My worldview in general can be characterized as hopeful and optimistic. But again, that is in general, not all the time. One of the issues where the cynical me can’t help but surface is whenever I come across the whole idea of the randomness of our beings especially when it comes to religion and other belief systems. What rekindled this thought was an encounter with a devout Catholic Filipino proudly speaking of his faith. In my mind, I couldn’t help but think that his ancestors were very likely tortured by the Spanish colonizers and forced into converting to what once used to be a foreign religion. Today, Catholicism is a major influence on many of the country’s policies. The same applies to every mega religion with piles and piles of followers who fervently believe that this is their “free choice”. But the truth is we are what we are due to circumstantial coincidences. We were either born to a certain belief system, or happened to come across it at some point in our lives. Personally, I truly wonder whether I would hold the same beliefs had I been born on the Israeli side of the wall, for example. What if I had been born to a Taliban family? What if my parents were advocates of nudism? What if…? What if…? What if…?All that taken into consideration, can we really be held responsible for anything we do at all? The Prophet Moses, who was granted the gift of directly conversing with Allah, asked at one point to see Him in order to cast away any doubt. So is it so sinful of me to have my own doubts?
Is this simply the plight of modern relativism on humanity? Had I lived in the middle ages, would I have been a “better believer”?
All these speculations only cause me to take human existence more and more lightly. Like a spec of dust floating whichever way the wind blows it.
(Painting by Magritte)