What Would Jesus Write?

At first I didn't know how to approach this topic. Jesus? What do I know about Jesus? Ironically, as I sat in the study hall and stared across the room, I spotted a girl wearing a WWJD bracelet. "What would Jesus Write?" casually crossed my mind. I laughed. Oh, I crack myself up. But really- what would Jesus write? Well, in order to predict that I'd have to know firstly who Jesus was, secondly what he said, and then derive from that what he believed. Even then, predicting the actions of such a holy man with confidence prove difficult, if not blasphemous and somewhat imposing. He is a symbol, but not a doll whose mouth we can fill with whatever words we choose to.

So who or what is this elusive "Jesus"? Opening my little green New Testament for answers, I was immediately intrigued. As an explanation of the bible, "Christ is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of god its end"(3, New Testament). The next page displays a neat index providing the reader answers to all of life's problems. Being most familiar with the Quran, which is very differently in comparison to the Bible layout-wise (but ironically not message-wise), I was intrigued and interested in learning what this powerful little book has to teach.
Now, here I will go off on a bit of a tangent- at this point some "scholarly" individuals may roll their eyes and assume that I will continue to write a testimonial about "finding Christ in my heart" after opening his book once. I'd just like to expound upon the irony of "scholarly" individuals that dismiss religion.
Religion has killed, saved, and remade more people than any other idea to ever pass through a man's mind. By assuming that it is rubbish (after all, god did not create us- science proves we evolved into what we are today), these individuals only prove how ignorant they are. There is a power in this text that we cannot replicate, mostly because it is a text with a history, a text with a culture. And regardless of what we may or may not believe in the field of creationism and evolution, it is undeniable that an individual who is not out to read negative meaning into the Bible will find a set of guiding rules in life and morality. It is a universal message, and Jesus just happens to be a personified messenger. For a fond classmate's love is easier to grasp and remember when he presents us a teddybear to personify it.
And thus, the heart of the first truth I realized- I did know quite a bit about Jesus, as well as what he said. It's just that I call him Hazarat Isa, and he wrote to me in Arabic.

Jesus is a teddybear, relative to love and religion.

I was particularly interested by the series of phrases "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled"(Luke 6:21) but "Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger"(Luke 6:25). It illustrates an idea which I previously assumed was unique to Muslim society of Quraanic times. Those who were unnecessarily rich were seen as evil, for they failed to share in the interests of society's well-being and the well-being of the poor. Banks and interest were seen as wicked establishments. (This is paralleled in the New Testament when the scribes ask Jesus, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"(Luke 5:30)).
It's funny how similar it all is once we line it up- those Muslims lived by the words of the Christian Jesus, perhaps better than many Christians in their time period did.

The big difference in Christianity and Islam is the fight over whether or not Jesus is the "Son of God"(Matthew 26:63). I find it irrelevant. I take Jesus' words just as I take Buddha's or Martin Luther King Jr's- words of wisdom, not necessarily a god or a man. We start wars over the speaker's identity, and in the process we forget the words for which he lived and died.

So what WOULD Jesus write? Well, if he had the chance, I would guess he would most probably write the Bible. What would Jesus do? Who knows? I think inspire millions towards a more moral life style would be a good answer there.

P.S. As a side note, I found it interesting that Jesus is depicted multiple times as a father figure.

And although he may not have physically been one, he is a father figure in a completely different way- a father of righteousness and a father to mankind.

Rewriting Romeo and Juliet

They were so madly in love they couldn't live without each other, and in fact, they WOULDN'T live without each other. They knew the moment they saw each other that it was true love. They were perfect for each other, and they were destined to live together happily.
The cover of the 1968 Franco Zeffirelli Version of Romeo and Juliet

