Just a thought...

There are times when one needs to be numb and secluded from the rest of the world whether that rest of the world consists of humans or just the feeling of sharing stuff. That period of imaginary secludedness is experienced by most of us. Times are changing and although we say that we don't change, but in fact we do no matter how much we deny it. So may be someone is travelling through this transitional phase of this journey.

May be someone is beginning to realise that its the beginning of the end or may be the end of the beginning because it never got started or did it? Someone is left perplexed and confused to say the least. Ironic, it surely is,Considering the ups and downs of it, one might say that it is the worst part when you are going through rough times. And it is vital for humans to realise that it is not always about the relationships between people. It is also significant to take into account the relationship between the soul and body of the individual. Ironically it is forgotten most of the times. It is imperative, therefore, that when that relationship is at stake, one has to give up the other relationships, at least for the time being, to maintain the sanity inside oneself. Why?

Because that latter one is more sacred and significant for the survival of the individual...

Choti Si Kahani...

Choti si kahani se,
Baarishon ke paani se
Saari waadi bhar gayi,
Naa jaane kyon dil bhar gaya,
Naa jaane kyon aankh bhar gaya

I got to watch Ijaazat again after seven years and the more I watched it the more I liked it. Movie starts with this song: Choti Si Kahani Se which is quite ironic and symbolic of the whole movie- a movie which revolves around only three characters and how their lives are interconnected. On a rainy night, Mahinder awaits his train in a small railway station's waiting room. But life, at times, is full of surprises. He meets Sudha there- his ex-wife. From there begins Choti Si Kahani of memories and reminiscences: their journey together through thick and thin of life- a journey of sacrifice- a journey of compromise- a journey of mistakes- a journey that had ended five years ago.

...there is Maya- a wild and free spirit. An impulsive personality who just runs away from life at times- a totally mercurial person- an entity within human body radically different from humans themselves- Mahinder is in love with this girl- this incomprehensible Maya- He was her mentor- her lover- her cohort- her guide- her friend; and ironically she was the same for him. And like always she disappeared unexpectedly and he was forced to marry Sudha by his grandfather. Sudha- she was a total opposite of Maya- she was a symbol of serenity and tranquility- she was what a perfect wife could be- For sometime life had attained normalcy- but not for long.

Maya came back- and now he was stuck in the abyss of dilemmas. He couldn't, for once, forget his love- yet he did not want to cheat on Sudha- a wife that had tried to give him everything. When Sudha gets to know about it- she restrains herself. She tries to be understanding. When she asks Mahinder to give Maya her belongings back which were at Mahinder's place, Mahinder complies. But Maya ironically replies-

Mera kuch saaman tumhaare paas para hai,

Saawan ke kuch bheege bheege din rakhe hain,

aur mere ik khat main lipti raat pari hai,

woh raat bujha do, mera woh saaman lota do,

patjhar main kuch patton ki girne ki aahat,

kaanon main ik baar pehan ke lotayee thee,

patjhar ki woh shaakh abhi tak kaanp rahi hai,

woh shaakh gira do, mera woh saaman lota do,

Ik akeli chatri main jab aadhe aadhe bheeg rahe the,

aadhe geele aadhe sookhe, sukha tau main le aayee thee,

geela mun shaayad bister ke paas para ho,

woh bhijwa do, mera woh saaman lota do,

aik so sola chaand ki raatein, aik tumhare kaandhe ka til,

geeli mehndi ki khushbu, jhoot moot ke shikwe kuch,

jhoot moot ke waade bhi yaad kara do,

sab bhijwa do, mera woh saaman lota do,

aik ijaazar de do bas, jab isko dafnaungi,

main bhi waheen so jaungi...

Ironic- Symbolic. Anguish; it shows- the pain, the irony, the sorrow that she is going through. No one is at fault- but thats how life is... everyone has to go through it. Sudha gracefully walks out of this set up without making it ugly. Mahinder is now left alone without the much wanted care and support of Sudha. Maya as she is- unable and reluctant to understand the gravity of the situation- things just worsen. When Maya finally gets to understand the situation- its already too late.

Gulzar has done remarkable job in turning an ordinary story into a timeless classic. The situations depicted can be related to everyday life- yet its so touching- so sensitive to human desires- one tends to feel absorbed in this movie- Gulzar breaks away from the typical hysterical image of a wife worried about her husband's extra-marital affair. Maya is a character totally out of the blue. At least I haven't come across another movie with the same type of character. Mahinder's character may seem very cliched but Naseeruddin Shah does justice to the role and provides with an exquisite performance. Everytime I see Ijaazat, I tend to find another angle, another quality in the movie- Everytime I go through this journey of remorse and regret, of love and hate, of passion and sacrifice, of wisdom and insanity- I feel absorbed by it even more than before.

Choti Si Kahani...

Homeless Mind

Life- Water- Fire- Smoke- Death- Ashes

He stood there, puzzled and petrified, while rain came pouring down from the skies as if angels were crying their eyes out. Life, it seemed, had moved on- moments, it looked, had passed away- memories, it felt, had been erased- yet he stood there looking out of the top corner of the open window of his room which was letting in the water to ruin wooden floor. Yet the floor being spoilt was the last thing on his mind at that time. His eyes, when seen from outside the window, looked as vacant as a voluntary delegation to hell would look like. Motionless would not have been the adequate word to describe his condition- because he had nothing to do with the word motion itself- nothing whatsoever.

