What I mean when I say I am atheist ?

When I say I am an atheist belonging to a certain religion it is hard for lot of people to understand it. Thus this effort to pen my understanding of religions and associated personal view of atheism.

I want to, and I do, live my daily life with certain spirituality. This spirituality dictates philosophy of my life, or so I believe. This philosophy consists of the interaction between my actions and my thoughts. The conflicts or agreements between these, my actions and thoughts, are my ethics or my morality (I will be using these words interchangeably ). We humans, as social animals, have two kinds of moralities/ethics. One on a social level and the second on an individual level.

The social morality directs how one conducts oneself in public; a trivial example would be nudity in public. The personal ethics are quite different but equally, if not more, important for the social stability of any human society. The most primary social morals are generally defined in constitutions and implemented as laws. Then there are certain unwritten morals (which we generally call ethics or manners) which are imposed by tacit mutual and social understanding. There are policemen(cops) or group of people to monitor one’s conduct at this level. These are the things where the social accountability ends and “freedom” starts. The other important aspect of the social structure is the social responsibility which, unless otherwise forced, is blissfully ignored.

The hardest tests of morality or ethics are seen at the individual level for obvious reasons. In almost all cultures and countries, generally, the policeman (you can say, the guide, but I prefer the policeman) at this level is GOD (i.e. RELIGION as implementer). God (he/she/it.. whatever) is the beautifully crafted concept by great philosophers; some of these great humans wrote the so-called ‘holy books’ like Gita, Bible, Koran, etc.. The effect of policeman has been tried to achieve through different styles like, by appealing to the social (inclining towards peace and security) nature of humans, or by exploiting the insecurity and bribing with a false sense of assurance, or by appealing to the inherent fear of death or in some cases, fear of life after death. The concept of religion (and hence ‘god’) surely appeals me while it helps to maintain the peace and harmony.

The natural tendency of humans, viz. most are followers of a few leaders, goes hand in hand with this idea of religion/god as the cop. Religion is/was meant to manage the society. BUT the management was to be done at individual level ! The social morals and ethics were responsibility of the rulers. I have a good reason to believe that the creators of the religions or holy books understood this distinction very well. The reason for such belief is the emphasis of most of the religions for their religious leaders to practice detachment from the materialistic pleasures (not necessarily only sexual pleasures) of the world. The extent of suggestion of this alienation from materialism in a given religion, I argue, was based on the faith of the writer (god) in the followers. ALSO, the level of rigidity (or flexibility) in any religion can be thought as a function of this faith in the followers. I would go to the extent of saying that it also reflects the confidence on the writings themselves ! The implementation of this rigidity, historically and undeniably, is function of the age and maturity of a religion (I would like to say evolution but then…).

The tendency of atheism (or social humanitarianism or secularism) seems more prominent in the older cultures around the globe. I personally believe that it is a process of evolution of mind and thoughts for a society as much as for an individual. A dictionary definition of atheist is “unbeliever in God or deities’ and that of God is “supreme being” and that of god( and deity) are “supernatural being”, “figure or image”, “something that dominates”, “divine state”, and “somebody admired”.

I am an atheist who, by my definition of atheism, does NOT believe that for a human to be moral or ethical (or kind or loving or caring or trusting or having any such gentle feelings) there is ANY NEED of fear or bribe (or worry or force or insecurity or rule or such external instigated internal feelings). The accountability of a human being on an individual level can be much higher (and easily at par) than the accountability at a social level without any fear or guidance of god. The causal argument being, it is much easier for god “to forgive” one’s wrong-doing (sometimes some people call some of these wrong-doings as sins) than for oneself to deal through one’s conscience with the burden of such a wrong-doing. It is evident that lot of times god (or its representative) is used as an intermediate step for one to be able to forgive oneself for such an act.

The evolutionary stage of consciousness dictates the level of morality an atheist (or for that matter even a theist) achieves. The relative differences in the stage of conscience differentiate the atheists from one another. Lot of atheists use one or the other religion as a ladder to climb up to a level of atheism. I have seen a few who have used the ladder of religion to climb down to a different level of atheism. These are the materialistic atheists who ignore their responsibilities and sometimes even social accountability. Such beings are threat to the society. I hesitantly say that for that hostile category, even if it is fear or bribe, if it works then let it be. We, as a race, are not at a stage where we can manage completely without religion or god.
Though, currently we see that these aspects of religions have led people to be threat to each other and to themselves and eventually to human race. The love taught is through hatred for others, the security brought is through instability to others, the peace bought is through chaos to others, the respect sought is through fear to others, the belief is strengthened through mistrust in others, and the heaven is achieved through hell for others !

