In 2007 we have seen love loosing to hate, peace loosing to violence. We should stop and ponder. Are we going to allow this to continue or we should do something to reverse the trend?
If we want that in year 2008, love should emerge victorious over hate and peace over violence then we need to bring love back in to our lives. My friends wonder where the love has gone. I wonder too. Has love really gone out of our lives or it is still there within our hearts but has been covered by greed which brought hate and violence to the front? Whatever is the situaion we should re-discover love. Without love we cease to be human beings.
Every year people make new resolutions. I also do. Last year I made a resolution to develop positive attitude towards life and people. I succeeded to some extent. I continue with this resolution for year 2008 also.
This year I make a new resolution to bring love back in our lives. Let love be victorious on hate. Let peace be victorious on violence.
I have many wishes too (list is very long. Here are some):
No deaths under blue line buses.
No killings of senior citizens.
No child abuse.
No violence against women.
No road rage.
No police brutality on innocent citizens.
No expolitation of and discrimination against any citizen.
No terror killings.
Love all, hate none.
Sab ka maalik ek hai (one master for all).
No photos of ministers on public ads.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
The way Taslima is being hounded by some religious extremists is a cause of concern. Every right thinking person is concerned about her safety. People are talking of freedom of expression, religious intolerance and violence associated with it.
I am all for freedom of expression and as people say it comes with a legal, social and moral responsibility. Freedom of expression, like ant other activity, is also governed by natural laws of action and reaction, or we can say cause and effect. If someone expresses an opinion he or she knows that it will certainly cause an effect. Taslima expressed her views in the form of a book. She is a Muslim. She knew what effect it will have on other Muslims. Likewise Hussain expressed his views in the form of paintings. He also knew what effect it will have on Hindus. Both these person were aware of the effect their actions will cause. Yet they went ahead claiming freedom of expression.
I am a Hindu and Hussain's paintings caused me hurt. Similarly Talima's book caused hurt to Muslims. Hindus and Muslims both reacted. The intensity of reaction might have been different but it sure caused hurt. And it can also not be said that Hindus were less hurt and Muslims were more hurt. Some self-styled intelectuals defended Huaaain and Taslime by invoking right of freedom of expression. Intensity of their defence was also different. They were very vocal for Hussain but not that vical for Talima. Reason is obvious. It is considered convenient and safe to take upon the hurt felt by Hindus.
Now an action has created a reaction. A cause has generated an effect. Both parties are responsible. But the primary responsibility rests with Hussain and Taslima who started this. Hussain has run away from India when a case was filed in court. Taslima has been hounded out of Bangladesh. Islamic extremists are out to kill her. WB Govt has surrendered before extremists. Central Govt is also in a fix. Her life is in danger.
Govt of India has a responsibility to ensure that she does not come to harm. It may have to take some harsh decisions. But the people should learn their lessons from these sorry happenings. One may be convinced that Taslima's writings, and Husain's paintings are expressions of genuine perspectives and sentiments -- and not motivated by malicious intentions, but they should also accept that both Hussain and Taslima knew that their actions will hurt others. On this point only both Ansal brothers have been sentenced to imprisonment in Uphaar tragedy case.
Religion teaches tolerance and forgiveness. Those hurt should follow their religious teachings in true spirit. Religion also teaches that one should not hurt others in body and mind. Taslima, Hussain and other people like them should follow this religious teaching in its true spirit. Both should forgive and forget. Let peace take over violence. Let love take over hate. We are all chlldren of God. One day we have to go to Him. Should we have blood of His children on our hands when we face Him.
Mr. Jain was very happy when he told me that he had convinced big boss to cancel my tour programme to Bangalore, and now I should understand who is the boss, me or he. I was surprised as to how big boss allowed Jain to convince him to make a wrong decision. I was going to Bangalore to attend a seminar which was co-spomsored by my office. I had done lot of work to make the seminar a success. I was worried that what participants will say when they will not find me there. I was also worried that entire responsibility of organizing the seminar will come on the other sponsor. Coming days were really bad. Lot of inconvenient phone calls and fax messages. The person inaugrating the seminar even complained to the big boss. Big boss called me . He was very angry. I reminded him that he himself had cancelled my tour programme. This made him more angry. Later I came to know that Jain had a very tough time.
This incident made me think. Why jain did it? There was no point proving to me who is the boss. He was senior to me and everybody knew it. I am a religious person. I accept all situations as result of my Karma in this and previous births. We do our Karma and God decides the result. I was at peace but I wanted an answer to the question, 'why Jain did it?' In other words, 'why God used Jain as an instruement to put me to lot of inconvenience?' What I received was the result of my Karma. How Jain got into it?
I was thinking, thinking and thinking. One fine morning the amswer was there. God decides the result of our Karma. The justice, reward or punishment, is to be delivered. For us, the little sinners, God uses other people to deliver the justice. For big sinners like Ravana and Kansa, He comes Himself. So Jain was the justice delivery boy. I told him so. jokingly I told him that God has written his name in His Black Book. God has assigned him the job of delivering punishments to other people. This means that God does not have a good opinion about him. He laughed and went away.
I was surprised when after two days Jain came to me and said that he had been thinking about it and what I said is right. He could not remember when he did some good to someone in his life. There were many instances when he did bad to others. He said that he was convinced that God has entered his name in His Black Book. I told him that as now he realizes it he should work in a positive manner so that God transfers his name to His White Book, and start assigning him jobs of delivering rewards. Jain said, nahin yaar isme bahut maza aata hai. Ab achcha bankar kya karenge.
Friends, you are in which book, White or Black?
This morning I received an e-mail from Susan Jeffers. She has given an example of those who are in the White Book. She calls them Angels. I will like to share this example with you:
"I was standing in a pharmacy I rarely go into when I overheard an elderly women telling the pharmacist that she needed her prescription filled but she didn't have her wallet with her. She explained that she needed the medicine very badly to ease her pain and she would bring the money in later, but the pharmacist wouldn't fill her prescription without payment.
Without hesitation, I heard this voice from within myself saying, "I'll pay for your prescription." And I instantly pulled my credit card out of my handbag and handed it to the pharmacist. The elderly woman turned around and looked at me in amazement and exclaimed, "Are you an Angel? I just know that God sent you to me."
I answered, "I never thought of myself as an Angel, but maybe God did send me to you. After all, how come I showed up here just when you needed me?" And I thought to myself, "Why did I show up at just the right time...and in a place I seldom come?" Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Who really knows? I do know that as I left the pharmacy I was engulfed with an inner feeling of joy and gratitude for having been there when someone needed me. - Susan Jeffers"
Friends, how do you feel about Susan's experience? I am sure each one of us (except Jain of course) wants to an angel, to be in the White Book of God, but are we working for that?
Love all, hate none. Help others as it is God helping others through you.