Life seemed meaningless- questions and queries were in huge presence in the part of his body that people call mind. Why? Why do people expect me to be good to them? Why do I want to do impression management? Why do I have care about people’s response? What are these norms, stigmas, taboos and values? What? Why? If we are the supreme beings, then how come society decides for us what we ought to do? But wait, isn’t the society made up of people? Then shouldn’t it be humans who should decide for themselves what is right and what is not? Do we make up the society? Or does the society shape our behavior? The mind remained as vacant and empty as the look in his eyes.

Even the pungent burning smell emanating from the microwave did not capture his attention. He was lost somewhere else or may be it reminded him of the time when he had to watch while his mother had burnt in the kitchen itself. The police never investigated the case as it was considered to be a taboo in his family to let the body get massacred due to postmortem. Only he knew that the real culprits were his grandmother and aunt who did not like his mother. The resulting fire in his own kitchen from the microwave could not melt his frozen stance. He looked as if he was frozen in time. Smoke- Death-

Only ashes remained- the thunderstorm had gone- so was he…

Life- Water- Fire- Smoke- Death- Ashes

Freeeeeeedom....

Freedom of Speech

Freedom, defined exclusively, means an absence of external restraints be it the issue of speech, religion or expression. From pre-renaissance to the modern conception of state-society relations, it has occupied a pivotal role in molding socio-political infrastructure of different polities. Freedom, as argued by numerous philosophers, is an inalienable right for human beings. The fact that it occupies an intrinsically good characteristic liberates it from the consequences. Opponents of freedom reject the hypothesis that considers this characteristic plausible, arguing that it is highly unrealistic and utopian; however, they neglect the benefits that can be accrued through provision of freedom. Pakistan, although a latterly emerged state, has experienced its fair share of quid pro quo of both sides of this debate. It is imperative to note that although Pakistani constitution does cater to the subject of freedom of speech; ironically it also lays down some restraints on it “in the interest of the glory of Islam”. Throughout Pakistan’s relatively short history, political as well as religious freedom of speech has never been provided to the polity as promised by the constitution.

In the political arena, Pakistani society has never been furnished with freedom of speech; rather press, scholars and intelligentsia has been smothered under the notion that “Ignorance is bliss for masses”. From the issue of partition to the history of Indo-Pak relations, truth has never been permitted to prevail in this highly despotic society. Politicians continue to blame military’s role in policy making for this oppression; ironically, however, except for Zia’s regime, our society has savored more freedom of speech under military regimes than democratic governments. In both cases, press was never allowed to criticize governmental policies for better or worse; rather it was coerced to portray the government as being the Messiah for the people. People never got to know what went wrong in 1971 when East Pakistan was separated. Why? The reason put forward by the political elite has always been that it might have created turmoil and upheaval in society at that time. This phenomenon is not only confined to India-Pakistan relations; instead instances like this can be found in suppression of political resistance to American “War on Terror” as recently as 2005.

In addition to the controversial foreign policy issues, our society has not even enjoyed freedom of speech and expression domestically as well. Pakistan, in last couple of decades, has become a victim of sectarian and ethnic conflicts with thousands of people dying every year in such clashes. Politico-military elite, who is at helm of affairs in Pakistan, have constantly made sure that individual thoughts about such matters do not get raised. They justify this oppression by stressing upon the ideology of national interest. However, they tend to forget that although it might not be beneficial in the short term for the country, it eventually does lead to increased consensus and awareness among the masses. Religious debates about the idea of freedom have also lead to monolithic misinterpretation on the part of our political leaders. In fact one can have freedom of expression as long as one is saying what Mullahs want them to say. Religion has been highly misinterpreted in Pakistan, with minorities not even having the right to express what they feel about Islam. Blasphemy laws just indicate the sort of restraints that state has put on the society.

The whole debate about whether to allow complete freedom of speech or not largely revolves around the issue of national unity. However, a fact that is ignored by proponents of restraints on individual liberties is that it can lead to increased sense of association towards the state. Conflicts can be solved through peaceful means instead of being fought violently. Individual liberties are, thus, more crucial than the false illusion of national unity that authorities put forward in our country. America’s success is largely attributed to rising capitalism; however, bill of rights plies the basic foundation for this success which provides rights of speech and property among many others. No matter how much the so-called Islamists label them as being contrary to Islam, there is not a single issue that can be found contradictory to Quran and Sunnah in providing expressional, religious and property rights to individuals.

Our country has had a volatile political history and it’s about time we digress from the political norms of oppression. Musharraf government, although, has accomplished a good deal in providing press with freedom, there is still a lot to be done. In encouraging and advocating freedom of expression, we should, however, never forget that with freedom comes responsibility. If the freedom is offered to us, we should grab the opportunity with both hands.

