The Day When God Died

shankar - #most recent post

Is shankar another name for ``shararat ki jadh`` : )

rsaxena #62 OK no more joking around (cant speak for Shankar though)(You and scout have been good sports, though). Actually, I was reminded of some good times in Michigan (at Ann Arbor) when I first came to the US (but that is another story).

Urstruly (Reply #8):

`` MsVersey #2

I am speechless. I am ashamed to tell you how clueless I am as to how to respond to your post. I think we put to much emphasis on death. How can something be so bad, which is such an integral part of our life. I think it is not death but it is loss of love that we mourn.``

Agreed, my post was exceedingly personal in nature, and had to do with my experience. Your ‘story’ is much more; death is but a minuscule part of it. However, since a discussion has ensued, I would like to ask you and anyone else who is interested in the subject, ‘Would we react to the loss of love as we do over a death?’ As I said, it is the finality and irrevocability that is so very numbing. This often becomes a reason to stop believing in god. I know it will be seen as an over-reaction, and true believers go to the extent of saying that one should not weep for it will hurt the soul as it passes from one world into another. Are we then mere selfish victims of the flesh and is love only the warmth of another’s presence? I should think not. Death is different. Why must it be not so bad merely because it is a part of life? There are very many things in life that we detest and oppose, so why not death?

I know it is like knocking on a locked door that will never be answered, but the questions cannot cease. After having moved me to tears, you now want me to face ‘facts’ – you vile creature!

Re: Temporal’s reply (#11):

``Those who have not experienced the death in any ‘personal’ sense are mortified by the idea of losing loved ones. Never themselves.``

It is when we witness another’s death that we see our mortality as a definite possibility. About the “unnecessary risks” your friend takes while driving, I think playing with danger blunts the edge of very real fears. When you are conquering your own demons (and most of us are) we do not think about how others will bear the consequences of a fatal fall.

``Sometimes I wonder how our individual behavior would modify if we were forced to take a semester studying manifestations of death with visits to the morgue, post mortem labs and exhuming buried bodies with hands on experience.``

You have already given the answer to this when you talked about those who create ``a shield between death and themselves`` and the others who get ``traumatized…and seek help to get over it``. Surrounded by corpses would not make us better human beings. As for death teaching us humility, I think the truly humble would then be those who commit suicide, for they do not believe they are of any consequence to the world!

Farzana

PM #58

Let me quote you directly from Koran, so that you know it is not Gammorh etc.

(All translation of Maulana Mowdudi/Mohammed Akbar Muradpuri)

Ayah 7:80

``And We sent Lut as a Messanger: Remember that he said to his people, ``Have you become so shameless that you commit such indecent acts as no one has committed before you? You gratify your lust with men instead of women: indeed you are a people who are transgressors of all limit!``

If you want to give this clear Ayah any meaning of your choice which you tried to do with your meaning like protection of guest in Surah Hud and Surah Hijr then it is your choice.

As far as your meaning of Surah Dahr #76. It is also your choice.

But historically Ghulam or slaves were prized for their built and beauty. For example Joseph was sold for the same reason.

But twisting of mind has no limit.

As I have told you before, in Koran, in Hadith and in Fiqh there is no place for homosexuality in Islam in all major sects including Shias. But since you are too bright, brilliant and liberated, your lies in itself are truth because they are coming from your pen.

There seems to be an implicit understanding that the canvas of this piece of semi-fiction can be stretched to realistically depict life in the West at large.

Resisting the temptation to go on a tirade again, I have only this suggestion to offer our morally upright desis: Move to the South!

-Oh, and don`t take all those reports on `the death of moral society` in America too seriously either. There is a revival (or rediscovery) of traditional values and mounting opposition to the clout of big biz underway in America even as mora.. I mean speak.

This note is directly mainly to krashid and khattur.

Urstruly:

``Hur ik kay shayr mein bus uss ka uks daikhtha hoon

meri zubaan sey jo alfaaz lay gayaa maray``

You are THE writer on chowk.You do not try to produce ``literature`` and therein lies your greatness.

Floating paper-boats on a mirage is what the kalloo-clones do.

``Hurr bul-havas nay husn parastee shiaar kee

Ubb abroo e shaiva e ahl e nazar gayee``

__________________________________________________

I wonder if you have read ``God sees everything but waits`` by Leo Tolstoy.A very good treatise on this subject.

And best of all is the Quranic parable of Moosa & Khizr.Please look it up again.

P.S:I wish the title was less sensational.

__________________________________________________

wassalaam

Temporal (Reply#60)…A Requiem

If your god dies within you,

you kill yourself each day.

Every moment a funeral

every sunshine a broken ray

of light.

If your god resides inside

you have only yourself to blame.

