When I question practices, I am branded an atheist. When I enjoy chants or a story, I am titled religious. Labels follow you everywhere, to contain your mind and control learning and unlearning. Labels are a constant reminder to fit in, either by persuasion or force.
Agnostic is another definition for me when the person who is trying to label me, gets confused. I understand that labels help us organize in this chaotic world. People who think about things that we do not understand is frustrating. People who do not want to believe in higher forces as described in the holy book of our particular religion are labeled ignorant or stupid. But does it end with labeling?
History has shown us how it goes beyond labels. Labels, whether positive or negative result in stereotyping which can turn into expectations. When expectations are not met, misunderstandings, hatred and turmoil follow.
When I was a child, my labels for others were limited to nice and not nice. Only when i started getting labeled as someone i was not, first i rebelled and after a while i tried to understand it. Introspection led to questioning my own habits. Labelling is like a by default setting. We label without realizing, without introspecting and often end up closing ourselves in a box.
What I believe, whether it is contained in Holy Books or not, whether it is a bit of every book or none at all, whether it is what I was taught or whether it is my imagination or both, whether I follow logic or have surrendered to God's will or whether I have blind faith or no faith at all. All these are my private business as long as I want it to be.
Remember, labels may make our lives more organised and less chaotic but labels are suitable for folders, not for people.
Agnostic is another definition for me when the person who is trying to label me, gets confused. I understand that labels help us organize in this chaotic world. People who think about things that we do not understand is frustrating. People who do not want to believe in higher forces as described in the holy book of our particular religion are labeled ignorant or stupid. But does it end with labeling?
History has shown us how it goes beyond labels. Labels, whether positive or negative result in stereotyping which can turn into expectations. When expectations are not met, misunderstandings, hatred and turmoil follow.
When I was a child, my labels for others were limited to nice and not nice. Only when i started getting labeled as someone i was not, first i rebelled and after a while i tried to understand it. Introspection led to questioning my own habits. Labelling is like a by default setting. We label without realizing, without introspecting and often end up closing ourselves in a box.
What I believe, whether it is contained in Holy Books or not, whether it is a bit of every book or none at all, whether it is what I was taught or whether it is my imagination or both, whether I follow logic or have surrendered to God's will or whether I have blind faith or no faith at all. All these are my private business as long as I want it to be.
Remember, labels may make our lives more organised and less chaotic but labels are suitable for folders, not for people.
