Hurray Spain!
I recently read the book 'The Name of the Rose'. For anyone who is not familiar with this cult book by Umberto Eco who specialises in Semiotics - it was written about 20 years before Dan Brown wrote 'The DaVinci Code'. It is based in medieval europe and is basically a murder mystery (others would see a lot more than just this) with the political/religious problems of the medieval church as back-drop. The book is an ocean of information about medieval church life and the beliefs/practices that were current in that era.
It was a long read. Many bits in it were especially fun to read. My favourite part of the book was when a guy called 'WIlliam' stands up to give a speech before a gathering. His speech discusses the need for dissociation between choices of faith( and what religion demands) and the right to freedom that every human being has.
The message is especially instructive in light of recent events in Spain. Spain became the fourth country to amend its constitution to make same-sex marriages legal (after, Belgium, Holland, and Canada). There was as expected a huge outcry from the catholic sections (amongst others) of society who seemed to declare it a travesty of the divine order of things. Such feelings have plagued the human race for too long, and it is about time we let go of them for the sake of freedom.
What a man does in the privacy of his house is his business - with the obvious proviso - as long as it doesn't not hurt the rest of the population in any (quantifiable/real) way. And if your doctrine professes that such a man will go to hell, then too bad for him.
Simply put, if u believe in a particular faith (Catholic, for the spaniards who protested), then u follow it. You have no right to condemn anyone else who chooses not to. Especially religious choices, which are personal choices.
To point out the slag more clearly - christianity (to be precise, The Bible in one of its interpretations) professes (only) heterosexual relations, so if you wanna be a good follower of the faith, then do as it says. But, the Bible has nothing to say about people who choose not to follow its teachings. - except say that they will go to hell. It doesn't say that the religious minded should punish the 'pagans'. So, what right does even a devout christian have to outlaw same-sex marriages? Why impose what you believe in (u are really curtailing ur own freedom - but out of choice) on others who have other opinions?
What I have said about christianity in particular is not to point out that it is the only flawed doctrine. I am of the opinion that all religious doctrines are flawed along similar lines, and that a real belief in god has very little to do with religion. Religion is, really speaking, the view of people on what god is and what is needed of us to get in touch with him - it doesn't mean it is the only way (as is openly professed by some faiths).(Although, pratically, it makes good reason to put such stuff in what is basically propaganda for a particular view of things which is you want people to believe it. The best way is to scare them into believing that there is no other way. The theory of advertising will have moer to say about it I am sure.)
It was a long read. Many bits in it were especially fun to read. My favourite part of the book was when a guy called 'WIlliam' stands up to give a speech before a gathering. His speech discusses the need for dissociation between choices of faith( and what religion demands) and the right to freedom that every human being has.
The message is especially instructive in light of recent events in Spain. Spain became the fourth country to amend its constitution to make same-sex marriages legal (after, Belgium, Holland, and Canada). There was as expected a huge outcry from the catholic sections (amongst others) of society who seemed to declare it a travesty of the divine order of things. Such feelings have plagued the human race for too long, and it is about time we let go of them for the sake of freedom.
What a man does in the privacy of his house is his business - with the obvious proviso - as long as it doesn't not hurt the rest of the population in any (quantifiable/real) way. And if your doctrine professes that such a man will go to hell, then too bad for him.
Simply put, if u believe in a particular faith (Catholic, for the spaniards who protested), then u follow it. You have no right to condemn anyone else who chooses not to. Especially religious choices, which are personal choices.
To point out the slag more clearly - christianity (to be precise, The Bible in one of its interpretations) professes (only) heterosexual relations, so if you wanna be a good follower of the faith, then do as it says. But, the Bible has nothing to say about people who choose not to follow its teachings. - except say that they will go to hell. It doesn't say that the religious minded should punish the 'pagans'. So, what right does even a devout christian have to outlaw same-sex marriages? Why impose what you believe in (u are really curtailing ur own freedom - but out of choice) on others who have other opinions?
What I have said about christianity in particular is not to point out that it is the only flawed doctrine. I am of the opinion that all religious doctrines are flawed along similar lines, and that a real belief in god has very little to do with religion. Religion is, really speaking, the view of people on what god is and what is needed of us to get in touch with him - it doesn't mean it is the only way (as is openly professed by some faiths).(Although, pratically, it makes good reason to put such stuff in what is basically propaganda for a particular view of things which is you want people to believe it. The best way is to scare them into believing that there is no other way. The theory of advertising will have moer to say about it I am sure.)
posted by karthik durvasula | 5:35 AM
2 Comments:
Karthik, your becoming an active proponent of gay marriages, I understand there is stiff opposition but don't feel let down. You don't need this world to accept your relationship with "Him". ;)
Sean Connery acts in the movie "Name of the rose". An adaptation of the book. A good movie.
Is this your way of saying 'I accept'?
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