Sixth Sense

The candle sitting right next to the window was fluttering like a flag in the brisk breeze near the sea. That was not the only thing- Everything seemed to be moving impatiently: the shadows on the wall, the door, the windows, He himself. Was it an earth quake? Were the tremors real? Or were they coming from within? He did not know. He sat there- motionless- yet his shadows were moving. Why? He wasn’t in motion? Why were his shadows moving then? Yes, he was shivering okay… But that was that. Nothing more than that- Shadows don’t magnify those shivering movements. Do they? Then why-

He did not have those answers. Those dark moments- those moving curtains- those droopy eyes- pages flying around- time seemed to stop- yet everything was moving. How ironic, huh! He closed his eyes for the first time in ages. Walls were cracking- or were they? He got up- eyes closed- walked towards the voices- yeah there were voices in that room- voices within the silence that had engulfed the room. He felt the surrounding waves in the air- he smelled the poignant smell emerging from the candle- he touched the walls around him- he tasted the salt in the breeze- he heard, felt, smelled, touched, tasted. But it was still something else- his sixth sense.

It was time- time to move on- time to gather himself up- time to feel life for a change- time to have quid pro quo with the monster within- time to give up had gone- it was time to fight- yet he felt weak- weaker than ever before. Back to normalcy- back to where he had wished he would never be- time to answer the calls- time to take responsibility- time to…

He opened his eyes- closed the doors, shut the windows, turned on the light- but wait… there was no electricity running in the circuits. A plane was landing somewhere near. He could hear the thundering sound that its engines were making- He thought about the people on board- then he stopped. He visualized himself sitting in a plane like that- traveling from his home to a place unknown to other men. He was afraid, afraid of people, afraid of conversations, afraid of confrontation, afraid of everything that this world had to offer. Yet he did not wish to die- Why would he want to die when it wasn’t his fault that he wanted all that? Or was it?

The dim light of the candle had just stopped fluttering- the world was not moving anymore- contradictions had been solved. Electrons were up and running again. Not in the circuits around his house, but rather in his own mind. It was working after all. Everything started to make sense now or did it. He turned his laptop on- logged on to yahoo- opened his inbox- checked his mails- and there it was. The answer to all his questions…

Dear Son,
I hope when you get this email, I would be dead…

His legs shivered- tears followed- time stopped again.

…I know you wanted me to never contact you. I know what I did to you was wrong, I know. Life is like that, my son. It’s not fair to us. It was never fair to me. That is fate. You can never be sure what’s going to hit you until it hits you. You must be wondering why I am mailing you at this time of my life. Well, to be honest, I don’t know myself. I regret the fact that I haven’t always been there for you. But I guess, it’s too late for that too. Nonetheless, I just wanted to apologize. I know you don’t have that bigger heart to forgive me… Let’s face it- After what I have done to you, if I would have been at your place, I would have killed me by now. But you did not, so I guess that, sort of, eases it out for me. It is, probably, the last time you are hearing anything from me. I want it to stay that way. From now onwards, I would be literally dead for you. Though I have been figuratively dead for you for years, but just wanted to request you something before I die. I know you’d not be willing to do that. But it is something I really want you to do it please. It’s my last wish that you come to my funeral. I want you to be there. Please son…
Your father.
23rd December, 2004.

Sixth sense- Huh!
He closed his laptop- opened the windows again- breathed a long breath.

The calendar on the wall showed-
27th December, 2004.

The Cage

The cage was closing in on him- it was harassing him- making it hard for him to breathe- making life tougher than it already was. It seemed to him as if he was there in that cage since eternity- yet he could not define what eternity really meant. He was restless to know all the meanings of life- so helpless to know anything about it though. He looked at the other soul standing in the cage next to him and he thought- does it feel the same way as I do? Does it have same psychological phases as I go through? Does it really exist? Does it?

Lot of questions but no answers; He realized. He looked in other soul’s eyes and could see a replicating image of lost cause there as well. Lost cause! He stuttered for a minute. Then he went ahead… though quite hesitantly:

“How long have you been here?”

Silence.

“Do you mind me asking you a question?” He continued.

A brief sigh… and a mind-your-own-business look appeared in its eyes.

“I am sorry if I am interrupting your never ending solitude, but the truth of the matter is that I have had enough of keeping quite here. I am starting to wonder if you are even like me or not… sick and tired of this cage and its walls.”

“He just wouldn’t stop” It said to itself.

“I am asking you a question; for heaven’s sake answer me.”

“Do you have the guts to listen to the truth?

“You bet. I have the guts to listen to anything right now; be it some stuff from the sages or even some crap.”

“You never give up. Do you?”

“No, I don’t.” He said with a victorious smile on his face.

“Then listen and listen carefully. You must have heard the cliché that everything happens for a reason. Well! No one ever believes that. You being stuck here with me- what reason could be given for that? That’s what you are thinking right now; aren’t you?”

“You could say that, but…”

“Then you must want to get out of this place. You think you have a right to do so but in fact you don’t. Nobody has any rights in this structure. You think you don’t belong here then I am really sorry. You aren’t the one making any decisions here neither am I. But it doesn’t stop here. Even if you manage to get out, what do you think you would do? Go have fun with your family and friends, hang out and what not? Right--- yeah you may be right but that’s not all. You get out of this cage and you think you are free. You are not- you have more responsibilities- you have more obligations- you have more restrictions- The term freedom doesn’t necessarily mean you always get it. The irony is that you never get it. You think you are in a cage right now? I’d say you are in a cage-in-a-cage. You will never get freedom my friend. Never… Its not about your perception of freedom- its about the freedom you get in little things in life- the freedom that your mind possesses while you are sleeping- the freedom that your hands enjoy when you are not doing anything- the freedom that your eyes possess when they are closed and are at your discretion to remain closed or not- the freedom that every part in your body has when you are not doing anything intentionally- that is freedom my friend. Not some old conceptualization about freedom, liberty and rights. That’s all crap. Now let me sleep… I want to get pleasure from my freedom”



And he stood there amazed at what it had said; not really wanting to get outside that cage anymore.

