Great read behoove, as always..

Last time I went to Nepal, I found that all the old temples had a makeover. Every temple looks the same with oil stained Chinese ittas and same architecture...

There was even a new one built on "Sarwajanik Jagga" in my tole. The rationale behind building the temple was - It was a prime land and everyone around the neighborhood wanted to grab it when they had the means( you know source, force), so better build a temple so that no one would dare to occupy the land. O tempora, O mores..

Yacc,

Thank you. Long time huh!

I smiled reading what you just mentioned. They could have done without a temple and made a school or a park or a children playground, but it must not have occurred to anyone there. From the tourism point of view I understand that they want to make more temples to preserve and display our rich heritage in whatever way they could, but Kathmandu has enough temples, actually we can totally dismantle few of them. What we need is more orphanages, rehab centers, old homes which could be of greater cause to humanity.

Yeah behoove, long time...

The irony is, they did... For some years, some trees were planted and a park was named.

Sadly, it became more of a dumping ground - construction waste and not to mention human waste as trees provided some sort of privacy. Now, with a mandir, no one does so kinabhane "paap lagcha" aba... :)

Damn, what did they do to you in the Bible belt, my dear Behoove? :) As an atheist it is easy to empathize with your frustrations. Here's my experience on the subject: it is hard to change any minds when atheism is presented as the right to the wrong of religion. It's like selling ice to an Eskimo - such a feat is plausible more in the classroom rather than the actual marketplace, no matter how convincing an argument one can make. However, when atheism is presented as a choice that delves deeper, and maybe even transcends the vastness of religion, it often becomes a lot more appealing.

Just my thoughts.

Vivant. Applause! Very well said. I couldn’t agree more. If it were not because of this salary and a cheaper cost of living, I would have left this place in a midnight train with a pledge to never return again. So piggybacking over what you mentioned, I could propose oodles of arguments in support of atheism, and perhaps could even have listeners spellbound during that session, only to make them visit Pashupatinath on their way home – as an everyday routine. Faith and religion is embedded so deep in us, the most credible argument in multitude of sessions wouldn’t be able to change our minds. I have a coworker who works hard, very hard, and as a token of appreciation, the management awarded her a brand new ipad, and a ticket to Thunder’s game, her favorite team. Minutes later she came and told me that god is very kind. You see, when it comes to belief and faith, even incentives do not work so well, let alone arguments.

"Which again means Gods are only angered by the people that belong in their own cult than the ones who are not."

I always was kinda taken aback thinking the same thing that you said in above sentence.... how come there are no hindu temple or old mosque in new world and how come there are no churches in old worlds ? If god existed be it hindu, catholic or whatever or whoever why is it limited to certain geographic locations.....

But then again no matter how much we chatter about non existence of god, in the end when we are troubled what do we do or think of is that superior power from somewhere deep within.....

I totally agree with your piece here to serve the world via human feeling ... at least comfort who is near or around, help those who are in need, help excel someone, support a disadvantaged student may be, even if you cannot support financially support morally or guide to the path of positivity.... and along with it go keep your faith alive... we can keep best of both the worlds and move on ....

nice read once again Beehove Ji.

AND THUNDER ROCKS :)

- Thaha Chaena

As always,it surely is a treat to read what you write and this one carries the same rich flow of thoughts and language that you usually carry,delivering the best.Reading your writings from some good time,I surmised you have intense dislike towards "Hindusim" and the fables it contains.Great minds have always questioned the validity of god and their affairs,,ignoring their presence,when all the things in this world have to be carry by oneself without a sight of God any where.Neitche declared God is dead,inventing a new model of God himself,naming uber men while the whole world thought he was anything but a mad scientist.Rushdie loathed Islam and revered his Muhammad with a pet name "Ma-hound"in his holy verses..But,I like them both..not for questioning about the God but for the very reason for "questioning".Only an open and animate mind would start any questioning of things when their proofs are nowheretobefound and would talk candidly about their follies which sounds like more than alright.Have enjoyed all your stories that I read which I don't miss any and this one is just as good as it should be.And,I just happen to remember a monk who told me God likes to hide himself from humans and I did laugh for some time not knowing why would anybody like to do that??.Keep writing and we'll keep enjoying :D

People who enjoyed this will surely enjoy the prequel -

You, my dear have sinned but the good news is you ain't going to hell since you don't believe in it or do you? I have often asked myself if there is God. I feel that there is a higher power but have not named it, maybe god or cosmic engery or an engery within myself.
Nice read as always!

