A conversation with my sister triggered this thought of writing a blog. She asked me am I an atheist! And that triggered my thoughtful reflection and what it meant to me.
I have had an interest in the notion of GOD for a long time... (for example https://sachi-webpagebackend.blogspot.com/2013/11/god-and-notion-of-uncertainty.html) I have also oscillated between the beliefs about God and its nature over a long time. Do these oscillating beliefs make me a liar, or just a constantly curious person who is trying to make sense of the notion, and refining the definition in a constant endeavor.
Let's begin with definitions of an atheist fist. "The Cambridge Dictionary" definition of atheist available at https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/atheist - which said its "someone who does not believe in God/gods." So there is a definitional shift from atheist to "GOD," and I do the same search again and find the definition as "a spirit or being believed to control some part of the universe or life and often worshipped for doing so, or something that represents this spirit or being."
When I look at the definition here, I see three components - the form, the role and the rituals/processes of engaging. The term atheist itself could be confusing if one looks at the three aspects different.
1. What would form mean for me when I consider myself to be an atheist or not?
If the form is important, it is often the case that we are in the quest of having a form mostly through the perspectives we hold. Is it male, female or others? Is it nature or is it fiction?
My early notions of being an atheist were pushed by this aspect - I don't like the form. I don't see god in a form.
But do I not believe in what I don't cognitively explain? I do.
I began the quest since I found myself believing in the unexplained. My experience has been a useful guide in this. I realize there are moments when my mind is peaceful, happy and undisturbed. A state of bliss, where I seek nothing more. Where I am grateful to be where I am.
This I believe is the experiences of divinity that each one of us can have. It doesn't happen at only specific places like temples. I find myself distancing from temple visits where I don't find peace, where I cannot connect with myself. There are some moments when it's so easy to connect and be at a place, just soaking in the moment completely - this for me has been the scenario when I get to treks and just sit watching the waterfall and create magic!
I then began asking if it's all about nature itself? Is nature God? And as I began observing my daily life - I realize there are more instances when I can choose to experience divinity. Its the feeling that I had begun soaking in, not the divine itself.
I now know - the existence of the divine in a form isn't really necessary for us to feel the divinity that is so easy to experience so its not the form.
So yes, I am an atheist in the requirement of having a form. I don't believe in a form.
2. Role
The notion of God has emerged for multiple reasons - may be for experiencing the divinity that I talked about earlier, or for the reduction of the uncertainty like I mentioned in the earlier blog, or as Harari says for the unifying role and control that myths around these Gods provide to people.
I see that the role played by the notion of God gives me peace. Whatever the other aspects of the role of 'God' maybe I know it simply gives me a simplistic view of life and allows me to move ahead when I am stuck.
So no, I am not an atheist in this requirement for the role that is played by God. It helps me!
3. The process of engaging.
Rituals and processes are effective to enable to execute their tasks with little cognitive overload. They also allow us to take benefits of the clarity that emerges with the connecting with the feeling of divinity and the reduction in uncertainty. So practices help connect with God and so should make me someone who believes in God ain't it?
Here I look at the implications of the rituals to me and my push on others to follow the rituals. I find myself only interested in finding the peace, the flow I experience through following the rituals, but I don't want others to simply follow what I do. I am pretty sure they have their ways of finding the divine feeling - be it through music, dance or simply our work. We call these as "Aradhana" too, just as we call "praying" in front of God - the worship itself is flexible and just a means.
So I see as following rituals are never going to be indicative of the belief in god itself. It's only indicative of being in the moment, doing it for its own sake. The state of flow!
With this, I guess I realize now that god is a very personal notion. The rituals are simply so customizable to suit our state of mind — that which makes us feel the bliss, the peace, the happiness, the flow.
So am I an atheist? I don't know. I do believe I am one in some ways and not one in many ways. Maybe I am agnostic, but simply do what I do.
