An image of galaxy NGC5408 as a reminder that you're not that special (Credits: NASA/ESA)
I’ve
been thinking a lot about God, about the universe, about our existence.
Apparently, having a lot of free time is a curse—or is it a gift? I’ve been
feeding my hungry mind with some deep shits to the point that I even read an
essay on Einstein’s theory of relativity. Never had I expected that there would
be a day where physics and I actually get along. I even helped my sister with
her chemistry homework. What the hell? Anyway, let’s talk about what I’ve been
thinking about lately before my mind wanders off again.
(I
have short attention span.)
I
spent my time reading about religions and I’ve been thinking that maybe we, the
theists, are all praying to the same supreme force after all. Think about it.
Our spiritual side has become a legit source of knowledge. Why do you think
philosophy flourishes? Our thirst for understanding God and our own existence
leads us to religious knowledge, to enlightenment. My point is: some knowledge might actually come from God himself. The
system of religion, however, was the creation of humankind. Humans were the one
who created rules, who interpreted knowledge into certain norms and values. Every
person has their own version of events, however, and if you stretch it further
you’d find that religious difference isn’t that much of an issue. It’s all
about different results of interpreting things.
It
becomes an issue, however, once politics enters the scene. When politics
collides with basically anything, nothing is pure anymore. We are dealing with
greed for power, with certain interests, with elites. Wars didn’t simply break
over difference in faith—religion was simply the outer layer of the case. Now that is a whole different story.
It’s
all about perception. Some religions see God as transcendent, as an ultimate
force beyond the force of the universe, as the creator of the universe itself.
Other religions see God as immanent, as an inseparable force that flows and
basically constructs the universe (See Magnis-Suseno, 2006). In the end, God
exists and we believe it. It’s just that we are a curious bunch of brains that
enjoy living in our own bubble, holding on our own version of reality.
In
fact, I found that our religions—the religions we know of in our modern society—aren’t
so different after all. The concept of purgatory in Catholicism reminds me of the Hindu's belief in reincarnation. No, they aren't the same but the bottom line is: both see the best in people. Why else would God give you a chance to escape hell and purify your soul? Why else would God let you repent your sins and be a better individual in another life? God is willing to wait for you so you can actually join him in heaven, so you can be one with him again in the universe. Just how sweet is that?
(Anyway, please take it with a grain of salt.)
Thus, it's fine to think that your religion is the best religion—if it suits you best then of course you'd say it's the best—but it is stupid to claim that yours is the only and the most correct one. If there's one thing I learned from years of studying social sciences, it is that an argument cannot be completely true or false. There's always two sides of the coin. There are many sides of the story. Why do you think the word 'multifaceted' is on my top list of vocabulary? Because it makes the most sense.
That also applies to religions. Whatever you choose to believe or not to believe, you must have your reason. If the reason is valid to you, then it is valid in your reality. It is your truth. Your truth, however, may not be the same as mine.
For you is your religion and for me is mine (Quran 109:6)
In the end, we have no idea what truth the universe actually holds but our longing to understand it, to reach things we cannot see, is what matters. Life's never dull when you think about all the possibilities out there, of what kind of truth actually lies, of what kind of explanation we deserve of life. I honestly cannot wait for the day when all truth uncovers, when we finally get the answers to our existential crisis and questions.
I have too much free time, indeed.
Reference
Magnis-Suseno, F. 2006. Menalar Tuhan. Yogyakarta: Kanisius.
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