Nothing said again.

Freedom accomplished, “sanity” lost.

Chay of the Day...

and the Award goes to...

Khairi and Khizer... for Poker Night (2006)

Congrats...

Since they are not here... I would like to invite "Pocket 2's" to come and collect their award of 140 Rs. All in.

Pocket 2's: I can't describe my feelings right now... *Sigh* I would especially like to thank Khairi, Baoo and Laipu. Without them it wouldn't have been possible. Thank you...

Life

She was afraid- bewildered may be- but then again she thought she couldn’t do that to him. Rain was pouring down- light was fading quickly. She had to make a decision right there right then. May be she was confused- may be it was fate- may be it was not up to her to make that choice- may be she was doing the right thing- may be not. She was agitated- it was not her decision which had leaded them here- it was not even in her mind. How did they ever come to this point? She never got to know, but something told her that fate had written it for them this way.

Their journey had started with the dawn of the day- yet it seemed such a long time that she could hardly remember the time when they were not together- or may be they were never apart. They were always together- oblivious to each other’s existence. He had been her cohort- her protagonist- her mentor and what not. She knew that the feeling was mutual on both sides- that he felt the same way about her. Now was not the time to dwell in the past- now was the time to act; and act fast as well. Yet, she looked back at her past…

The sun was rising in the east- crimson skies were turning into blue ones- she had come from far above them- he knew that; that’s why he had taken so much care of her. Everyone had deserted him- left him in isolation when he was going through troubles- when he was finding it hard to gather his shattered and battered mind- when things were getting tougher and tougher. She was always there for him- though he never realized that- nor did she even try to make him realize that.

They had gone through the valleys of darkness- they had even reached the top of mountains together- they had lost everyone around them- but they had each other; still oblivious to each other’s existence. May be that’s what kept them together. Though, they had seen the top of mountains- she knew that- he had to face more obstacles- more hurdles- more dark valleys in his way than any other person. However, she was sure that- one day she’ll make him understand what he meant to her- and she could bet that he would understand.

The night was falling in hastily- she had to hurry up. The shadows were beginning to lengthen- She started to think… Why? Why now? What has changed now? Doesn’t he know I am still there for him? Doesn’t he know that I will stay with him until he doesn’t want to stay with me? How could I let him know that? Why has he done so? Why has he left me alone? Why has he made this decision to end me without even asking me- without even knowing what I might have in store for him? Why? She did not have any answers…

He had sent her away- far far away from himself. Now she had to make the choice of going back to him or not. She was confused. He did not want her- He did not. The words echoed in her mind. Yet she went back. Gave him hope- gave him one last chance. Night hadn’t arrived; yet another sun arose.

She was life after all…

Another Night, another Nightmare...

Depression- Solitude- loneliness- freedom- denial- memories- life-

As he sat there alone in his room- the light emanating from lamp shades had an ironical these-are-shades-of-your-life smile. He had spent last few months trying to overcome this nightmare which had suddenly rose out of the debris of life he had once lived. The dark circle surrounding the light of the lamp was closing in on him- as if it was going to darken everything including him. People say music soothes one’s mind- but for him it was having a totally contradictory, yet pervasive effect. For him, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s Dharak Dharak was just pushing him even more quickly towards the abyss of self denial.

He sat there staring at the glowing rod of electric heater that had been warming his room for quite a while now- Yet he felt so cold- so frosty- so glacial that he could hardly gather the strength to pick up the blanket which was lying just three feet away from him- as if frostbite had seen another of its victim; but it wasn’t cold after all. A friend walked into his room- its result- well! A sudden artificial smile appeared on his face as he quickly pretended to be busy typing something on his PC. But he wasn’t good at acting too- he told himself. Just another lie was thrown to his friend to satisfy his queries and halt any further questions. Soon the friend left- He was alone again.

Music continued. Now “The Cranberries” were singing Stars- He looked at the ceiling- hoping- merely hoping that he would find them there- How stupid of him indeed! Somehow they reminded him of the childhood stories of stars and how dead become a star in the sky. He wished he could go back in time to his childhood- or he could become a star in the sky as well- but wishes are not always fulfilled- he knew that. The monster-faced ashtray was staring at him- not the other way round- as if asking him… Wanna smoke? He lit a cigarette right then- not knowing that ashtray was already filled and had no space for anymore ash- but he went on having drags until his lungs started choking. The ash sticking to the cigarette was just like his life- a single movement could separate it from its body itself- a soul it represents- he murmured.

He was freezing to death in the absolutely normal temperature of the room. Death- not the answer, Life- not the question; he was restless and he did not know the answers or even the questions for that matter. He could not give up now- now that he had weathered the turbulent part of yet another taxing night in his life. He closed his eyes- music continued- spread his arms- his body shaped like a cross- smoke came out of his mouth- smoke of cigarette- smoke of the soul. Relaxation at last… Sleep… Dreams, not nightmares followed… Life moved on…

At least for that night…

Questions

An e-mail...