My views here are personal. May not be strictly adhering to the notions of anyone else, but you have to find your answers.
I have had an interest in the notion of GOD for a long time... (for example https://sachi-webpagebackend.blogspot.com/2013/11/god-and-notion-of-uncertainty.html) I have also oscillated between the beliefs about God and its nature over a long time. Do these oscillating beliefs make me a liar, or just a constantly curious person who is trying to make sense of the notion, and refining the definition in a constant endeavor.
Let's begin with definitions of an atheist fist. "The Cambridge Dictionary" definition of atheist available at https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/atheist - which said its "someone who does not believe in God/gods." So there is a definitional shift from atheist to "GOD," and I do the same search again and find the definition as "a spirit or being believed to control some part of the universe or life and often worshipped for doing so, or something that represents this spirit or being."
When I look at the definition here, I see three components - the form, the role and the rituals/processes of engaging. The term atheist itself could be confusing if one looks at the three aspects different.
1. What would form mean for me when I consider myself to be an atheist or not?
If the form is important, it is often the case that we are in the quest of having a form mostly through the perspectives we hold. Is it male, female or others? Is it nature or is it fiction?
My early notions of being an atheist were pushed by this aspect - I don't like the form. I don't see god in a form.
But do I not believe in what I don't cognitively explain? I do.
I began the quest since I found myself believing in the unexplained. My experience has been a useful guide in this. I realize there are moments when my mind is peaceful, happy and undisturbed. A state of bliss, where I seek nothing more. Where I am grateful to be where I am.
This I believe is the experiences of divinity that each one of us can have. It doesn't happen at only specific places like temples. I find myself distancing from temple visits where I don't find peace, where I cannot connect with myself. There are some moments when it's so easy to connect and be at a place, just soaking in the moment completely - this for me has been the scenario when I get to treks and just sit watching the waterfall and create magic!
I then began asking if it's all about nature itself? Is nature God? And as I began observing my daily life - I realize there are more instances when I can choose to experience divinity. Its the feeling that I had begun soaking in, not the divine itself.
I now know - the existence of the divine in a form isn't really necessary for us to feel the divinity that is so easy to experience so its not the form.
So yes, I am an atheist in the requirement of having a form. I don't believe in a form.
2. Role
The notion of God has emerged for multiple reasons - may be for experiencing the divinity that I talked about earlier, or for the reduction of the uncertainty like I mentioned in the earlier blog, or as Harari says for the unifying role and control that myths around these Gods provide to people.
I see that the role played by the notion of God gives me peace. Whatever the other aspects of the role of 'God' maybe I know it simply gives me a simplistic view of life and allows me to move ahead when I am stuck.
So no, I am not an atheist in this requirement for the role that is played by God. It helps me!
3. The process of engaging.
Rituals and processes are effective to enable to execute their tasks with little cognitive overload. They also allow us to take benefits of the clarity that emerges with the connecting with the feeling of divinity and the reduction in uncertainty. So practices help connect with God and so should make me someone who believes in God ain't it?
Here I look at the implications of the rituals to me and my push on others to follow the rituals. I find myself only interested in finding the peace, the flow I experience through following the rituals, but I don't want others to simply follow what I do. I am pretty sure they have their ways of finding the divine feeling - be it through music, dance or simply our work. We call these as "Aradhana" too, just as we call "praying" in front of God - the worship itself is flexible and just a means.
So I see as following rituals are never going to be indicative of the belief in god itself. It's only indicative of being in the moment, doing it for its own sake. The state of flow!
With this, I guess I realize now that god is a very personal notion. The rituals are simply so customizable to suit our state of mind — that which makes us feel the bliss, the peace, the happiness, the flow.
So am I an atheist? I don't know. I do believe I am one in some ways and not one in many ways. Maybe I am agnostic, but simply do what I do.
My views here are personal. May not be strictly adhering to the notions of anyone else, but you have to find your answers.
