The Silent Mystery

A man thanks God that he was spared in an accident in which many were killed. An athlete makes a sign of the cross before lining up for a race in which she comes fifth at the other end. A flood washes out a village killing hundreds. Villagers, with their worldly goods on their heads, march hundreds of miles to escape warring warloads. The people of Haiti are asking: Why us? Then a deranged American christian televangelist says the Hatians have had a pack with the devil. Nothing needs commenting on the equally ignorant, crude and inelegant comment by Russ Limbaugh.

In all these, God, that we have been told is kind, loving, omnipotence and omniscience, is silent. In all these, he, she or it is a mystery—hidden and inaccessible. Yet others claim they communicate with him, her or it. At times he/she/it asks the “knights of the roundtable” to wage wars and kill others who have different takes and approaches.

Meanwhile we observe around us and see births, growths, declines, deaths. Seasons come, seasons go; nations rise, nations decline; mortals are lifted and brought down; some have smiles and peace that never fade; some have gloom and frowns that never go away. Do these give clues about reality? In all these he, she, it is silent. Yet there are some who are presumptous enough to claim they hear him, her or it. Are they for real or are they selling us a bill of goods (especially when they are so dogmatic about it)?

All along, the perpetual metaphysical questions persist: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going? Having not explored these questions we flounder, bewildered by natural and man-made disasters, cruelty, greed, rejections, deprivations and similar ills. And when fortune comes in our favor, we cling to it and appropriate it as coming from our own prowess. Our heads swell until unseen forces sneak up on us. The fortunes are gone, and we flounder, bewildered.

Soko's Classic Movie Pick: Four Minutes. A reviting German movie that will keep you glued to the screen.