A Theist's Rationale

I liked the following Pascal's wager for believing in the existence of God, based on Christian philosophy. Here +1,0,-1 denotes positive, neutral and negative effects respectively.

If I don't believe in God and God exists, I go to hell (-1)
If I don't believe in God and God doesn't exist, nothing happens (0)
If I believe in God and God doesn't exist, nothing happens (0)
If I believe in God and God exists, I go to heaven (+1)

From above we see that the gains we get in believing in God is always greater than the gains obtained by not believing in God. So, it is always better to believe in God ! Of course, this argument has strengths and weakness, but it appeals me from probabilistic point of view.

Thoughts on Indian Culture-Part I

For quite some time I had been thinking about India and its culture. It is almost 5 years since I came to the US. Several times I have heard friends (especially Indians) speaking highly about Indian culture and that they would want to go back for good at some point. While most of the time it coincided with my thoughts, I realized they were all just nostalgic feelings rather than a 'genuine' feeling born out of little understanding of the Indian culture in limelight of the west. Nostalgia should never be confused with culture and heritage. Often it happens that people exaggerate things about India and this counteracts with the fellow Indians resulting in "hey no big deal about India". Of course, India and the US cannot be compared per se on cultural grounds but the differences can be easily pointed out. And it is my belief that if one really understands the beauty underlying the Indian thought, he'll not be too bent on returning--for India teaches you the place you live is really immaterial in your growth.

Before going further to discuss about the Indian culture, I would like to say that the appreciation of Indian culture highly depends upon one's belief, experience and understanding the philosophy of religion in the right spirit. Most people make the mistake of identifying the religion with the philosophy of religion and as a result we have a mass fanaticism resulting in a great damage (both societal and personal). In most cases, not understanding the beauty of Indian culture is also a part of this identification, but they can also result from one's experience and beliefs (for example, the Vedas can be considered just as some rustic songs without associating any spiritual significance).

Every country has its own cultural basis. And this cultural basis has its origins in religion. And religion in turn has ritualistic content and its philosophical counterpart. For example, in Christianity, the ritual of Baptism has a philosophical significance of uniting an individual believer and the Christ. It is relatively easier to see this aspect in Christianity, but in Hinduism which is the cultural basis of India, it is more complex. Understanding the true philosophy behind Hinduism, which is Vedanta takes much time and patience. More than time and patience, it requires faith strengthed through experience. The philosophy of Vedanta is very profound and deep and it encompasses all other faiths and beliefs. It is a universal science which has both theoretical and experimental aspects. It is my belief that understanding Vedanta will inspire people to understand their faiths better. In the upcoming series of writings I am planning to write more about Vedanta and expound the beauty of the Indian culture and heritage.

Welcome Message !

Welcome to mind and matter. Here is the place where I write things that range from mind to matter, from philosophy to physics. I am planning to put down the things that I read, enjoy and experience. Thanks for visiting.