What I can’t abide

As you all know that I often go through my old notebooks & dig out something for my blog. I will try not to go into details right now. Anyhow, here’s the saying: 

“What I can’t abide is the man who wishes to convert other men’s minds; that tampering with beliefs seems to me impertinent, insolent, corrupt beyond measure.” 

Virginia Woolf 

I totally agree with Virginia Woolf. And I’m sure most of you must have met people who just go on imposing their opinions & beliefs on others. They are 100 % sure about their own views & how right they are. They would go to any length just to convince you of one thing: how wrong you are & how correct they have been. 

I believe there are innumerable reasons why people have different opinions. First of all, we all come from different backgrounds & then we gather different kinds of experiences. When everyone encounters different things in life, how can you expect everyone to hold the same viewpoint? Naturally we are bound to look at a thing from different angles. 

Today in my write-up ‘A woman cannot be herself,’ I said that it’s ridiculous to presume that every single person is unhappy. I’m sure many single folks wouldn’t agree with me. I have my reasons for saying so. I also wrote: 

“All those people who judge single folks I believe have some sort of complex. Maybe they often wonder how could anyone live without sex, cause they surely would have committed suicide if a man hadn’t touch them.” 

I’m sure everyone wouldn’t agree with me on this point too, but everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I have raised lots of questions on this blog & many people will find them silly, but there are people who do face such things. I remember once I raised this question: what if no one wants to sleep with you? This question wasn’t for everyone but there are people who may have experienced this & know what it’s like. 

I have been thinking that we never ever talk about a man who could still be a virgin & he’s not that young anymore. I mean there could be a possibility. We presume that every man has slept at some point with someone. And men don’t discuss their problems like women. Naturally we’d never get to know their viewpoint or how devastated a man is if he hasn’t slept with anyone. 

But yeah we are from a society where they badly want everyone to get married. However, they have no time for real issues that could bother a person & he may plunge into depression. Actually we keep reminding humans what is missing in their lives & when someone is saddened by that constant reminder, we call them gloomy & pessimistic. 

Anyhow, the thing is…opinions, by all means, cannot alter facts. Lots of people need to digest this but they can’t, cause they are busy getting offended at every opportunity when they can’t convince the other person. Everyone believes he’s right & naturally you can’t come up with a solution in this kind of situation where everyone happens to be right all the time.

Each other’s Beliefs

“We don’t have to accept each other’s beliefs…but we do have to accept each other’s right to believe them.”

Jodi Picoult

Why Burn And Tear The Holy Books?

I don't know why are there so many distortions and differences? Why can we not live in peace in a humane manner? Why are we called humans when there is hardly any humanity left in us? It is sad how we no longer have any respect for each other and not even for our religions, values and cultures. Our hearts are filled with hatred though no religion preaches that.

Yesterday, a Muslim boy - Akhtar Hussain retaliated to the burning of Holy Quran in Florida by tearing the Bible in Lahore. He tore the Holy Bible into pieces outside Saint Joseph's Church on Lawrence Road. He even tried to burn it but was caught red-handed. The Christians were busy in their religious sermons on Friday when the sad incident took place.

Akhtar was caught by police and was stopped from entering the church by the officials posted there. He then started tearing the Christian holy book in anger. It is being reported that an FIR under section 295 A of the Pakistan Penal Code was charged against him and he was arrested. If convicted he could be jailed for 10 years.

I don't want to go into further details of what happened next and what will happen to the boy but the point remains that are we not becoming blind? We are losing our senses. Was Jesus Christ not a loved Prophet of God? Did he not suffer so much yet refused to say a single unkind word?All the records speak of his kindness and perseverance. Do we don't know that our Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h) was such a wise, sensible person who too faced all atrocities bravely because he knew God would always be there to protect him? His belief was his strength. Are we going to forget how a rich man named Gautama Buddha left all the riches and comforts of life to seek inner peace and gave us the real meaning of ENLIGHTENMENT?

Have we forgotten all that these great chosen ones left for us to cherish? We are just making our own rules and routes that are filled with prejudice, hatred and revenge.

If somebody ends up doing something wrong why do we have to react in a similar manner? If one person cannot see things with respect why should we hate and judge everybody else who practices the same faith?

This hatred can only be wiped through respect. We need no degree or education to understand how to respect and accept others. The heart can love as much as it can hate...can we not focus on love instead.