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Between Heaven and Earth

Sometimes it’s enough to drive one to God

by Ramesah Babu Batchu, Ph.D.

I like to watch the History channels, Discover, and Science.  But sometimes they make me so sad and I turn them off.

The concept of a God who metes out justice and punishment to wrongdoers has no meaning in my world. I have no answers to existential questions so I am sometimes forced to consider the existence of God, though I am skeptical. If God punishes Hitler and Himmler, what good does that do for the millions of Jewish men, women, children they tortured and murdered? Maybe Hitler and Himmler had mental disorders and maybe their abhorrent policies arose out of their disease. If so, what would be the point in punishing them? No one has answers, despite human history being full of atrocities in the name of religion, race, tribe, sub-religions, and castes. Even within groups sharing the same religion, caste, race, etc., people find reasons to hate each other or kill each other. Even in Great Britain, hatreds persist between some Welsh, Scots, Irish and English.

It gives me great pain to see the pointless hatred we have towards fellow humans.  Why can’t we grow up? History and everything else is defined by wars and winners.

Sometimes I have no option but to reluctantly subscribe to the view of believers of God that God works in mysterious ways and has answers to everything. Sometimes I want to laugh at this and sometimes I actually want to cry.  Sometimes I think I would be better off watching a comedy movie rather than trying to understand humans and their history.

Peace

Ramesh

2 responses to “Sometimes it’s enough to drive one to God”

  1. Robin Tessier Avatar
    Robin Tessier

    Yes, Ramesh, well said. I understand just how you struggle. Me too! Perhaps all of us? For me, God reveals His comfort, peace and, ultimately, Truth (which I define as unconditional love for my brothers and sisters, as God has for them) little by little. My stubborn brain could not absorb it any faster, is my guess! Blessings to you, Ramesh!

  2. Ramesh Babu Batchu Avatar
    Ramesh Babu Batchu

    Thank for the reply Robin. As long as we carry, love, forgiveness and peace for all, we are doing his work. In general Christian faith is about love, sacrifice and forgiveness. That is what is represented by cross and crucifixion. There is a fine line between faith and fundamentalism. Intense faith has led to so many genocides in history, I want to be careful about belief in God and what it makes me later. I just saw news yesterday that taking the name of the Islamic prophet in a negative connotation by one man resulted in the destruction of an entire Christian neighborhood in Pakistan. In a religious republic as such anyone not of that religion is completely subjugated and the only jobs they have is house keeping. If these people’s houses are burnt and destroyed, if this is what faith leads to I don’t want it. If faith makes me a beast and spread hatred and violence against anyone who doesn’t believe in “my god” and “my way of belief” why do I need that? Without this this faith in god, I still respect all human beings and do my part to help them and respect others. The people who burnt the houses of people of other faiths are the ones who study the book, whatever that is, in their whole lives. They carry it in their homes. Yet they also carry heinous crimes against humanity. Why do we need faith? For what? I don’t know.

    Best regards,

    Ramesh

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