Conflict is inherent is social relations. As we go about our everyday business of trade
and consumption, we inevitably engage in conflict with our neighbor. This conflict is hardly a new concept. Conflict has been ripe since the beginning of
time whether one looks at Biblical literature or philosophical literature. In order to subdue the conflict, law and
order has been considered by many a philosopher and priest. As the
organization of large masses is difficult, church and state have had their fair
share of conflict. With all the conflict
between different groups of religion, it is difficult to manage the state with
church. The church however has divine
law. Although the credibility of these religions
texts can be questioned, they make sense.
Some customs are a little extreme and we have to learn to be tolerant of
other cultures in this globalized world.
Law and order is important in any
advanced civilization and we need to establish some basic rules for living. While adhering to social contract, we would
still like to maintain some liberties and it ought to be so.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
RATIONALISM – AN INTRODUCTION
WAY OF LIFE
As this is a rational assessment, we will
discard delusions such as the big bang theory and accept that God exists. If we acknowledge God, we need a purpose of life,
which is available in Hindu and Buddhist scriptures. We are made up of not only mind and body, but
also soul. Our souls are not ready to sit in heaven next
to God. Our souls need to be put through the tests of
mortality. It is only after a few lives,
in different bodies, human and animal, after proving our soul worthy of heaven,
that we may escape rebirth and enter heaven.
If our soul has the evil streak, then regression along the hierarchy of
life. The good ascend, the evil regress. The
goal is to escape this life of suffering.
Our lives are filled with desire and this desire brings upon suffering. Although the yogi practices renunciation and
abstinence, we are not all able to do so.
In the modern world we have become accustomed to a certain dialectical
materialism, which brings about a certain happiness. Pleasure our goal; happiness our destination.
THOU SHALL NOT KILL
Thou shall not kill was in the Old Testament,
but was misunderstood. There should be
no distinction between man and beast. The
commandment not to kill is to be applied across the board, for chicken, lamb,
beef and fish. The Koran does not
condone the killing of animals, however has passages outlining the way in which
animals are to be killed out of necessity of hunger. In
modern society, with the luxury of industrialization, there is no longer a need
to kill animals for food. We have more
than enough technology to farm and package greens, fruit and vegetable and
grain for food and drink. The Vedas
explicitly denounce the killing of animals.
Hindu civilization and enlightenment dates back further than any other
religions or enlightenment philosophies.
Killing of animals is a sin and is punished by God. The desire for meat brings upon lifetime upon
lifetime of suffering in infinite regression.
The goal of life is to escape rebirth at deaths. An
Almighty Lord gave us life and we have to resign the liberty of killing for the
opportunity to sit next to God in heaven.
If not for religious sentiment, then for
rational morality. There is no good reason to kill an animal for
food, when in fact we share so much in common.
We, man and beast, have blood. We have similar forms of mating and conception. Animals too have feelings of love and family. It is
evident from experience with family pets that animals too have the power to
think. Our grasp it script is what has
differentiated is from beast. Our opposable thumb and our speech patterns
have enabled us to live fairly complex lives.
It is this superiority that we have over the beast that should control
our beastly nature to kill for a meal. Genesis too explicitly states that the Lord
has given us dominion over earth. We
have been given superior abilities to rule over all the beasts on earth. With
this God given right, there is no need to kill fowl or fish, lamb or cow. These animals are our subjects and as our subjects,
have to be cared for by us. A good king reigns with love.
THOU SHALL NOT COVET
It is a pity that the concept of ‘scarcity’
has not been vanquished. We live in a
world where we are able to have anything we wish for, but due to conflict, an
issue that has a correlation to envy, do not.
Envy is a sin in the Bible. Coveting thy neighbors’ wife, ox or abode is a
sin. In this industrialized world we need not covet
as we can have, yet due to problems of organization, we are in a position where
for some time still,every human may not be able to fulfill every desire. As per Hindu and Buddhist teachings, desire
brings upon suffering and should therefore be avoided. Desire in moderation is acceptable as it is
difficult to shun all these luxuries of modern life and meditate in a cave like
the monks. That would be considered extreme. Yet it is through desire that brings forth
the sin of coveting. This is not a new concept. It
existed back 2000 years ago when Jesus was around, Moses knew about it and so
did the ancient elite of Hindustan. We
have to be able to coexist with our neighbors who might seem to have it all.
