XXVI - Be your own Master

Be Your Own Master

So I just watched the new movie depicting the epic myth of Noah and his ark that saved the lives of the innocent. This allowed "the Creator", aka God, to press the refresh button on the Earth and wipe out and drown all the evil and corruption that had overrun the world. Most people, even non-Christians would be aware of this tale. Hindu mythology has a very similar tale with a man named Manu, from where the hindi word "manushya" or "of Manu", meaning "human being", originates.

My thoughts, however, revolve more on the creation myth. Let me just clear out first of all that I myself am not Christian, but having grown up with an English education, and having done my bachelors in English, I am very aware of what the bible says. One can find many biblical references in the works of poets and writers, especially those during the Age of Enlightenment when people began to rethink what they had been believing so far based on blind faith. The famous work by John Milton comes to mind, Paradise Lost.

So this myth says that the world was created in 6 days and on the 7th God basically just relaxed. Thus resulting in the ever popular and much needed Sunday of today. So these 6 days was when all the evolutionary changes, including the big-bang, took place.  This was when the universe became what we know it as today ...well maybe not exactly as we know it since many suns/stars/planets must have died since then.

Anyway, so every time an atheist/non-believer/rationalist has argued against faith, religion or superstition, they have questioned this myth. How could anything have been created in just 6 days? Scientific study proved that it would take millions of years for such development. There is data. There is proof.

To that I say, can't both parties be right?
After all the bible was a document created by man. Every word in a holy scripture has to be interpreted by the preacher for us simple minded masses. The key word being "interpret".
The words can be read from different angles.

For example, why is it that as soon as we read, or are told the word "day", we presume that it means the same for God? After all he does happen to live much longer than us. In fact human beings are just a blip on the universal spectrum. So can't we instead presume that one day for God equals to a few thousand or million human years? Therefore, 6 God-days would equal to many million human-days. This theory would make sense of the scientific study and explanation for the universe's creation as well. So science and religion are just interpreting the same event in different ways, and again, the key word being "interpret". Thus their centuries old rivalry is deemed as nothing more than one big misunderstanding.

I'm sure someone must have spoken about this already, since its so tough to find new topics to write on these days. I mean this can't be new...right? However, if I am one of the first people to point this out then "Yay!" *pats her own shoulder*

Anyway, I just want to point out the power of interpretation. I believe that every religion in the world preaches the same basic teachings, and that they are just the different languages that God uses to get through to us. So next time you read your holy scripture or listen to it, question it in your mind and try to understand it for yourself. There is a lot to be learnt from them. Don't let someone else tell you what you should look for or look at.

Don't get me wrong. Listen to your elders' interpretation of it, but then try to figure it out yourself as well. Its the only way one can be truly religious and faithful to a God greater than the one presented to us. Key word being "presented". Don't let God be just an ideology sold to you by social conditioning, and if you're a parent, then be understanding and allow your children to make their own decisions. Try not to be disappointed if they choose a path different from your own. Acceptance is an important human trait after all.

I believe that this will really help clear the (mis)understanding of the "Adam&Eve not Adam&Steve" anti-gay movement. Much of the discrimination appears to be senseless. If God didn't want homosexuality, he wouldn't have allowed two male/female members to get attracted to one another. Homosexuality is present among animals as well, and if all living beings are equal then...well one can't really deny this natural phenomenon among humans as well right? Love is love. Anyway, so I'll end on that.

Lets spread happiness, positivity and understanding. 

Make up your own mind. Be your own master.

xoxox