It was one of those conversations had in tipsy stupors, when the topic of religion materialized in our midst. The thread that led to this theme included multiple steps - beginning with the sorry state of our world today, quickly transforming into global geopolitical dynamics, to the polarities of East vs. West. Hanging out with social scientists can lead one into such snaking trialogues, which more often than not were cyclical. And too often they ended with somebody raising their arms in despair and yelling "Fuck it! It's all going to hell!"
"Western religions are not worth busting your heads over!" said my friend, almost on the edge of one of those cries of despair. Terence and I were being thoroughly entertained by (and partaking in) Baba's periodic outbursts for a couple of hours now. "These religions are suffering from such a crisis of spirit. There is nothing left in them. Christians are no longer christians -their new religion is money!"
We had been talking about the global balance of power, and our friend insisted on viewing our current state of affairs as a stalemate between East and West. "And so you mean to say that Eastern religions do not have this problem?" I inquired with care, keenly aware of the delicate terrains we had just entered.
"Of course! Eastern religions like Islam are thriving. There is no paucity of belief in majority of the Muslim world. The spirit still flourishes." His eyes were gleaming now, wide open and piercing mine. I could tell he was feeling that rush of surety; the confidence in the presence of supposed veracity; the glee in the possession of what one thinks to be a solid argument. "I mean, look at ISIS! Not to condone their maniacal brutality, but the very fact that they exist goes to prove my point. There is still a lot to get gung-ho about in Eastern religions."
I looked at Terence, who looked quite perplexed. Something about Baba's articulation of his perspective did not sit quite right with me (nor Terence either). My disagreement had nothing to do with the surface of the point being made, i.e. the relative crisis of spirit between Christianity and Islam. Instead, my mind focused on something else completely. And I was about to attack his argument at its roots, instead of the boughs.
"So, you think Islam is an Eastern religion?" I asked, mimicking sincere curiosity. (Mimic, because I already knew what he thought)
"What do you mean? Of course it is! Christianity is a Western religion and Islam is Eastern. That is completely obvious." he replied. It was apparent that his geopolitical worldview had made perfect rationalizations in his mind that the other boundaries were also drawn of same chalk, along same lines. "You don't agree?" he asked.
I did not. To my mind, if I were to be given only two descriptors (East and West), I would put Christianity and Islam within the same bucket (West), while placing Buddhism and Hinduism in the other (East). This distinction is only loosely related to the geographical reference. But in my understanding, the more important distinction was not about place, but about point of view.
"The way I see it" started Terence, "the difference between Western and Eastern religion is one of perspective, and about how distinctly they view time. Western religions, incubated within Western cultures of philosophical materialism and the rise of rationality (that ultimately also led to modern science), views time as synonymous to history. Both Christianity and Islam, begin their mythos at specific defined points in time, with the fall from Paradise of the first humans. I mean, it is quite literally countable. Therefore, these religions, are cemented and confined within the historical narrative of the last few thousand years.
While on the other hand, Eastern religion is basically timeless. And when time is invoked, it is either in the Hindu system of chiliocosms of eternity, just cycles upon cycles and aeons upon aeons. Or it's the time of Taoism which is the time of the moment and the insight. That way, Eastern traditions and religions have had a more fluid interpretation of time and reality as a whole. For example, while reincarnations are a common belief in the East, the West has only had appetite for it once in its entire existence - the resurrection of Jesus - and it is quite insistently described as a 'miracle'. Islam, in that sense, is as much a Western religion as Christianity."
Baba looked amused at first, almost impressed. But upon fully processing the meaning of what had just happened, he twisted his face in a frustrated frown, and protested loudly, "Why do you have to philosophize the the fun out of a good fight man!? Let the battle lines be there, as boundaries of truth and lies to be fought over. What's the point of taking it that away?"
And he was right. There was no point. It was only amusement. Plus, we should have known better. Our dear friend Baba was here for the show. He liked to have the best seat to watch the end of the world, the way history was obviously conspiring for it to transpire.
"Western religions are not worth busting your heads over!" said my friend, almost on the edge of one of those cries of despair. Terence and I were being thoroughly entertained by (and partaking in) Baba's periodic outbursts for a couple of hours now. "These religions are suffering from such a crisis of spirit. There is nothing left in them. Christians are no longer christians -their new religion is money!"
We had been talking about the global balance of power, and our friend insisted on viewing our current state of affairs as a stalemate between East and West. "And so you mean to say that Eastern religions do not have this problem?" I inquired with care, keenly aware of the delicate terrains we had just entered.
"Of course! Eastern religions like Islam are thriving. There is no paucity of belief in majority of the Muslim world. The spirit still flourishes." His eyes were gleaming now, wide open and piercing mine. I could tell he was feeling that rush of surety; the confidence in the presence of supposed veracity; the glee in the possession of what one thinks to be a solid argument. "I mean, look at ISIS! Not to condone their maniacal brutality, but the very fact that they exist goes to prove my point. There is still a lot to get gung-ho about in Eastern religions."
I looked at Terence, who looked quite perplexed. Something about Baba's articulation of his perspective did not sit quite right with me (nor Terence either). My disagreement had nothing to do with the surface of the point being made, i.e. the relative crisis of spirit between Christianity and Islam. Instead, my mind focused on something else completely. And I was about to attack his argument at its roots, instead of the boughs.
"So, you think Islam is an Eastern religion?" I asked, mimicking sincere curiosity. (Mimic, because I already knew what he thought)
"What do you mean? Of course it is! Christianity is a Western religion and Islam is Eastern. That is completely obvious." he replied. It was apparent that his geopolitical worldview had made perfect rationalizations in his mind that the other boundaries were also drawn of same chalk, along same lines. "You don't agree?" he asked.
I did not. To my mind, if I were to be given only two descriptors (East and West), I would put Christianity and Islam within the same bucket (West), while placing Buddhism and Hinduism in the other (East). This distinction is only loosely related to the geographical reference. But in my understanding, the more important distinction was not about place, but about point of view.
"The way I see it" started Terence, "the difference between Western and Eastern religion is one of perspective, and about how distinctly they view time. Western religions, incubated within Western cultures of philosophical materialism and the rise of rationality (that ultimately also led to modern science), views time as synonymous to history. Both Christianity and Islam, begin their mythos at specific defined points in time, with the fall from Paradise of the first humans. I mean, it is quite literally countable. Therefore, these religions, are cemented and confined within the historical narrative of the last few thousand years.
While on the other hand, Eastern religion is basically timeless. And when time is invoked, it is either in the Hindu system of chiliocosms of eternity, just cycles upon cycles and aeons upon aeons. Or it's the time of Taoism which is the time of the moment and the insight. That way, Eastern traditions and religions have had a more fluid interpretation of time and reality as a whole. For example, while reincarnations are a common belief in the East, the West has only had appetite for it once in its entire existence - the resurrection of Jesus - and it is quite insistently described as a 'miracle'. Islam, in that sense, is as much a Western religion as Christianity."
Baba looked amused at first, almost impressed. But upon fully processing the meaning of what had just happened, he twisted his face in a frustrated frown, and protested loudly, "Why do you have to philosophize the the fun out of a good fight man!? Let the battle lines be there, as boundaries of truth and lies to be fought over. What's the point of taking it that away?"
And he was right. There was no point. It was only amusement. Plus, we should have known better. Our dear friend Baba was here for the show. He liked to have the best seat to watch the end of the world, the way history was obviously conspiring for it to transpire.
Comments
Post a Comment