Can Not Be An Atheist.

If you will see my Orkut profile you will see, religion- Agnostic. The truth is I do not understand the meaning of being an agnostic (OK! don't look at me like that I'm gonna explain. Now read on-). The reason that I have put this up is because of the other options. My birth religion is Hinduism- which I do not follow.

I make jokes on religions and Gods. I rarely (read never) go to temples and following the rituals is off the window. I have also read on many other religions like Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and a few more but none of them can I follow. Let me tell you why->

Christianity says sex is sin. Now I don't hold them in court for that; I just would like to say that I am gonna commit this sin so what's the point in following a religion if you cannot follow it properly.

Islam as told to me by my friend (He is a staunch muslim) is a religion with military like rules making a person stronger and all. Well, let me just say one thing- I can not live without music and it is banned in Islam.

Sikhs have to keep long hair which I can not do. Buddhism and Jainism are preachers of non-voilence and I am a non-vegetarian. Besides this, God save the guy who flirts with my sister. In short can't follow those two either.

In fact taking into account everything my religion suits me best. But I do not follow it as one should. So, according to most of religions (barring my own I believe) I will go to hell. So I must be an atheist, isn't it? But I am not. According to me atheist believe that there is no God and they follow no religion. But believing that there is no God in itself is following a religion. How can they (the atheists) be so sure that there is no God?

I do not believe that there is no God. My reason- same as atheists. They are followers of 'Science' and science says "WHY?". Why do you say there is God? True. Whenever there is something happening science says, ask the question- Why? I agree with atheists on this.

My only query is- whenever science is inventing something the question I usually hear is- "Why not?" Now for once instead of earlier question if this question is applied the whole scenario changes-

                  "God Exist"                                      "Do God Exist?"

                  "Why?"                                             "Why Not?"

There are a million thing which science can not explain. A lot of theories which can go wrong. So trusting science is not as different as trusting God.

And that is why I am an agnostic. I can not follow any given religion but, that includes atheism too.

A Tale To Tell

"There are no ghosts in this world. There are no ghosts in this world. Absolutely no ghosts," repeating this thought a million times I closed the door of my tube-lit room. Now another daunting task awaited me. The switches for lights were on opposite side from the bed. My room isn't a big room but it goes absolute dark when the light goes off. At night the only source of light is a window from where I can see a distance. At first floor, the view is not exactly what i will call beautiful. Trees surround the area and a few of them decided to cover my window. In night it actually can scare one. So I shut 'em off before going to sleep.

Sleeping in my room is not as easy as it is in other rooms. Constructed by a creative horror fan, the room can be used as a good location for ghosts to reside (which I again repeat do not exist). I went to sleep with a peaceful mind and a bit raised heartbeat (usual).

At 'bout 2:30 in the night I felt someone looking at me. I was really tired and sleepy and with lazy eyes tried to look around casually searching my glasses. As soon as I put on my glasses, there was only one picture in my mind photographed by my eyes. A woman with long black hair falling over her shoulders looking at me with unfocused eyes; an irregular look, with a smile on her face. A cunning smile which can now be erased from my memory by death only. The window I had shut was open and on first floor a woman was standing (or floating) behind it. I could do nothing but cry out loud for help.

And so I woke up startled and shocked. Sweat all over my body, I frantically started searching for my glasses. As soon as I found them the first place my eyes went were the closed window. The only thing was , it was not closed anymore. I looked at the clock- it was 2:35 A.M. I wanted to scream and call out my parents. Somehow voice failed me. Lying there in bed I tried my fullest to run away from this woeful room, but...

How long I lied there before sleep overtook me again I do not know. Only thing is, I woke up next with sun sending its good morning through that window. Two years have now passed since that incident and I will still say- "Ghosts do not exist. (I hope)." 

This is how the story was narrated to me. I decided to use first-person as I feel this is a better way of connecting. 

'RENAISSANCE'-A New Adventure.

Every now and then comes a time when we all review ourselves (exams are one such opportunity-only thing is, reviews are really bad). While writing I feel the same way. This time its about RENAISSANCE- the magazine where this habit of mine took the baby steps. I have been writing since ... ever, I guess, but when what a person writes get recognition then the pride and joy one feels is something I cannot .. no would not describe. You have to feel it; this magazine gave me that joy. I realized that what I write has some value and it was a boost to the confidence that I guess will never subside. Today, while writing in this blog I again feel the part of this culture that our campus has generated over the years. To be the Head Editor of this magazine gave me great pleasure. 

 

 

A View from an Editor

 

After all the things I said earlier I would like to tell how I am-or rather we are-feeling as editors. Our job is to get the articles from everyone, choose the best ones and give it to the design team for printing purpose. Sounds simple na. Now let me tell how exactly it is..

