Religion

What does religion mean? Going to the temple on Tuesdays and Saturdays, fasting for the month of Ramzdan, 10 days of not eating meat, showing an incense stick to that picture of the lord in your house? All that? And then after all of this you turn around, get back to your life as usual and carry on erring the way humans do?

If so, good for you.

Religion for me does not mean any of these. I do not smoke or drink but not because it is a travesty of something someone says but because I do not see reason as to why I should do those things; I do not lie to myself or to others about what I will or will not do; I am true to my work and if I cannot give it a hundred percent and give it my best shot, I do not see any reason why I must pretend to do it; I do not cause harm unto others intentionally; I do not vent anger because I am upset; I love with all my heart and no less; my parents are still the most adored objects in my universe; I hold friendship sacred and share it with anyone who deems it in the same light; and I do not judge anyone for what they will or will not do.

That is my religion. My religion does not include waiting in line 3 hours to get to a deity. Religion is what I need not justify to anyone and most importantly is something that I need not justify to myself. I am deeply religious and have utmost respect for the divine. But for me, religion as you know it, does not form the centre of my existence. Friends, family and whoever else is concerned, I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t call me atheist because I refuse to accompany you to the temple. I believe people visit temples to seek forgiveness, to find peace of mind and to ask for something more…I do not live in a way that might warrant pardoning, am at peace with myself more than most other human’s I know and seek little or nothing more than has been coming my way. Thank you for reading…