I am an atheist who respects those who respect others, who fears nobody and most importantly whose acts of kindness or love are not functions of any intentions of afterlife gains. I am atheist who assures to the world that he is not a threat to anybody in any way. I am an atheist who believes in everybody’s right to have their own beliefs. I am atheist who does not believe in any god but would vouch my life for the divinity in every human being. I am an atheist who does not hate anybody but only hates the thought of hatred. Finally, I am an atheist who does not worry if I am going to heaven after death but dreams of creating one here on this earth in this life of mine.

Love and peace,
Saatwik.

Marathi people.. same thoughts in Marathi..

मित्रहॊ,
माझे "Marathi people are loosing their cultural identity" ह्याबद्दलचे काहि वैयक्तिक विचार.....

मराठी माणसाची संस्कृती हि खूप गहनतेने विचार करायची गोष्ट आहे. महाराष्ट्राची भौगोलिक स्थिती आणि इतिहास नजीकच्या भूतकाळात मराठी माणसाच्या सांस्कृतिक परिवर्तनाला बहुतांशी जबाबदार आहे असे माझे मत आहे.
महाराष्ट्रीय (किंवा मराठी म्हणा) लोक हि उत्तर व दक्षिण भारतामधला दुवा आहेत. नुसता दुवा नाही तर एक सुंदर मिश्रण आहे दोहोंचे. संगीत, खाणे, आणि सर्वात महत्वाचे म्हणजे बौद्धिक क्षेत्रात हे अगदी प्रकर्षाने जाणवते. अजून एक ऊत्तम उदाहरण म्हणजे सण. त्यात दोन्हीकडच्यांशी जे नाते आहे ते नक्की अभ्यास करण्याजोगे आहे. गेले कित्येक वर्षे आपण सर्वसमावेषक आणि समजूतदार (हिंदू संस्कृती ज्यासाठी प्रसिद्ध आहे) समाज म्हणून वागत आहोत. विविधतेने रंगलेल्या भारतामध्ये आपण मराठी लोक एक सांधणारा दुवा आहोत.
मुस्लिम आक्रमणांमुळे उत्तर भारताच्या मूळ संस्कृती मध्ये नक्किच आमूलाग्र बदल झाला आहे. आणि हिंदी भाषेवरचा उर्दुचा प्रभाव कोणीच नाकारु शकणार नाही. दक्षिण भारत त्यामानाने सुरक्षित राहिला आहे आणि बर्याच प्रमाणात आपली मूळ संस्कृती जपू शकला आहे. स्वातंत्र्योत्तर काळात उत्तर भारतात हिंदीला राष्ट्रभाषेचा मान मिळाल्यामुळे (practically atleast .. ह्याची तांत्रिकता मी लवकरच पडताळून बघेन.. माझी माहिती अपुरी आहे ह्याबद्दलची) त्यांचा प्रश्ण मिटला. दक्षिण भारतात राजकीय नेत्यांनी "दक्षिणेवर होणार्या अन्यायाचे" (योग्य वा अयोग्य) भांडवल करून त्यांची भाषा (खरे तर त्यांची खुर्ची) 'जपली'.