Are you afraid of giving it a name?

Or will finding one outside expose your sins

of believing in less than you think?

If you have looked deep into someone’s eyes

you will know the truth behind the lies.

As for a god outside –

I say I have none at all

Even as I look up at heaven

I call it the sky.

Scout # 63

I was far mor stupid in those days than I am now. (Trust me situation hasn`t improved much since then either). That is why you find me writing the history and not making it.

SAC # 64

Thank you very much for your critical analysis. It is invaluable. Trust me there are some sleepless nights and far more restless days behind these three pages. As a matter of fact there are three events that may or may not be considered as unnecessary, depending on what you have in mind as an ultimate goal:

1. African women
2. Santa Claus girl
3. Ass-less Chinese salesgirl.

These three events were intentionally and carefully added to reflect on the (moral) character of the person who refers to himself as first person singular. That added to the reader`s doubt when the ending came abruptly and unexpectedly (my opinion). I think it worked. The proof: check the interacts below (before # 8). The readers do think that the person ``I`` in the narrative is the writer in person.

Shankar the shrink may give you a proper terminology for the technique. I call it ``writer`s wager``-it worked. Who dares, wins, Sac!

:)

urstruly:

I think you tried a little too much over here buddy. You tried the barber shop, the mall, the sport coat, the food court and then the teenager. The story is overdressed to kill. Maybe as temporal suggested you could have whittled it down to half its original length and removed the ``ass-less`` chinese girl and a few other inanities you might have had a half-decent story here.

But then who am I to complain. I like my beef rare too!!

later

-sac

``He gave us conscience. No matter how rational we become this goddamned conscience keeps on bugging us. When is He gonna take responsibility for His actions? ``

Ever occur to you that God *is * our conscience (minus some of the stuff we collect along the way)? --And that ``His`` actions are nothing more than the sum total of ours collectively? Aside from those, it`s just an unpredictable, often unjust world. Face it!

Urstruly,

Shanita`s story was very sad. Did you ever try finding a social worker or a shelter for her?

I believe there are places where teenage mothers can go for support?

Re: shankar

``Now I wont be surprised if they pounce on me with righteous indignation...tell me how much I stink as shrink...``

I`ll let this go now lest you get more fodder to continue. What is it with you middle-aged men (no offense to the middle-aged) getting your jollies through this?

Sir Urstruly:

Everytime I plan to write something on this piece, I step back. Kyoun? I cannot spell out the reason.

Probably, I cannot utter words for the sake of it
OR
I want to be fair with what I say
OR
Probably, there are so many intricate emotions involved here that it is important to take them into account
OR
Probably, I am simply an idiot with a writer`s block

maybe...maybe not.

Your recent post spoke much more than your article!!! Now, you have given me some ammunition :-)

I will come back later with a substantive thought!

The day God died? Says who? You?
Maybe He/She was born for Shanita that day?
Just maybe.

There is no God outside of us.
He/She lives and dies
more times than anyone can count
inside each one of us
every single living moment.

When we stop breathing
so does our individual god.

The Other One?
He is preoccupied...

Hidden Agendas?:

khattur, in #55, inquires whether I have a `Hidden Agenda.`

I am astounded! Hidden? I would have thought my agenda was as transparent as Cher`s blouses can be. To spell it out again... If modern Western culture is open game to all the moralistic occidentals living there, I take pleasure in pointing out how their own history falls somewhat short of their sublime morality.

ahh.. it is fine and dandy, and will even win you brownie points (and sawab unlimited) to point to the immorality in the heathen West. But touch on Religion (or any of the more established one), and baam! you`re a bigot, and operating with a hidden agenda.

My dear Mr khattur. I understand fully that you were limiting your illustrations to the `examples provided by Urstruly`. In any other context, that is, on a board authored by most anyone else, I would readily stand alongside you to decry the evils of a rampant capitalism gone ugly. I don`t know how well you `know` Urstruly, but his recent outbursts on other boards against liberals, and indeed, his post #8 (specifically, his lines to Sadaf) should leave no doubt in anyone mind of his agenda.

Of course, I understand that it is in the interest of most to ignore that aspect of his writing/ranting. (Even his now). And yes, his gift with the pen makes it that much easier to do so.

Yes, I did ignore your mention of ``a million billion times``. Please understand that I really had no gripe with you or your post per se. That is why my post was addressed to Urstruly, not you. I simply `used` those parts of your post that seemed to jibe with the points Urstruly has been belabouring these past few weeks.

As for historical parallels to commodicfication of youth.. well... it shouldn`t be too difficult to come up wtih some examples.. but work is kinda heavy today.... maybe later. (and why shuld you expect me to counter your EVERY point anyway :-))

later,

regards,

PM