There was a peculiar question recently thrown up by a Goan doctor as to why bad things happen to good people? He further emotionally asserted that when good people suffer it gives an impression that there is no God and this leaves the society perplexed and confused about faith and religiosity. What seems to intrigue the good doctor is why bad men, according to him, seem to be safe and prospering.
To me as a scientist, I totally disagree and refuse to accept that punishment and rewards is bestowed upon us by a super natural creator, who alone decides upon the fate and destiny of each and every one of us. I believe each one of us is primarily the creator of our destiny. According to me God and religion is the creation of a human being, who created God in our likeness. Hence many amongst us feel that God is our bell boy or a marble playing partner, who has to act or perform as per our individual prayers, whims and fancies and it is here that we go totally haywire and distraught. Anyone doing wrong to me needs to be punished, as I am right and do everything to appease him! No doubt then the invokers of God’s blessings are largely corrupt, selfish and self-centred, who decide upon, who is good or bad or even needs to be punished.
It is true that half the cabinet of the Goa government was till a few days ago in hospitals. Surely the fault lies with Ministers for their sins of commission, and the sins of omission lie with us the lazy people of Goa, who allow bad governance to fan out and be imposed upon us in Goa.
We fail to pay with our blood-just indulge in tall talks. I have written umpteen times that nature rewards all those who care and tends it and punishes the society which shows it scant respect. In nature there is no forgiveness. Forgiveness is a made attribute. Today, I am a very sick individual. I faint, I vomit and often spend sleepless nights, as the casino industry is polluting and decaying the area around my residence. It is the wearer who knows where the shoes pinch. Yes, Mother Nature is rightly punishing me, as I have failed as an individual to aggressively with blood, fight pollution foisted by Manohar Parrikar. Nature does not care for Joe D’Souza as an individual. Nature looks at me as one amongst in the Goan society, not doing enough to save Panjim and Mandovi from decay and degradation and as an individual not doing enough to curb pollution. I need to be punished. I write letters to those in authority in the Goa administration about my sufferings and through this article I implore upon the all-powerful CM to save me from losing my life due to the inimical casino and cruise boat menace he ushered in over River Mandovi. For me prayers are superfluous and totally meaningless, as I have failed miserably from preventing deterioration and decay of Goa. It is ridiculous for me to accept a God to do my work. Only I feel the CM can help or will help the residents of Panjim, from the degradation and the decay of the killing casino and the cruise boat menace eating into the health of Panjim, as he has ushered in and promoting the casinos in the capital city. Parrikar of course has thousands of people praying and wishing him well.
But for myself there are four thoughts, which keep me going sustainably. The basic tenet, I believe in is that with the sweat of the brow, we must earn our bread. The second dogma close to my heart is work is worship since God helps those who help themselves and thus I pursue my duties to the best of our ability. The third principle I adhere to is to do unto others, as I would like them to do unto myself and treat me so. Thus I alone can be the change I want to see. The change should begin with me, and I must never believe in external super forces, that will protect or reward. We reward and punish ourselves with our own actions. The last hapless thought that pricks me each day is that words of Jesus Christ, who said, blessed are those who accept nothing for they shall not be disappointed. As Gita tells us, what happened yesterday was good and what will happen tomorrow would also be good, only if you are good. The survival of the fittest and the exploitation of the weak is the law of the jungle but it also happens in our modern society.
Just as few fish which find their way into the net cannot question as to why other fish are freely moving in the ocean. Similarly there are several number of women that are abused and this rot is not in the open due to several factors and reasons.
Let us also be careful of those, who indulge excessively in God talk, as they do so to subdue cheat and exploit those weak who are incapable of thinking for themselves.
