Looking for Jesus

I have trouble understanding why people who read the Bible or those Christian newsletters. The lady next to me was reading her Christian magazine from front to back with a concerning amount of focus. I couldn't help but analyse. Most people read for entertainment, escape or knowledge but this is different. This is comfort reading, reassurance in text, an explanation of life and a resounding 'everything will be OK' as someone will take responsibility for your sins... Each to their own.

I began to think of my own comfort reading. What do I read to reassure myself, to give myself hope when I'm unsure? And then it hit me... Here is my confession, my sins lay bare, my guilty pleasure is romance novels.

Mills and Boon is my religious text, my false hope. In my fantasy it isn't Jesus who cleanses me of my sins, it's a tall, handsome man with fantastically strong arms, a passion for romance, a healthy bank account and a desire for long term commitment.
SWOON
Maybe his name is Jesus, it worked for Madonna, but I'm not fussy..

When I analyse my own fantasy it isn't an actual deep-seated urge to be swept off my feet and void of any responsibility or free thought by this man on a white stallion. I am loving my independence and don't want it removed by some handsome stranger, or anyone for that matter. To be honest, if I did come across him I would probably find him too needy or not enough of a jerk for my liking. There is every possibility he may leave beard hairs in the sink and may not appreciate me giving him a detailed synopsis of every second newspaper article I read.

In essence, I don't want my sins resolved, I just want the reassurance that somewhere on an island far away, exists a man like this. That alone is enough for me. Just like the lady next to me, I don't have to meet Jesus to be reassured, I just need to think he exists.
So as the lady peered through her glasses at an article of what He says about forgiveness, I peered through mine, reading what great lengths he goes to convince her of his love and I'm sure we both felt better.

A gummy grin wrapped in a Sari

I was in a rural village in India standing amongst a sea of colorful Saris listening to the chanting of a Hindu priest. Our local guide had took us to his temple for prayer and it was fantastic sharing in the local custom. I stood in silence, hands pressed together in front of me, listening to the chanting that was rising up around me. I looked next to me and caught the eye of a little old lady. She looked close to 100! She turned to me and smiled. She had no teeth and gave me this nice gummy grin. I smiled back and she slowly walked over. Her back was hunched and she leant on her walking stick with every step. She was so tiny and so frail, wrapped up in her lime green sequined sari. She stopped in front of me, took my hand and just stood smiling at me, holding my hand.

We often talk about “The gap between us” – meaning the gap of wealth/options/education. But there is another gap between us. I have never seen my Nanna smile as genuinely as this old lady smiled at me. She looked content. She did not ask me for anything, she did not seem to want anything except to share the prayer with me. The gap between our societies is vast but not just in wealth. Wealth doesn’t make you happy and this is blatantly apparent standing in this Temple. This old lady was happy, simply happy.

Occasionally she looked from me to the priest at the front praying, still smiling that big gummy grin. As the Priest concluded the ceremony she patted my hand with her free one, said “Namaste” and shuffled back to the group she was originally standing with.

I stood smiling with a similar less gummy grin, yet close to tears, feeling like I’d had a spiritual experience that had nothing to do with Shiva. 

Religion and Cos

I am not a religious person.

Before we start, if you are, and easily offended, it is probably best that you click "next blog" and read about a Mormon mother of two from America..

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of religion - the history, culture and traditions. Experiencing it first hand, whether it be a Mosque in Egypt, a Temple in Cambodia or the Vatican in Rome are all amazing.
But I simply don't have the faith to believe in a God, several deities or that there is anything at all after my last breath. Apparently "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith", so maybe I missed out due to my feminism?


I was baptised Catholic and some of my extended family are Catholic, Buddist or Christian, but my upbringing wasn't religious by any means. My mother gave me a bible when I was in primary school and I did read it, but I also read the chronicals of Narnia. We went bush walking instead of Church on Sundays and instead of religious writings on the back of the bathroom door, we had a list of endangered frogs.
Charles Darwin was mentioned in our home more often than Jesus and the two don't get along very well.

I like the idea that we all have a fate that is determined by a higher power, but it sounds like a copout to me. I believe in education, the laws of physics and making your own fate. I am in control of my own destiny as much as anyone else is. Hard work and planning will get you where you want to be, not praying.

So what if I'm wrong? In scripture I was told that I would burn in hell for the rest of eternity if I didn't accept Jesus into my heart... But I'd have to believe in Hell for that to be a real threat.

Ultimately we are all free to believe what we choose to believe. The real problem comes when people try to force their beliefs on others. My favourite opinion of tolerance to other religious views comes from the Dalai Lama. "It's like going to a restaurant - we can all sit down at one table and order different dishes, but nobody argues about it." Wouldn't that be nice?

Here in Delhi the Bahá'í House of Worship or Lotus temple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Temple) provides a place for people of all religions to pray, meditate or just contemplate the meaning of life. Muslins next to Buddhists next to Christians next to Hindus, all next to Cos. No one religion is allowed to dominate with sermons and all that is allowed is chanting or singing. And to top it off, it kinda looks like the opera house. Sounds good to me.