Sender: Anonymous

Recipient: Anonymous

... so here u are... breaking up with me when i was trying to be honest with u and when i was trying to correct myself... u broke up... u broke up... right u did... am i right? I just want to find the answer to it... I can't get u outta my head no matter how hard i try... I have even stopped talking to u and contacting u but u just keep on coming into my head... like a shattered dream that keeps on haunting my subconscious... I dun wanna do that... I dun... but it happens... i dunno why... I have tried but not been successful... something was missing in me... i cud not make myself to forget u... i just cud not... i know it sounds stupid but thats wat i am... I know u r the one or shud i say u were the one... I just can't forget u... Never... For i can't even try to... I want to ask y... y... if u cud not go on this path with me... y did u chose to accompany me on this road in the first place... I wanna ask u... I have loads of question running through the narrow tunnels of my mind and can't make their way out... may be they never can because u r never willing to provide them with answers...

A darkest Hour

…He sat there- his eyes gazing at the two light bulbs gleaming upon him like a beacon burning bright on Everest plying hope to the world around it. Yet, to his astonishment, it was still as gloomy for him as it could be for anyone dwelling in this place that we so proudly call mother earth. It was still dour for him- a darkest hour indeed…


…Six days and three hours had passed since she had last seen her daughter. She hadn’t heard from her since then. Though she could not, in any case, think that she had passed away, yet the fears of the worst were coming screaming towards her. She wanted to hold them off- she wanted to tell herself that her daughter was alive- she wanted to be optimistic- but one sometimes doesn’t get what one wants…


…Life, she thought, had been savage to her- and harsh to everyone else around her. She was demoralized, dismayed and dejected- she was profoundly lost in her intellections- she was ill-omened, ill-starred and ill-fated; finally she realized that. But then would it be just to everyone around her- wouldn’t it be vicious of her to do such a thing. Something told her it wouldn’t be- something told her everything did not have a purpose- something told her challenges were never meant to be met. What was that something? She thought. Instinct, impulse, intuition… What…


…His hands were sublimely placed on the gun. He wanted to think twice about what he was going to do- he wished he had some other way- but then- what the heck- He was going through with it no matter what his mind and heart told him now. Screams, squalls, wauls, shrieks were all running towards him like a frantic psycho on a killing spree. He blocked his mind off- turned safety switch off- placed his gun- BANG…


... Ringing telephone bell jostled her back to reality…


…A muffled sound was all that she could manage, while all the thoughts of being ill-omened and ill-fated were still running through her mind.…


…Phone receiver lay right next to the sixty nine years old lady who couldn’t bear the news of her daughter’s death…


…Another shot- One more dead body- This time, however, no phone was ringing anywhere around the world.

Religious Fundamentalism: Specific to Islam only?

“Those who still cling to the great fundamentals and who mean to do battle royal for the fundamentals shall be called fundamentalists” (Moore)

Fundamentalism can be traced back to the inception of the religion itself. Contemporary fundamentalism, no matter how crudely it is described and defined, is different in its entirety from the fundamentalism present in the medieval ages. A number of religions have come and merged into this ever-evolving debate regarding fundamentalism and its foundations. The history of fundamentalism begins with the advent of Christian church; which many scholars agree, was biased and prejudiced against the minorities of every sort; whether homosexuals or people from different religions.

No matter how generalized it may sound, but the fact remains that Christian church in the medieval ages was the strongest proponent of religious bias and prejudice. They believed and practiced such biasness because of their belief that these were the “words of God”. On the other hand, non-fundamentalists believed that it could be attributed in varying degrees to the first century culture rather than God or word of God. Throughout the history of Christianity, fundamentalism has been directly correlated with discriminatory behavior and right-wing authoritarianism, a feature related to contemporary Islamic fundamentalism. Some other scholars still believed that fundamentalism, seen in the psychological perspective, was a “Mindset, a closed belief system and right wing authoritarianism.” (Fulton, Gorsuch, Maynard)

Contemporary thoughts and ideas about violent fundamentalism are largely related to Islam and its various sects, albeit categorically denied by Muslims themselves. They come up with the argument of the involvement of mass media in portraying Islam as a religion prone to fundamentalism and prejudice. However, they fail to comprehend why West came hold negative stereotypes of Islam in the first place. A fact that goes unnoticed and ignored is the conflicting relationship between Christianity and Islam throughout the last millennium. The spread of Islam in the western Mediterranean until the 15th century, the military confrontations with the crusaders from 11th to 13th century, the fall of Byzantium and the rise of Ottoman Empire from the 15th to 20th century were among a number of factors, which lead to alienation and distrust of Islam that was primarily viewed as a threat to Christendom. 222. The rise of Khomeini in Iran, the call for Jihad from Iraq during the Gulf-war, the religio-military coup in Sudan, the rise of extremist organizations such as Al-Qaeda in Muslim countries, Oklahoma City bombings and the attacks on World Trade Centre are the primary reasons behind the West’s conceived image of Islam-the religion, as a heaven for fundamentalists.