Nice read. As I always tell myself, there is No God in this earth but still I believe in rich Hinduism. I think religion and culture are same. Each culture has different culture and follow the religion differently. There is no right no wrong. It all depends upon oneself.
As I read yours, I came to point that there is only one reality in this earth. If you are born, one day u have to die. So why trouble oneself with all this bullshits. By this I donot mean do not trust on religion. I am hindu and have right to become hindu in my own way. I eat beef that does not mean that I am not hindu. I eat pork that doesnot mean I am not muslims. Everyone has their own rights to practice their own thoughts.
As I said religion and culture are interlinked, for me those old folks few hundreds of years ago decided that how we should live. Its not fair. They did what was supposed to be done at that moment of time. We need to change with time.
But again I say, I am hindu and I go to temple and pray everyday to god and at the same time I eat beef.

Behoove_me,
Always a pleasure to read your writings...Very thought provoking as usual..I am sure a lot of people could relate to this piece too. Similar thoughts have crossed my mind multiple times...Never fully believed in God while growing up and always questioned God's existence..Very well written my friend..

As always I enjoyed this creative piece, but this thrill of mine does not have anything to do with mockery of other individual’s belief. Though I do believe in non-existence of any gods, but being tied to my roots, parents and society, I respect whatever they believe in. With world I celebrate every religion, for people like me it is more of a reason to have some good fiesta and siesta and enjoy the colors of life. However, those religious fanatics spoil my calm pond and invites me to do that Natraj thing with third eye open. BTW, it is still in argument if excessive leaning towards atheism is supposed to be considered as another religious fanatic? 

@ Behoove_me - I really liked your flow of writing. I believe in a paradox. If you believe God is real then God isn't real but at the same time if you don't believe in god then god is real.

Thane,

I agree that we habitually pray for a higher being during times of trouble because it has been ingrained in us that the superior being will always come to help if prayed selflessly. I am not going to challenge that even though during such times I hardly pray and believe it is just that the timeline in our life took a turn because of various variables. But I have issues in beliefs in superstitions, fables and folklores attached to a higher being and undocumented facts about their supremacy. That doesn’t make sense to me.

Alias,

You have a valid point. I despise Hindiusm; it is not a hidden fact, but I haven’t been very vocal about other religions and that is perhaps misinterpreted by the readers to believe I am on a crusade against only one religion as well, rightfully so.  But it is because of my lack of visibility towards other religion. I despise Judaism, Christianity and Islam equally – the sole reason being their intent to ‘divide’ humanity based on asinine doctrines. My only argument is, why do we have to be in a certain religion to be a better human being?

Ne0,

You just earned me some new enemies.

Halo,

Thank you very much. I am almost led to believe that we as humans are evolved by some sort of chemical reaction, an accidental fruition that somehow made us intelligent and strong enough to survive this planet. The earth was formed billions of years ago, the climate and environment bred dinosaurs that were apt to them, and then bred humans in current conditions, few million years later only aquatic animals might survive.

Gonecrazy,

Exactly my point! We are born from an ounce of semen only to die in an urn of ashes. It is a metamorphosis, god doesn’t give us birth and god doesn’t kill us, yet we somehow believe in that asinine fact. Just like machinery that rusts away we disappear in this universe without a trace, if humans have god, plants and animals should too, even machinery should. Do only conscientious and intelligent living beings like us deserve blessings from god? I do not think so.

S_usa,

I am delighted that your thoughts sync with mine. We do not need god to make us a better human being, or a devil for a reverse reason, all our acts stems from us and ends with us and there may or may not be consequences unlike how many believe all good deeds are rewarded and bad ones are reprimanded. We live in a cosmos of billions of variables that rule outcomes.