Our assets and pleasures that we indulge in today
are not requirements of eternity. Eternity
is discussed in the Old Testament, the new one, and the Koran, Hindu and
Buddhist scriptures. We have an eternity. There is no concept of time in heaven. Death
of the body, but the soul lives on. Even the ancient Bible agrees upon an eternity. The
understanding of eternity may be different in different groups around the
globe, but we all agree that there is something after death. The good go to heaven, by escaping rebirth. Why live the suffering of life in another
body for centuries on end. God will give
us everything as long as we are good. The desire for wife, ox and abode will be the
work of the Almighty Lord. Desire is
acceptable, as long as it is moderate, does not interface with the liberties of
our neighbors and does not breach the philosophy of right thought, right action.
RIGHT THOUGHT; RIGHT ACTION
This is the way of life. We are a family of seven billion. We have chosen to compete in the free markets. This is not the right way, however the great
Buddha has preached that tolerance is the key of happiness. As our goal is happiness, we have to sell our
labour to enjoy the luxuries we are dependent on. We do not all want shelter. We need it.
We must pay for the luxury of electricity for refrigeration,
telecommunications, and the miracle of light.
As electricity is the future of
personal transport, it is a necessity. We also need food and water. More
bills. Hence we have to contribute our fair share of
labour to pay for our withdrawal from the economy. The mechanics of the free market, the
invisible hand has been seen as the best way for the people to have as much
choice in abundance. The key words are
free choice. Now we have to use our
intellect to moderate our consumption and behavior. Our entry to heaven is dependent on our
thought and action.
The teachings of the Koran forbid the
passions of alcohol and drugs as they are seen as a sinful intoxication. I would call that extreme as the greatest
philosopher of the west, Freud enjoyed coke, cigars and whisky. He too, agreed on the restriction of sexual
pleasures as they create more problems than the happiness that is derived from
the two seconds of ecstasy. Lust is vice and the burkah can be seen as a
solution as the woman’s body is erotic to any man. Some wish to sun bake nude, other desire a
massage with a happy ending; the key is tolerance. Sexual ethic is personal and in a free world,
we have the freedom of sexual choice, however it has to be remembered that the
great philosophers have all shunned it. The
Hindu temples and caves are however another story. Once again tolerance is the key in this
modern world. Why kill the cow when it
can feed upon. Why kill the lamb when it
can clothe upon. Yes, you have the choice. Moderate your intake. Sexual intercourse is not evil; killing an
animal is evil. The desire to interfere
in another’s liberty of life needs serious thought.
LIBERTIES
We live in a unipolar world. I
cannot assess whether or not this is a good thing, however I am happy. The social problems that we see in societies
that are advanced technologically, the west if you may, are a result of over
indulging in our free choice. We have
the choice to eat, drink, smoke, inject, snort and mate whatever we wish. It is this over consumption of commodities in
the free market that leads one down the road of poverty, ill health, and misery. We are not all murders and envious, however
we have to learn to moderate our desires in this free world. This world that the west has created. The west have won the cold war as the east
have broken up and are not in a position to dictate. Life in the west is good. Europe is democratic, free and rich. Luxuries not afforded in east and south are
common play in the west. It is difficult
to assess, but the winner seems to be the USA coalition. Now we have to bargain a pragmatic social
contract that involves freedoms. We have
to moderate the right amount of consumption.
Right thought right action.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
As long as one does not infringe on the
liberty of another, free speech is tolerated.
If one wants to preach the words of Marx or Weber in a free world, it is
a freedom of speech. The west have
proven victorious in the battle of supremacy.
Ideologically it may seem flawed to compete however the invisible hand
has proved itself successful. The
political elite of the liberal world are able to tolerate peaceful criticism. Healthy debate leads to reform. Freedom of speech includes the publishing of
books, blogs, music, video articles, flyers and general ranting and raving. We have this freedom in the west. It is a good freedom. As far as freedoms of video goes, we might
have to address this issue. Right
thought and right action with tolerance is the only way. As we want freedoms for ourselves, we are
also extending these freedoms to our neighbor.
As we allow the free market of free speech, we encounter all sorts of
dilemmas of extreme or niche markets. Tolerance
is the key!
Freedom of speech is tolerated in the extreme
west, however we have the dilemma that theist societies, like Iran and
communist states like China, do not wish to homogenize and want to preserve
their culture. This wish should be
upheld with the utmost respect. As long
as there is social contract within states, the infracture established to trade
should not be broken. The Chinese
culture is very deep with ties to ancient kingdoms. This knowledge that they possess, their
culture is of great importance. Similarly
the extreme policies of backward states like Iran should not be dismissed. We have to learn to be tolerant as the Great
Buddha professed. Right thought and
right action will lead to greater happiness.
If we all respected each other liberties, such as liberties to life,
wife and speech, there would be less problems in this world, however have to be
context if we can secure the right of life.
We have to be tolerant of the liberty of free speech in this digital
matrix.
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