthcare.
Keep me alive in your heart, not in dead statues,
each one taller and more extravagant than the other,
Just so self-absorbed snobs could take the perfect selfie,
to declare an empty alliance with humanitarian behavior.
If you must have symbollic momentos of me around,
Keep them personal, humble and utterly non-extravagant.
Always remember, I am honored with your acts of love,
not with your thousand feet statues and chants unsapient.
It’s a sad state of affairs, when virtues
gather moss upon the monuments of hypocrisy.
Break your trance of totem poles,
be the freedom you are meant to be!
Refrain from raising my giant lifeless structures!
Use the funds to build schools and hospitals instead,
Providing free/affordable education and healthcare.
Keep me alive in your heart, not in dead statues,
each one taller and more extravagant than the other,
Just so self-absorbed snobs could take the perfect selfie,
to declare an empty alliance with humanitarian behavior.
If you must have symbollic momentos of me around,
Keep them personal, humble and utterly non-extravagant.
Always remember, I am honored with your acts of love,
not with your thousand feet statues and chants unsapient.
It’s a sad state of affairs, when virtues
gather moss upon the monuments of hypocrisy.
Break your trance of totem poles,
be the freedom you are meant to be!
Letter from God (An Autobiographical Sonnet)| Abhijit Naskar | Dervis Vadisi: 100 Promissory Sonnets
Some people chant Bismillah,
Some people chant Bhagvan.
Some people call me Lord God,
I’m actually very much human.
Seek me in church and temple,
I shall elude you for time eternal.
All churches are without God,
But God cannot be without human.
Above all hagiographies, human is real,
There’s nothing more divine than human.
Godliness unfolds only through humanness,
Only sin in the world is the sin of division.
Secularism is not a rejection of religion,
secularism is inoculation against fundamentalism.
Religion is not the search for a mythical deity,
but the realization of oneness within every human.
Some people chant Bhagvan.
Some people call me Lord God,
I’m actually very much human.
Seek me in church and temple,
I shall elude you for time eternal.
All churches are without God,
But God cannot be without human.
Above all hagiographies, human is real,
There’s nothing more divine than human.
Godliness unfolds only through humanness,
Only sin in the world is the sin of division.
Secularism is not a rejection of religion,
secularism is inoculation against fundamentalism.
Religion is not the search for a mythical deity,
but the realization of oneness within every human.