 

It is like playing a game. 

***

First stage-

Ask the juniors..

first month, you do not know the name of many of them and conversation is minimal( intro nahi hua hai,that is why) and now you have to explain them the Renaissance.

 

MAJOR TASK-convince them to give articles..

BONUS-you get articles on time and enough in numbers.

HURDLE-motivate them for originality(and yet getting quality)

 

I do not know why everyone is convinced that they are bad writers. Even the most famous writers do not claim to be the best.

 

Second stage-

Read 'em all..

articles come, you read and your heart bleeds. The first lot I got almost killed me off. Besides a few all were, let us say.. below par. None was exceptional that I could pat the guy's back.

 

MAJOR TASK-find atleast few good articles..

BONUS-get an exceptional treat..

HURDLE-grammer

SPECIAL TASK-find the copiers(else they find a place in the magazine BEWARE!!)

 

But let us not frustrate over that, some articles are good(second lot showed substantial improvement) and then hopefully another lot is on the way.. 

 

Third Stage-

The Seniors saga..

we are lazy, I accept that but hello! guys this is our magazine, OUR MAGAZINE if I might add.

 

MAJOR TASK-get the 2,3,4 yearites to pick up the pen.

BONUS-a sure shot article promised.

HURDLE-If you get an article,none.But,if you get an article.

SPECIAL-your own year is the laziest.wake them up.

 ***

 

I have played the game up to third stage only so I do not know what lies ahead. Will tell you all as soon as I find it. Besides there are other expansion packs to this game namely-

1. Get the spon.

2. Where's the site?

Other players are playing these games and hopefully they are having fun..

I am having a lot of fun playing this game despite sometimes the stages are a bit tough.

 

more info on the game and expansions later...

 

Ek Gazal

Tujhe dekhkar noor ke katre bhi hain hairan se

Roshni ke moti dhoondte hain naya kaam pareshaan se

Koshish mein tere raks ki barabari ki

Choor hain saari apsarain bhi thakaan se

Tera khayal aa jaata hai zehen mein

Jab bhi guzarta hun ab gulistaan se

Khayalon ka apne rehnuma bana diya hai tujhe

Baahar fir bhi ghumte hain tujhse anjaan se

Seher ke saath aayegi tu suna hai maine

Baitha hun palkein bichhaye apne dar pe shaam se

Kuchh rumaani khayalon ne le li hai paidayish

Nahin inkaar mujhe muhabbat ke imkaan se. 

Dreams or Nightmares???

Once as I was browsing through comic strips(one of my hobbies) I came across one of "Dennis the Menace". In it Dennis was telling his friend how nightmares are actually better than dreams.Why?His answer was -"It is so because after a dream we feel sad and after nightmare we feel happy that it was just a nightmare". I think it is so because of the after-effects(aftereffects-booze anyone),meaning that what use is a dream if it makes you unhappy and unsatisfied. Aren't nightmares better; they not only make us realise that there are worse conditions than in which we are but also give happiness a meaning.Isn't this said that beauty only has value till there is ugliness, good is what it is because we fear bad. So isn't it better we experience this sadness or fear in our dream rather than in real life.

All religions propagate 'contentment' as the source of true happiness. Maybe these nightmares are God's way of preaching this thought. Then it means that God is talking to us by the source of nightmares;man I would rather have nightmares, at least I am talking to the 'GOD'.

Leaving philosophy aside, I believe dreams are an integral part of one's life and when we all guys sit in night during our late night chatting("bucker" as they call in my campus-dunno why) dreams are wonderful thing to discuss. Specially when you hear the nightmares; man they are awesome or what, one actually can feel the shivers sometime just hearing them(great bed-time stories I may say).

Then there are dreams which we see while we are  awake but let us talk about them some other time(they are not the part of this great Dennis-Theory:-you should always see good dreams). This poem is dedicated to this theory on a comic strip. I believe that everything in life teaches me to live-even comic strips. So I start my blog with dreams.

Dreams come, Dreams go

Like water in the river flow

Some are so strange in nature

They overcome reality in stature.

I had one such dream last night

Which I remember, sharp and bright

It was a nightmare than dream

So much so, its a wonder I didn't scream.

There was death,deceit and strife

Like I was in someone else's life

When I woke up it was clear

That its a dream and nothing to fear.

One thought though, lingers in my mind

When I am away from daily grind

Among good dreams and bad

Which are actually happy and which sad?

Nightmares are sad we all hear

B'cos in them death feels near

But I have a different thought

Which by all cannot be bought.

Good dream is actually a nightmare

I know it is a thought really rare

But if you think my way

You will know what I want to say.

After a nightmare we thank God

And feel happy with what we've got

A good dream makes us sad

Also unhappy with what we've had.