मुंबई East India Companyची राजधानी होती आणि नंतर ती भारताची औद्योगिक व वित्तीय राजधानी झाली. त्यामुळेच तेंव्हा आणि आजहि भारतातील विविध राज्यांमधून लोक मुंबईकडे धाव घेतात. नैसर्गिकताच अशी आहे माणसाची कि परप्रांतात आले कि लोक एकत्र व एकमेकांची काळजी घेत राहतात. हे चित्र तुम्हाला US मध्ये भारतीयांच्या (व मराठी लोकांच्या सुद्धा) बाबतीत सर्व मोठ्या व छोट्या शहरांमध्ये दिसेल. आपण मराठी लोकांना मात्र परप्रांतात न जाताच घरीच (मुंबई मध्ये) सगळे मिळाले आणि म्हणूनच आपल्यामध्ये फ़क्त आपल्या लोकांनाच मदत करायची प्रवॄत्ति तयार झाली नाहि आणि आज ती तशी दिसून येत नाहि.
स्वातंत्र्यपूर्व काळात मराठी माणसाचे योगदान हे नेत्यांच्या स्वरुपाने व 'सामान्य योध्यांच्या' स्वरुपाने हि भरपूर दिसून येते. ब्रिटीशांविरुद्ध पूर्ण भारत एकत्र करण्याचे काम हे तात्या टोपेंनी केले होते. नंतर टिळक, आगरकर, सावरकर इ. अनेक मराठी स्वातंत्र्यसैनिकांनी महाराष्ट्राला स्वातंत्र्ययुद्धाचे रणांगण बनवले. भारत छोडो आंदोलनाची बीजे आणि All India Congress Committee ची ती प्रसिद्ध बैठक हि मुंबई मध्येच झाली. मुंबई ह्या राजधानी सहीत महाराष्ट्राची निर्मिती हि १९६० साली संयुक्त महाराष्ट्र चळवळी मुळे झाली. त्याच्या विजयामागे मुंबई व मराठी लोकांची एकच व अविभाज्य संस्कृती हेच होय.
भारताच इतिहास व त्यामधले मराठी लोकांचे योगदान ह्यामुळे मी मराठी आहे ह्याचा मला नक्कीच अभिमान वाटतो. आपल्यातील सर्व एकत्रितपणे राहण्याची इच्छा, सामंज्यस्याची भावना, सर्वसमावेषकता, आणि कुठलाहि गाजावाजा न करता सर्वांमध्ये मिसळून राहण्याची तयारी, हे मराठी लोकांचे रुजलेले व विकसित झालेले गुण आहेत. जर कोणी त्याला स्वतःच्या अयशस्वीते मूळे अवगुण म्हणत असेल तर मला त्यांची किव येते आणि मी अश्या विचारांशी पूर्णपणे असहमत आहे. माझ्यामते मराठी माणूस सर्व क्षेत्रांमध्ये, भारतात व जगभर, भरघोस योगदान देत आहे आणि ह्यापूर्वी सुद्धा त्याने ते दिलेले आहे.
मराठी भाषेबद्दल म्हणाल तर मला नक्किच स्थिती चिंताजनक वाटते पण आशेचे किरण पण आहेत आजूबाजूला. माझ्या आताच्या पुणे भेटित बहुतेक सार्वजनिक ठिकाणी (लक्ष्मी रोड वर सुद्धा) संभाषणाची सुरूवात हि हिंदी मध्ये होते हे बघून थोडेसे वाईट वाटले. वाटायला हवे कि नाहि, माहित नाहि. पण त्याचवेळि हिंदी चित्रपटांमधिल मराठी चे वाढलेले प्रमाण, हिट अल्बम (ऐका दाजीबा इ.),हिट कविता/गाणी (दिवस असे कि, कैफ़ियत, नामंजूर, इ.), हे सगळे उत्साहवर्धक व आशाकारक आहे.
सारांश करायचा तर माझे असे मत आहे कि मराठी लोकांनी हि जाणीव सदैव राखली पाहिजे कि आपली मराठी भाषा, लोक व संस्कृती साठी काहि जबाबदारी आहे. त्याचवेळी भारताची जगातील एक सक्षम व प्रबळ अर्थव्यवस्था बनण्याकडे चालू असलेली वाटचाल थांबवण्यासाठी परकीयांचे जे अस्थॆर्य माजवण्याचे प्रयत्न चालू आहेत त्यात आपण नक्कीच भर घालता कामा नये. दुसरे म्हणजे, आपली (मराठी) परंपरागत व विकसित झालेली जी विचारसरणी आहे त्याचा विचार करुन मगच बाकिच्या राज्यातील (काहि संकुचित मनोवृत्तिची) लोक कशी वागत आहे हे बघून स्वत:शी तूलना करावी.
धन्यवाद.

