Encounters with Jesus during Diwali
Sunday before Diwali
I woke up and decided to take up an invitation to go to Mass. I bathe, put on clothes - not my Sunday best - and headed down to Holy Rosary to witness the mass by a Charismatic Revival preacher.
The pastor was good. He came down from his pulpit and grounded with the congregation. He talked about 'loving your brother as you love yourself' and said no point coming to mass often if you will judge, condemn and set yourself apart from others. Well at least that is what I thought he said. The man talked a lot about how people should be dealing with each other.. not about how much mass or prayers or so on to do.
Sunday afternoon.. news comes from the PPP/C Lusignan Rally, Mr Edghill says if Jesus were on Earth, he would have voted PPP. I ask the Christians I know, if they will say anything. A few anonymous letters in the press, one pastor writes in his name. Maybe the pastors, especially those who rail up against Homosexuality, probably agree with Mr Edghill, or are scared. I wonder what they are scared about.
In my head.. I am thinking of how Hugo Chavez said Jesus was a socialist.. and thinking of the lavish socialist lives Mr Edghill's friends live.
Monday before Diwali
I spend the afternoon with my favourite atheist.. arguing for a few hours about the existence of God or of some kind of spirituality. It is a kind of strange argument. since the atheist arguments tend to be against Christian and Muslim beliefs; and I can only think of the Pastor on Sunday morning telling people to love their brother as themselves; and Jesus voting for the once atheist party. Maybe the PPP never embraced atheism as we thought. See the National Diya and feeling as though the religion has been hijacked.
Tuesday before Diwali
Preparing for Diwali. Lots of preparations in Georgetown. People still amazed at the Jesus on the PPP list and I am remembering the Diwali Galee on Camp Street when some people painted over the rangoli on the avenue... and the Christian church there had objected to the use of the avenue. I also remembered the Christian couple who attended the Galee to protest those who wanted to stifle the light.
I am terrified of the lavish Diwali motorcade - at the power and wealth which is represented there and which somehow is not transferred in the wider society. Thinking of my other Hindu friend who said that his group gave out about 3.4million in Seva, charity. No lavish motorcades for them.
Thinking of the Christian children who are told that they cannot go out to see the motorcade because the motorcade is 'false' beliefs.
Wednesday - Diwali
Wash the yard. Thinking of the breeze and the lights. On Facebook, a Christian pastor friend is organising a reading group to discuss
Thinking of Jesus the socialist, Jesus voting for PPP and the Christians trying to find a God of the oppressed and the poor. Thinking of how non-Hindus tell me that Hindus have a Goddess of money and wealth.. all lavish. My Catholic neighbours have lit three candles in glass as diyas. Other people are blowing squibs, bombs , etc. Such contrast to the quiet diya lights.. and fairy lights. Thinking of the Christians and atheists and others who think that Diwali is evil or 'childish superstition'.
Thursday after Diwali
Nomination Day.. all the big hype and so on.. the party with the most pastors is the PPP, and with one Pandit. Like Jesus win really going to be voting for the PPP. Thinking though, of the love thy brother message from Sunday morning.
Friday after Diwali
School sports . The children start with a prayer which ended with Amen (I learn from a man in Minibus afterwards that Amen is reference to an Egyptian God.) Wondering if any of the children are atheist what they would do. I remember the Christian normativeness in school days.. all the hymns, prayers, references. Later that day I go hang with the atheists and skeptics , another discussion about astrology. I am Scorpio. I had an argument earlier on Facebook with one of the young women about female bodies and exploitation. She was there but silent. I was told I should apologise to her because she young. I go and sing Ramayana after the atheist discussion. As I am singing.. about death really and the meaning of death - it was a wake house, I keep thinking of the apology thing, and that I do not mean the woman any harm. So I come home and .. loving my sister as I love myself and I send her an apology. I never hear from her. But that is how we should do these things.. without expectations of any kind of reward.
I woke up and decided to take up an invitation to go to Mass. I bathe, put on clothes - not my Sunday best - and headed down to Holy Rosary to witness the mass by a Charismatic Revival preacher.
The pastor was good. He came down from his pulpit and grounded with the congregation. He talked about 'loving your brother as you love yourself' and said no point coming to mass often if you will judge, condemn and set yourself apart from others. Well at least that is what I thought he said. The man talked a lot about how people should be dealing with each other.. not about how much mass or prayers or so on to do.
Sunday afternoon.. news comes from the PPP/C Lusignan Rally, Mr Edghill says if Jesus were on Earth, he would have voted PPP. I ask the Christians I know, if they will say anything. A few anonymous letters in the press, one pastor writes in his name. Maybe the pastors, especially those who rail up against Homosexuality, probably agree with Mr Edghill, or are scared. I wonder what they are scared about.
In my head.. I am thinking of how Hugo Chavez said Jesus was a socialist.. and thinking of the lavish socialist lives Mr Edghill's friends live.
Monday before Diwali
I spend the afternoon with my favourite atheist.. arguing for a few hours about the existence of God or of some kind of spirituality. It is a kind of strange argument. since the atheist arguments tend to be against Christian and Muslim beliefs; and I can only think of the Pastor on Sunday morning telling people to love their brother as themselves; and Jesus voting for the once atheist party. Maybe the PPP never embraced atheism as we thought. See the National Diya and feeling as though the religion has been hijacked.
Tuesday before Diwali
Preparing for Diwali. Lots of preparations in Georgetown. People still amazed at the Jesus on the PPP list and I am remembering the Diwali Galee on Camp Street when some people painted over the rangoli on the avenue... and the Christian church there had objected to the use of the avenue. I also remembered the Christian couple who attended the Galee to protest those who wanted to stifle the light.
I am terrified of the lavish Diwali motorcade - at the power and wealth which is represented there and which somehow is not transferred in the wider society. Thinking of my other Hindu friend who said that his group gave out about 3.4million in Seva, charity. No lavish motorcades for them.
Thinking of the Christian children who are told that they cannot go out to see the motorcade because the motorcade is 'false' beliefs.
Wednesday - Diwali
Wash the yard. Thinking of the breeze and the lights. On Facebook, a Christian pastor friend is organising a reading group to discuss
Thinking of Jesus the socialist, Jesus voting for PPP and the Christians trying to find a God of the oppressed and the poor. Thinking of how non-Hindus tell me that Hindus have a Goddess of money and wealth.. all lavish. My Catholic neighbours have lit three candles in glass as diyas. Other people are blowing squibs, bombs , etc. Such contrast to the quiet diya lights.. and fairy lights. Thinking of the Christians and atheists and others who think that Diwali is evil or 'childish superstition'.
Thursday after Diwali
Nomination Day.. all the big hype and so on.. the party with the most pastors is the PPP, and with one Pandit. Like Jesus win really going to be voting for the PPP. Thinking though, of the love thy brother message from Sunday morning.
Friday after Diwali
School sports . The children start with a prayer which ended with Amen (I learn from a man in Minibus afterwards that Amen is reference to an Egyptian God.) Wondering if any of the children are atheist what they would do. I remember the Christian normativeness in school days.. all the hymns, prayers, references. Later that day I go hang with the atheists and skeptics , another discussion about astrology. I am Scorpio. I had an argument earlier on Facebook with one of the young women about female bodies and exploitation. She was there but silent. I was told I should apologise to her because she young. I go and sing Ramayana after the atheist discussion. As I am singing.. about death really and the meaning of death - it was a wake house, I keep thinking of the apology thing, and that I do not mean the woman any harm. So I come home and .. loving my sister as I love myself and I send her an apology. I never hear from her. But that is how we should do these things.. without expectations of any kind of reward.
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