However, religious fundamentalism and extremism can also be found in the contemporary Christian and Jewish states and organizations. In her review of Stern's book, “Terror in the Name of God”, Isabel Hilton points out the similarity between fundamentalist Jews and fundamentalist Muslims by quoting one of the former as reported by Stern:

“Here in Israel, we don't like to say this very loudly, but the radical right Jewish groups have a lot in common with Hamas.” (Hilton)

The state of Israel, only the second state to be created based upon religious ideology, has been a prime example of Jewish fundamentalism since early 50’s. This extremism, according to scholars, was originated in the form of ancient Jewish nationalism that was based in the “Cult of Caiaphus”, the Jewish Pharisee that Jesus admonished, and who later sought Jesus’ death by crucifixion, since Jesus dared to challenge their version of Jewish law, and also its attendant sorcery, which has evolved into the modern Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. The contemporary form of this Jewish Law can be found in this quote attributed to Central Region Command of the Israeli Army.

“Under no circumstances should an Arab be trusted, even if he makes an impression of being civilized. In war, when our forces storm the enemy, they are allowed and even enjoined by the Halakah (Jewish law) to kill even good civilians” (Fattah)

Modern day Christianity is not spared from fundamentalism and extremism either. The organizations such as “Christian Identity, The Order and The Turner Diaries” are extremist and fundamentalist in nature to say the least. They have their own agenda which, according to them, is based upon the religious teachings of Christ and God. They argue that they ought to make a model world for Christians. They have used violent means in the past, and are not afraid of committing them in the future as well.

“In 1984, members of The Order stole $3.8 million from an armored car, most of which has never been recovered. That same year they were responsible for the assassination of Alan Berg, a Jewish radio talk show host in Denver who engaged in harsh criticism of neo-nazis and Identity ideology.” (Cline)

Hinduism is another religion which has had its share of fundamentalists as well. The organizations such as RSS, Bajrang Dal and political parties like BJP have been propagating their own agenda in the form of religious rhetoric. Their leaders, much like those in Christian and Jewish world, argue that they take such extremist and marginalized actions in order to serve God, completely denying and ignoring the worldly benefits that they reap from such efforts. Incidents of the extreme actions by such fundamentalists are numerous, one of them being the attack on a prayer meeting of Christians in Rajasthan, India.

“Hindu extremists violently attacked a prayer meeting in Rajasthan state last night, seriously injuring nine Christians, including one woman… those who attacked the prayer meeting were wearing the typical khaki uniform of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu extremist group. A member of the Rajasthan State Minorities Commission confirmed that the border area was the center of RSS activity in the state…” (International Christian Response)

An analysis of three of the biggest religions of the world has portrayed that fundamentalism is not something we can associate with a particular religion. It might be the case that at certain instances in history a certain religious fervor has coerced many people into considering another religion biased and prejudiced, but that is how the history has been shaped. The contemporary world tends to forget the reasons behind the so-called Islamic fundamentalism and extremism, they tend to ignore the fact that majority of the Muslim states have been a victim of colonization in the last century and they have been exploited and marginalized in every way by the West. The resulting desperation on their part results in the extreme actions, which are then associated with Islam, albeit social factors have much bigger impact in such cases. The contemporary capitalist world has once again made an escape goat in the form of Islamic extremism, instead of solving the longstanding issues of poverty and under-development in these least developed Muslim countries. The subjugation and marginalization continues by the West, the Muslim response to this injustice is labeled “terrorism”, while West continues its own economic terrorism in the form of capitalism with full throttle. If Muslim terrorism has an end, it would come after the end of Western economic terrorism. Till then, we would go on blaming one religion or the other for adhering to fundamentalism and extremism.
















Bibliography

Cline, Austin. "Politics of Christian Identity." 09 Oct. 2005 .

Fattah, Abd E. "Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel :: Book Review ::." Media Monitors Network. 28 Aug. 2004. 09 Oct. 2005 .

Fulton, Aubyn S., Richard L. Gorsuch, and Elizabeth A. Maynard. "Religious Orientation, Antihomosexual Sentiment, and Fundamentalism Among Christians." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (1999): 15. 10 Oct. 2005.

Hilton, Isabel. "Everybody Hates Somebody Somewhere." The New York Times: Book Review Desk. 16 Nov. 2003. 09 Oct. 2005 .

"Hindu Extremists Attack Prayer Meeting in Rajasthan, India." International Christian Response. 15 Aug. 2005. 09 Oct. 2005 .

Moore, Leroy. "Another Look at Fundamentalism: A Response to Ernest R. Sandeen." Hartford Seminary Foundation: 196+. 10 Oct. 2005.

LOLZ...

You Are 40% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird...But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

Without Remorse

Lost for words- yes, that’s what he was feeling at that particular instant. He had been an eloquent speaker throughout his life- yet at the time when he was needed to say some words, he just couldn’t; for they had no meanings for him anymore. He wondered- he thought- he pondered upon things surrounding him but nothing came off. He could feel the glaring eyes of people which had a has-he-lost-it expression written all over them. Yet, he felt so oblivious to them- so numb- so forgetful of them. How could he- he tried to think about it because it was one thing he had never thought that he would do.

He always wanted freedom- freedom of speech- freedom of thought- freedom of soul- freedom from life itself. But everything seemed so irrelevant and relative right now for he had gained the freedom but lost the words, the thoughts, the soul and the life he had always wished for. Ironical- yes it does sound ironical. He was an advocate of freedom for crying out loud; and here he was, finally with the choice to say things he always wanted to, but not able to do so. Why? Everyone in the large hall room was thinking the same thing- Why?

