For most of the regular office goers, Friday evening is often synonymous with eternal bliss. Whether that holds true for you or not, what do you reckon as the most interesting aspect of your office life? Is it the technical and managerial hurdles posed, for you to tackle, letting you challenge yourself, in the process? That sounds good, but now that your boss is not listening, you might as well tell the truth. Is it the lunch break?
I would like to give the random informal conversation, more credit than it generally gets. Those help you release stress, and make offices more bearable. I get to listen to, and participate in many, but I be a good listener and keep myself from interventions unless I feel strongly about making a point. That way, I get a great deal of new information, and more importantly, I don't let people know how stupid I am. Recently, I happened to barge into one.
A few colleagues were discussing how the corporate environment treats the employees only as resources and not as individuals with emotional, physical and sometimes even existential issues that each one might be going through. By the time I got myself a steaming filter coffee, discussion had taken a completely different path. Someone had mentioned a temple that was being built in one part of the city, and subsequently, places of religious worship, and religion itself, had come under the scanner.
“Do we really need more places of religious worship, that too in our cities, which are already smothered for space?"
Remarked someone.
“They could just plant trees in that piece of land. A green patch in the middle of a city is not a bad idea, considering the kind of summer we just had”
I put forth my point, in a typical armchair philosopher’s fashion, despite not having planted even a single tree in my life, so far.
“But do you think people will make it a priority to visit your green patch, without any persuasion, and deposit money in your boxes?”
“I guess we should. Taking care of the place should be a collective responsibility. The concept of donating money in favour of places of religious worship, is the same. We are actually contributing towards the maintenance and welfare of it even though modern man, has found the commercial benefits, just like anywhere else"
"If you want people to care about the so called green patch, and make them nurse trees and plants, the only way again would be to impart any kind of religious significance, on it."
At this point, my mind drifted away from the conversation, and I started thinking about religion, as a social institution. Organized religion has more to do with money, power and politics, has very less to do with spirituality, and if it has to stay in power, it should make more people follow.
By the time I started listening again, topic had moved on to the historical accuracy of a religious text. The debate had heated up. Having their religious faith questioned, is one situation when you get to find out how aggressive speakers your friends are. As arguments and counter arguments were flung incessantly, I started feeling that it could go on for ever. You could argue about belief and faith for days, and yet you will not be able to prove anything, unless God himself appears and tells you, and unless that happens, the whole act would be utterly meaningless. You never confront faith with logical reasoning, instead, you just learn to respect it, however absurd it sounds to you. Your own faith might be entirely different, but then you just keep it to yourself. Faith is like art. It’s value is only there in the eyes of those who can fathom it.
How religious faith influences human lives is a vast topic that needs to be discussed in much more depth. Even if we do, I don't know if we'll ever have any more clarity on it. That was the most up to which a coffee break discussion could go, but I got a lot from it, to brood over later.
