tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28991787.post114949028624057683..comments2023-06-07T18:55:27.031+05:30Comments on Irreverent ideas…: The Davinci Code and the politics of religious identityRavi Ivaturihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03880242240162268369noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28991787.post-1162747045991665482006-11-05T22:47:00.000+05:302006-11-05T22:47:00.000+05:30My point, Srinivas, though I haven't said in so ma...My point, Srinivas, though I haven't said in so many words, is that religion itself is irrelevant in the current times. Ideas and institutions are products of their times and religion as an institution was probably useful as a moral reference point in the pre-renaissance period. However, in the present times, when the world around is not exactly a black box and we do know how most things work, it’s not clear if religion as an institution has any constructive role left to play. <BR/><BR/>I have used the word ‘spirituality’ for want of a better word and no connection with God or religion was intended. I think the phrase ‘search for meaning’ better conveys what I wanted to say.Ravi Ivaturihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03880242240162268369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28991787.post-1162738517534682002006-11-05T20:25:00.000+05:302006-11-05T20:25:00.000+05:30dear ravi, organised religion is an insrument of s...dear ravi, organised religion is an insrument of spirituality. the problem with it in the present times is that, the instrument has become crooked and hence needs correction. casteism is a reflection of the continuous nature of work performed over generations over aeons. once the basics are not understood or forgotten and more importance is given to the rituals and appearnces then everything will get stymied and a new cult or religion is born to meet those needs. even that changes over years (as happenned to christianity or islam, i take them as newer examples of religion becoming more of particular way of doing thins (i am not able to get the proper word at this time)). <BR/>if you take your airtel experience as an example, airtel is the religion and the spiritual part of it is that you should be happy. but the process and procedures have become so arcane and unresponsive to the customer needs that you decide to switch the operator (changing religion) hoping that will give you happiness.<BR/><BR/>SrinivasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28991787.post-1149822228654983412006-06-09T08:33:00.000+05:302006-06-09T08:33:00.000+05:30I'm sure there is nothing 'genetic' about religion...I'm sure there is nothing 'genetic' about religion, caste etc.These 'insurmountable differences' are no longer valid in the wake of globalization.Also I have used 'caste system' merely as an example to illustrate my point. Resisting conversions (forced or otherwise), building a temple for Ram in Ayodhya, Muslim bashing etc have been used to reinforce the 'Hindu' identity in the recent past.Ravi Ivaturihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03880242240162268369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28991787.post-1149804858988110182006-06-09T03:44:00.000+05:302006-06-09T03:44:00.000+05:30Re-reading I don't understand why there is a need ...Re-reading I don't understand why there is a need to bring casteism while talking about art and organized religion. Does every negative point in other religions need to be balanced with casteim in Hinduism? Cleary the issue here is appeasement of minorities by weak knee'd politicians. <BR/>And exactly what is the religious identity forced on by Hindus?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28991787.post-1149802957265866412006-06-09T03:12:00.000+05:302006-06-09T03:12:00.000+05:30I don't agree sustaining caste system is entirely ...I don't agree sustaining caste system is entirely political. There are major cultural (as in _way of life_) differences between various castes which most of the time are insurmountable.<BR/><BR/>Just as we can't choose our genetic code, we can't choose "identity" too, so get over it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28991787.post-1149771802574099722006-06-08T18:33:00.000+05:302006-06-08T18:33:00.000+05:30Excellent analysis. Especially the remark about no...Excellent analysis. Especially the remark about not having a "choice" about identity. Not only with religion, this lack of choice of identity extends to many other areas such as language, caste etc. these are all forced identities we have to live with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com