He wished for things that never took place- he wished for things that never existed- he wished for life that never was real- yet he wished for death at the same time. With contradiction and conflict all around- he was lost in the abyss of cognition- yet he knew nothing. Blasphemy- he was accused of it once. Now God gave him the chance to rectify things- to tell the world that he was not an agnostic- to let people know that he was not an atheist- to speak out loud what he really meant in his writings against religion or the practices that he carried out.

Nothing spoken- utter silence- engulfing the huge hall like the light from the chandelier surrounded the whole arena. A sudden outburst of tears- tears flowing from his eyes- tears of regret- tears of sorrow- tears of joy even. A sudden mumbling hymn coming from the rows of the church they were in. They all felt that he regretted what he had done- these tears were a way to apologize for what he had done. Nothing said- nothing done- just a silent enigma- this man was turning out to be.

Salvation- they were all here for salvation. The mumbles had turned into loud recitation of bible- the bells had started ringing- the bishop standing high- people lost in the euphoria of it all. The man was about to be declared sinner for the rest of his life- and was to be abandoned by everyone. People wanted him to accept his blasphemous behavior- yet he was not ready. He was still silent- as silent as a cold winter night in the Atlantic. And there it was- the decision of “God” to abandon this guy.

His crime- he did not believe in God- or he was not convinced about it- he was confused- Why? Because if there was any God present than He would make sure that every human being was treated equally in this world. This man described religion as the tool to oppress and create classes. He wanted his children to go to the same school where children of billionaires go to. But he was a sinner- and sinners deserve to go to hell. So, hell it is going to be for him.

The man grabbed the candle stand from a shelf near him and stuck it into his heart. Blood- running down the isle of the church.

Freedom; he wished for- and freedom; he got.

Circles of Life

“You are the only one who knows me really well.” She wiped the tears that were about to come out of her eyes when these words came out of her mouth.

“Don’t you ever try to go away; Life is a journey not a destination. We are all here to sacrifice our souls, our minds and our bodies. For what! Have you ever stopped from your daily fucking routine and wondered- wondered why I am here- wondered why am I sacrificing my soul, my mind and my feelings? Have you?”

The rain came pouring down as her tears were lost somewhere in the raindrops- raindrops that were as ruthless as her addressee- raindrops that really did not care. She had lost- lost to her own dreams- lost to her own ecstatic expectations- lost to her own will- she had lost. She was surprised by the surprises that had brought her to this moment in her life- she was depressed by the depression that had taken her over by storm- she was lost in the lost triangle made by herself, her surroundings and the people around her- so surprised, so depressed, so lost…

Lightening struck some residential area nearby; The lines that it made for a split second through the black sky were just enough to show him the lines of tears, flowing down her face, mixed with raindrops. Still, he didn’t speak anything; there was a stupid little I-don’t-give-a-flying-fuck expression on his face.

“How can someone be so callous?” She thought; but she never realized the fact that she had spoken her thoughts aloud- loud enough to be heard despite of the sound that a commercial airliner was creating at that very moment just before its landing. They were standing on a hanging bridge which connected the two parts of the city over the river, just like the relationship, they shared, was hanging and was about to fall into pieces- the only difference being that this bridge was not connecting the two parts of the same city- it was only lying there rendered useless after the destruction of one part of the city.

“The journey ends here, mike.” She said as a car fizzed past them.

Mike was awakened to reality by the splash of water about three hundred feet below his feet away. The rain had stopped and moon’s light was just enough to let him see the ripples that splash had created.

“The circles of life” He thought as he kept staring at them.

Sirens. Blue and red lights.

Another splash. The difference this time was that there was no one there to actually see how two sorts of ripples were joining and canceling each other’s effects.

She hadn’t lost after all.

A Request

Going through old times and remembering good old memories is quite interesting and at times quite painful as well. Well, I have had the pleasure and the trouble of going through the memory lane tonight. People have been always around me; as a matter of fact they have been around for everyone. I was just wondering why the heck do I have so many expectations from people. And then I realised that I had stopped doing so. I don't know why. But I guess, as it turns out to be, its good. I have stopped caring for people, I have lost what had hurt me most yet it had given me the most treasurous moments of my life.

I want to save them and lock them somewhere safe. And for all my effort I can't find a place where I can keep them. Tired and unprepared, I give up. But what is the point of giving up everything when everything wants you to be there. I sometimes wonder why I was born in the family I am in right now. I sometimes wonder why people have good relationships. I sometimes wonder why life is so easy for some people. Are they better than me, do they deserve more? I don't know. I am just so lost at the moment.

I am the last thing I want to know about. Yet I keep on getting to know more. Ironical, Isn't it? I don't know. And I don't care. I am filled with random thoughts that keep popping up here and there when I sit alone and start to think. But then my mind is continuosly thinking anyways, then why does it have to be random at certain points of time. I am rendered helpless by all this. I have lost most of the things which I hated most about myself, yet when I try to visualise what I have become, I hate it more. Think. Hate. I. Think. Hate. I. Think. Hate. I. Think. Hate. World. Think. Hate. I.

What the heck. I should be giving up all the treasures that God has bestowed upon me for I have been unthankful and ungrateful all along. I don't deserve this, I don't deserve that. I want this, I want that. I am this tiny creature in such gargantuan universe that I would no longer exist if it wasn't for God's mercy.

But then how do I thank Him? By being dumb, by being numb. By being the most uncaring creature around. Am I a devil? Has evil conquered my soul? I dare to explore the boundaries of the human mind that are left unexplored for the sole reason of heresy. Have I become a heretic? I don't know.