Is Marathi culture getting destroyed?

“Marathi ppl are loosing their cultural identity” –

somebody made this claim....
my thoughts on the same..

Mitraho..

मराठी माणसाची संस्क्रुती हि खूप गहनतेने विचार करायची गोष्ट आहे. महाराष्ट्राची भौगोलिक स्थिती, आणि इतिहास, नजीकच्या भूतकाळात मराठी माणसाच्या सांस्क्रुतिक परिवर्तनाला बहुतांशी जबाबदार आहे असे माझे मत आहे. (माझे मराठीचे प्रेम प्रदर्शित करुन झाल्यामुळे मी आता आपल्या सर्वांच्या स्वग्रुहीत पुर्वानुमतीने आंग्लभाषेचा वापर करुन पुढिल विचार मांडतो.)

Maharashtrians (read Marathi if you want) are the link between North and South India. It is not just the link but a beautiful mixture of North and South India. You can see that in musical cultural, food culture and most importantly the intellectual culture. The best example would be the festivals in Maharashtra and their relation to festivals in Northern and Southern parts of India. The North Indians did not worry since Hindi is our national anguage . In south, the politicians have made an issue of "injustice due to imposition of Hindi" (rightfully or wrongfully) to preserve their language (or their power).


We, Marathis, have been absorbing and accommodating (as the entire Hindu culture is known for) community for years now. In the multi-dimensionally diverse India, we, Maharashtrians, play (and played) a unifying role.

Due to Islamic invaders the North has been adulterated quite a lot from its original “culture”. You cannot deny the influence of Urdu on Hindi. South had been very well protected and hence has been able to maintain lot of its original culture.

Mumbai was capital of East India Company and turned into(still is) financial capital of India. Naturally there was (is) huge influx of people from all over India towards Mumbai. Also, considering the natural instincts, those who came as outsiders, stuck together and helped each other. (You can see Indian ghettos in all major cities {and small university towns as well}in US...its a natural instinct). Since we, as Maharashtrians, were at home, did not develop this tendency (due to lack of necessity) of helping only our kind.

During freedom struggle, “Marathi maaNus” contributed undoubtedly in huge numbers in terms of leadership as well as the fighter in the field. With the goal of unification against British, Tatya Tope gathered the whole India for a single cause. Later, Tilak, Aagarkar, Saawarkar, and numerous other Marathi freedom fighters made Maharashtra the center for freedom struggle of India. While Delhi is our Capital today, Mumbai was our real capital almost till Independence. The defining Quit India movement resolution by the All India Congress Committee was passed in its Bombay session in 1942. Maharashtra was formed with Mumbai as its capital in 1960 as a result of Samyukta Maharashtra movement. The success of it lies in the fact that the culture of Mumbai and Marathi people is inseparable.

I am a proud Marathi, especially considering the above mentioned history and contribution of Maharashtrians in the (glorious) history of India. I consider that the unifying attitude, acceptance of multi-lingual and multi-cultural communities, dissolving within diverse group without attention but with extensive contribution (can’t stop praising ‘we Marathis’ now can I? :):)) etc. are the “cultivated” and “evolved” aspects of Marathi culture. I believe (historically and even today) there were and are plenty of Marathi people with significant contribution in all aspects of life, and in India as well as all over the world.

Do I mean that there should not be any concerns about Marathi’s situation as a language in Maharashtra? Personally, I do think that there are worrisome trends but then there are some rays of hope. In my recent visit to Pune, I was surprised that almost at all public places (including Laxmi Road) default language for start of a conversation was Hindi. Not sure if it should, but it bothered me a little bit. At the same time, amount of Marathi in Bollywood movies, hit (as far as my information goes) musical albums (aika dajiba etc.), hit poems and songs (Divas Ase Ki, Naamanjoor, Kaifiyat etc.), all of these are encouraging signs for Marathi literature .

In conclusion I would say my opinion is, it is important for Marathi people to be aware of need to preserve Marathi language and culture and help each other. While doing that, first, we need NOT contribute to the mayhem India is facing during the transition to a globally powerful economy. And second, as Marathis, we should consider our (historically) evolved state of mind before judging ourselves based on how other (actually SOME narrow-minded, amongst those, if I dare to say so) communities are conducting themselves.

Thank you for reading so far (if you have really read :)),
Saatwik.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Independence_Movement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai#History

Richard Bach and his divorce.. my thoughts..

Lot of people were disturbed and upset due to Bach's divorce.. especially devoting themselves to his writings and thoughts in his books (in this case through the book 'Bridge Across Forever')..
my reply is/was..
---------------------------->
I am Bachist.. but most important thing I learnt from Jonathan is one has to choose his own path.. Being dependent on Bach's life for one's idea about love is like asking somebody to teach you dreaming ! True that there is a Chiang for everybody but the message is to "stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body".. limited body of somebody else.

As for the relationships, soulmates and marriages.. my personal experiences and beliefs are.. the soul we have has the same quality at the root level. It is a matter of perspective to bring the best in 'anybody' to make a soulmate. To be able to do so, one should be able to convince that Jonathan who says "Home I have none. Flock I have none. I am an outcast. ... I can lift this body no higher." You have to remind him that.."One school is finished and the time has come for another to begin."..
It's just matter of saying
"I am ready".

My First Blog- welcome !

Hello everybody

It is exciting.. I am writing to nobody but have ability to reach almost everybody !

I joined the blogspot because I think I have lot of thoughts and ideas I would like to share. At the same time there are plenty of questions which I could find solutions to, through introspection. Hopefully there will be discussions and contacts, since my primay intention is to share. This is not a place where I reveal my secret identity but a place where I put my thoughts with minimizing the chances of prejudiced interpretation.

Hope that writing my thoughts and discussing will help me sort out the confusions and also be of some use to somebody out there.

Saatwik.