Day 13.4: An Atheist's Conversation With My Muslim Teacher
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During kelas rohani/kelas kerohanian today, i went to the "pondok" beside JLB instead of getting cooped up inside the air-conditioned JLB with a bunch of teachers. Brought along with me today's newspaper i asked MakCik to help me buy from outside camp. She got me NST instead of Star because they only sell The Star in Manjung, not in Kg Baru, and PakCik didn't go to Manjung today. So much trouble just to get myself a copy of an English newspaper *sigh*
I just finished browsing the headlines and was starting to read the contents when a teacher approached me at the pondok. I'd rather not put his name here.
So this teacher pulled up a chair and sat right in front of me, and started lecturing talking to me about how important it is for one to have a religion. How people who are non-religious can be likened to being "lost in the light" (He was speaking in Malay, so i'm not quite sure i have his words translated accurately here, or if i totally understood what he's telling me at all. But i'll do my best).
He went on and on about how i must find my God as soon as possible, whatever religion that God belongs to. How he suffered when he was a child, until he was enlightened by the God he came to embrace. How he thinks i will hold on tightly to whatever religion i'll eventually decide to follow. And he advised me that i should read books on the subject of religion, to help me in my quest in search of my God.
As he spoke, i smiled, gave polite responses where appropriate, and chuckled at his jokes. But really, i think i'd do just fine without clinging to a religion of any kind. I didn't tell him that to his face of course, lest he thinks i'm some kind of dangerous minion of Satan sent to corrupt people in his camp and coerce them into converting or something. But i am quite sure i'll be fine following societal moral values without getting terabai.
Post-NS note:
Do i believe in God? Well, as the French mathematician and astronomer Laplace said: "I have no need of that hypothesis."
In some ways, i'm more like the atheist Cameron than the atheist House. In that unlike House, i respect other people's religion (except maybe for Scientology) and vaguely understand that some people just need to believe in a God to make sense of their life, to put a meaning to their existence. Having said that, i still do not comprehend how such unquestionable faith can exist based solely on various editions of the Bible filled with myths and allegories with maybe some historical references.
I haven't been through much hardship in my life, i admit. I used to think that if one day, somehow in one single day, i lose my job, my house, and everyone i ever cared for, i just might step into this world of worshipping a supreme being and be surrounded by "brothers" and "sisters". Now i'm not so sure even if i fall victim to such tragedies, religion will be my answer. But that's all mostly hypothetical. All i can say is, for now, i'm perfectly happy without following any religious paths. And seriously, how can Earth be only 6000 years old?
I can go on and on about my lack of faith and i don't care if i'll be condemned to Hell, whether or not Hell exist. I just felt sad sometimes when i talk to people (like the teacher for instance) who were brought up in a religious family and spent their whole lives practicing a way of living adopted based on their parents delusions. It's etched so deep it's like they don't even have a choice to not believe.
Labels: day 13, kelas rohani, newspapers, post-NS, religion stuff, teachers
August 11, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Its hard to find a like minded person like yourself.
i agree upon those comments, what i keep telling people when they question me, although i do not believe in spirituality does not mean i don't understand how it works and what it can mean for others
I believe in a divine power, (in a way that how creation came to be) but religion is man made with laws and rules written by man. Thus i do not see the necessity in religion.
good post. top
August 11, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Indeed few are non-religious this days. I was the ONLY one in my camp who ticked "free-thinker" on the registration form in NS. It took some time for them to get used to the idea that i'm an atheist cuz apparently, before they met me, NO ONE that they know of does not belong to any religion.
Wasn't Christianity created by this bunch of people just so they could use it to control the masses? That's just one theory anyhow.
And thanks for the compliment ^^ top