Today whatever the reason one finds for the happenings....it is true that there is inhuman activities and violence on the increase. There is animosity between groups and peoples on the name of religion, caste, culture and language. There is tacit support given to the perpetrators by powerful people. I cannot understand why one hates another to the extent of brutally killing. Are we humans with brain, with discriminatory faculty, to distinguish good and bad?
Can't we learn to live in harmony and in peace? Why do we take the path of violence to settle issues? Can't we we bring out our own goodness within? Can't we teach our children love and harmony? Can't we learn to agree to diagree...not in a violent way? Can't we be humans than remaining in the brute animal state?
As St. Augustin says 'to err is human to forgive is divine'. When we love, we forgive, when we forgive we bring out the goodness of God, our Creator. Can't we?
As Abraham Maslow says, we all have various needs. We need basic physical needs; air, water, food, emotional satisfaction etc. It is a must. But we need to move towards the second. It is the security needs. We all need clothing, shelter etc. It is a need for all. But we need to move forward to the third.But it will not be possible without having the first two needs fulfilled. The third need is Belongingness. We all need to belong to some body, some organisation, religion, family, friends, schools, or nation etc. But we cannot and should not be fanatics, or fundamentists with jingoistic attitudes. We must love our belongingness and be proud of it. However, on the basis of my belonging to a religion, or caste, or nation, or language, or ethnicity should not be a cause of oppression of others who belong to some other groups.
The fourth need of ours is esteem needs. We need to do good and earn our esteem. It could be through our achievements or positions, or service. All need to earn it through proactive means. But remember all the four is not the end. We all need to grow to the fifth stage of of inner need. That is to actualise our self. Self actualised people won't live for themselves alone. They will live for others, for the society, for the future.
Once we are clear about our needs and the ultimate aim in life we will not be entangled with the petty issues and tread the path of hatred and violence.
All our leaders, writers, educationists, thinkers, artists, poets, social workers and religious leaders are supposed to lead our people from the basic need of humn beings to the Self-actualisation needs. If that happen, and only if that happens we can be progressive and peaceful. We will be then called a country of worth. Let us strive towards that.....
Sunny Jacob SJ
Can't we learn to live in harmony and in peace? Why do we take the path of violence to settle issues? Can't we we bring out our own goodness within? Can't we teach our children love and harmony? Can't we learn to agree to diagree...not in a violent way? Can't we be humans than remaining in the brute animal state?
As St. Augustin says 'to err is human to forgive is divine'. When we love, we forgive, when we forgive we bring out the goodness of God, our Creator. Can't we?
As Abraham Maslow says, we all have various needs. We need basic physical needs; air, water, food, emotional satisfaction etc. It is a must. But we need to move towards the second. It is the security needs. We all need clothing, shelter etc. It is a need for all. But we need to move forward to the third.But it will not be possible without having the first two needs fulfilled. The third need is Belongingness. We all need to belong to some body, some organisation, religion, family, friends, schools, or nation etc. But we cannot and should not be fanatics, or fundamentists with jingoistic attitudes. We must love our belongingness and be proud of it. However, on the basis of my belonging to a religion, or caste, or nation, or language, or ethnicity should not be a cause of oppression of others who belong to some other groups.
The fourth need of ours is esteem needs. We need to do good and earn our esteem. It could be through our achievements or positions, or service. All need to earn it through proactive means. But remember all the four is not the end. We all need to grow to the fifth stage of of inner need. That is to actualise our self. Self actualised people won't live for themselves alone. They will live for others, for the society, for the future.
Once we are clear about our needs and the ultimate aim in life we will not be entangled with the petty issues and tread the path of hatred and violence.
All our leaders, writers, educationists, thinkers, artists, poets, social workers and religious leaders are supposed to lead our people from the basic need of humn beings to the Self-actualisation needs. If that happen, and only if that happens we can be progressive and peaceful. We will be then called a country of worth. Let us strive towards that.....
Sunny Jacob SJ