Junglebook,

My apologies if my article was a little insensitive towards pious individuals, I’d love to say that wasn’t my intent, but actually it was, except that I didn’t really insert superfluous jokes to challenge their beliefs, I just was trying to find analogies and examples to support mine. Like someone mentioned in the thread above our religion dictates our culture, I would have loved to see if it were otherwise. Alike you I celebrate our festivals too, just because I love it, not because there is a religious significance behind it. I am not sure I am a fanatic atheist but I do question beliefs that make little sense to me. I might never be a Geeta kicking individual, but I have encountered belligerent atheists who fit in the profile you mentioned.

---------,

I am certain that chicken is sinned, and I am sure it perhaps resided in someone’s belly for sometime, only because the god was angry.

Abhisesh,

Thank you. I am not sure I believe in paradox, your case opens a whole new door for more arguments; it is based more on a hunch than any empirical and pragmatic connection. Almost like a sequence of ironies that aren’t plausible.

Highflyingeagle,

Nice song, but it was too hard for me to decipher what it actually meant. Is it speaking of contradictions?

@Behoove, just my insights that there is a superior above us my friend, and a song is more like God is the director of every miracles in this universe. Westerners were given a chance, Jesus was Krishna's good disciple, he transcribed every words of Krishna's good sayings, but nope they have challenged every words of God and went beyond it. Materialism and science makes us believe that humans are the creator of science, but, be no fool, God had this evrything in plan. Lord Shivaji is a Yogi, he loves everyone, he even forgives the evils, yes, you are right, he loves his kids, but it doesn't mean, you have to see him in real. You might have sinned, but inside you have a fear, God might punish you, yes, that fear has helped you being forgiven by Lord. He is not here to punish you, he is here to embrace you. You are chosen ones of God, hindus are blessed, they know all Gods, but somehow, they love to question his presence that is a sin. Faith is everything my friend, have a faith in Lord, he will always be a guardian.
Now, let's talk about westerners. Even Natives believed in Sun God, Moon God, but the whites destroyed everything in the name of Christianity. They steal everything, your family, your faith, your brain, your conscience and you. Why Christians are barred from entering the temple? You eat cow, Krishna is in a cow, he is the supreme Godhead, Krishna has given a man everything, but a man lusts after a soul. Whites are the evil of the earth, destroying the nature, conspirating the war games, killing in the name of war, stealing the kids of around the world, these evil people is trying to take a conscience or faith from you my friend. You are blessed my friend. Do not worry about a sin, have a faith and ask for forgiveness, God loves you, God will not single you out, but leaving a faith in him is a sin, connect your soul to Godhead, a soul is attached to Supremehead not your body. Your arrogance might ask about his presence but if you try to connect your soul to him, you will reach him. Will you take your iphone when you die? Why not have faith and do your karma that is give your soul to God and please him? Why do you worry about a sin, when you can pray for forgiveness? Donot get hypnotized by a science and a white land my friend, as you are chosen one and born within a God's circle, you have been given Vedas and mantras and religion, do not lose faith my friend, as you said, he is our friend, he loves to forgive not punish, he will embrace you, he wants to teach you that he is your creator, not a destroyer, God just hates arrogance. Om Namah Shivaya. Om is the trinity! Om is universe, Shree Krishna is the Creator! Jaya Shree Krishna.

Another good song!

Wow highflyin’, I do not know how to respond to that. Evidently you have a lot of knowledge on deities and religions than me. But again, to blame a certain race only because of the color of skin and their belief is something I cannot put my arms around.  Not favoring Judaism or Christianity, the misinterpretation of their religious books has bred devils, but so has ours, or else there wouldn’t be a hindu muslim conflict for centuries. The need of a religion, per my pea size brain was perhaps to keep people in a strict social regimen which was misconstrued over the last millennium to divide people, but then what do I know.

I just believe in something that sounds logical, credible, pragmatic and plausible to me.

Nice song by the way bro.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7bPCYizcFM

Please watch this video and see if it is compelling to believe that God does exist as it states in the Bible.