I don't know anything. I am worthless. And I have lost the people that were most important to me in my life. Well a number of them to be honest. I don't wanna lose another one or else I would be more dumb and numb for the rest of my life and would venture into more heretic worlds. A friend is all that I want from you. A sincere friend who can bear my two faced personality. A friend that could save me from the evil that I have inside me. A friend who could turn me into something real rather than the mirage that I have become.

Don't deny me that. Please don't.

Twelve Monkeys

An excerpt from 12 Monkeys' screen play.



You think you can remove the grill but you can't. It's welded.


See? I toldja. And all the doors are locked, too. They're protecting the people on the outside from us. But the people outside are as crazy as us.


You know what "crazy" is? "crazy" is "majority rules". Take germs for example.


In the 18th century there was no such thing! Nobody'd ever imagined such a thing -- no sane person anyway. Along comes this doctor...Semmelweiss, I think. He tries to convince people... other doctors mostly...that there are these teeny tiny invisible "bad things" called germs that get into your body and make you...sick! He's trying to get doctors to wash their hands. What is this guy...crazy? Teeny tiny invisible whaddayou call 'em?..."germs"!


So cut to the 20th century! Last week in fact, right before I got dragged into this hellhole. I order a burger in this fast food joint. The waiter drops it on the floor. He picks it up, wipes it off, hands it to me...like it was all okay.


"What about the germs?" I say. He goes, "I don't believe in germs. Germs are just a plot they made up so they can sell you disinfectants and soap!" Now, he's crazy, right? Hey, you believe in germs, don't you?


Of course not, I never thought you were crazy. You want to escape, right? That's very sane. I can help you. You want me to, don't you? Get you out?


Why don't I escape, that's what you were going to ask me, right? 'Cause I'd be crazy to escape! I'm all taken care of, see? I've sent out word.


I've managed to contact certain underlings, evil spirits, secretaries of secretaries, and assorted minions, who will contact my father. When he learns I'm in this kind of place, he'll have them transfer me to one of those classy joints where they treat you...properly. LIKE A GUEST! LIKE A PERSON! SHEETS! TOWELS! LIKE A BIG HOTEL WITH GREAT DRUGS FOR THE NUT CASE LUNATIC MANIAC DEVILS...


Sorry. Really sorry. Got a little agitated. The thought of escaping crossed my mind and suddenly...suddenly I felt LIKE BENDING THE FUCKING BARS BACK, RIPPING OFF THE GODDAMN WINDOW FRAMES AND...EATING THEM, YES, EATING THEM, AND LEAPING, LEAPING...


You dumb assholes! I'm a mental patient! I'm supposed to act out. Wait til you morons find out who I am. My father's gonna be really upset. AND WHEN MY FATHER GETS UPSET, THE GROUND SHAKES! MY FATHER IS GOD! I WORSHIP MY FATHER.


Torture! Experiments! We're all monkeys.

The End

“Slow you might end up being in the valley on the right” A voice came from the rear seat of the mini van he was driving. “The road is bumpy, you’ll get us hurt.”

Inside his mind, he wanted to tell them all to shut up, but he did not want to do so. He was there to make them happy after all. He was their friend- their cohort- their support after all. So, there he was, happy and rejuvenated. He realized he was driving fast, but who gives a damn- He was a safe driver and always completed the journey before time- it was his plan to go on this journey with his friends, and here he was driving the car while the rest of his friends were at the back- blabbering, gibbering, tattling and dancing. Nobody even asked once if he wanted to join them. He was thinking- thinking about the good times he had shared with these people- but then these were the good times for them only- he had always been there to make them happy, to satisfy them and to pretend that he was as good as they were…

A sudden thought came into his mind in a flash- was he being selfish? Was he over reacting? Was he even worthy to be called their friend? But then; were they worthy of his friendship? He didn’t want to think in those terms. He had always so selflessly sacrificed everything for his family and friends.

Bang!!!

Everything spinning around him- lights glaring him in his eyes- sirens thundering- voices echoing- his eyes closed.

He woke up in a deserted land- no living being could be seen for miles- silence was deafening- yes “the silence” was deafening for him- sun was scorching down his throat- barren land spread for acres around him. He wanted to drink but water was not there. He wanted to eat but the food was not there- he wanted to run away but could not find his legs- he was lying helplessly- as helpless as a new born child waiting for its mother to feed it. He wanted to remember how he had reached this abyss- this void- this unfathomable arroyo. His mind was numb- his thoughts were random- his memory lost in the fireworks. Suddenly he saw a vulture flying directly above him- surprisingly he was ecstatic to see it- it was life after all- life which was absent from this quagmire- life which was even missing within himself- a sign of life finally- he thought. The beast was flying in his direction with its nose aimed at his chest- he knew it was going to be over- he knew it all was going to end- he knew and he was happy.

Bang again!!!

Now there were more vultures around him. He could not move yet he was sitting there, thinking- thinking how life less he was. He loved those vultures. At least they were a sign of life- so what if they were eating his flesh. He was back again. The end was so near yet so far.

Straight from Arsene Wenger's desk...

"The bad moments always stick out more. The good moments you feel are normal because you work for them, that can sound a bit pretentious but the bad moments, they hurt you deeply."




The Arsenal boss is hundred percent right. Isn't he?