This notion of false and stubborn love have come to rule our society- however, the truth in love is something far beyond the puppy-love-like infatuation displayed in Romeo and Juliet. Love is compromise. Love is not stubborn. It is interesting that William Shakespeare himself, the debatable author of Romeo and Juliet, declares ideas in Sonnet 116 which seem contradictory to Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet's love was not accepted, and thus they ran from society, allowing their love to completely encompass their lives. To me, this was not the right thing to do for two reasons- the first being that true love would stand up against society, as it "looks upon tempests and is never shaken" (sonnet 116). Secondly, it goes against the idea of love with detachment. For love is love, and regardless of what form it takes, be it marriage or friendship, "it is a star to every wandering bark" (sonnet 116).
Love with detachment stresses a balance in life. It stresses acceptance; some things are not meant to be in some ways. For "desire, aversion, pleasure, pain... these are in brief the constituents of changing Matter"(105). Perhaps their desire to be together was temporary, and they're just drama queens who made a big deal about it. I've spoken on the subject in class, but my ex and I are a perfect example. Both of us had met all kinds of people throughout years and years of our lives but had treated all of them in a careless manner. They meant nothing to us. However, we met and changed each other's lives.

Awesome, a justified opportunity to share a cute picture of Waqas and I :)

We defined love for each other and we both grew tremendously. When I came to Austin life became difficult because we couldn't constantly be together. That's where love and detachment come in. We couldn't get over each other and we both suffered a terrible semester, from bad grades to lack of social interaction to constant depression. Finally, we learned the hard way that we could be in love, and at the same time enjoy where we were when we were there. Now, we love each other just as deeply as before, if not more, and we're able to function normally and lead good lives while being apart. To me, detachment is a state of acceptance. You can't be together, but because you love each other, you work around that fact. Romeo and Juliet should have been friends, as lame as it sounds.
I was talking to a Hindu friend of mine today, and I mentioned "love with detachment", and she told me she hated the phrase. When I asked her why, she replied because her grandfather practiced it. Apparently many Hindus interpret "love with detachment" to mean that one should never show affection, which I completely disagree with. It hurts when you lose someone, it does... but holding back your emotions towards them will only fill you with regret, not peace. Instead, you must be ready at all times to accept things as they come your way, and enjoy them when you have them. Go with the flow and be happy, to put it simply. If life gives your lemons, make lemonade, because as Krishna states, "What someone offers to Me, whether it be leaf, or flower, or fruit, or water, I accept it, for it is offered with devotion and purity of mind"(75), and although life is not alway devoted to you and pure, whenever you lose a little something in you life (like the chance to be forever after with your Romeo), you can look hard enough and find that somewhere else someone else is giving you love, in whatever small way they can, with just as much purity of mind. Appreciate it.

Krishna and Me, together we can live in Harmony!

What sets a god apart from mere mortals? The immortality? The wisdom? Or perhaps an ultimate harmony with nature as opposed to the sense of it we feel? Krishna's wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita is reflected in many ways other than his words. On the verge of war, Krishna remains calm and wise- he is unaffected by the tumultuous environment that surrounds him, despite the fact that a full army of the bravest men to be found are fearful and nervous. Krishna's ability to calm the soldiers and bring them peace as well as confidence, chasing away their mortal fears. In essence, the environment did not control him- he controlled the environment. This divine trait is perhaps why leaders are so important in our society.

Krishna's Wisdom and Holiness are reflected in the light surrounding his head.

Now, divine or not, Krishna simply used words to ease these warriors' souls and minds, much like a human- no magic or miracle necessary. He set an example for all those he spoke to, because it is very possible for a human to achieve the same feat were he or she to follow the golden rules Krishna presents.

What truly struck me about this writing was the almost naive sincerity presented in it. The amount of faith Krishna has in people is refreshing- he states that "by nature [every man] is full of faith."(131) This eager faith that at least a portion of mankind will do right leads his followers to want to become that faithful and pure subject, and to hope that others aspire to the same goal. Krishna goes on to identify three main kinds of worshipers; "The Pure worship the true God, the Passionate, the powers of wealth and magic, the Ignorant, the spirits of dead and of the lower orders of nature"(131). I find this statement particularly interesting because it is a concept that somewhat reflects the Judaic belief that one must adhere to said religion or burn in hell. Here, Krishna gives examples of multiple believers, but only those who believe in the true god are correct. He mentions that everyone is predisposed to one of these three categories. So how do the 2/3 not born "pure" become true followers? Incidentally enough we can connect another major theme of the Bhagavad Gita to this question in order to answer it- Meditation.

Meditation is a form of self-control, a method of "liberation"(49). It is the power to truly and fully control your mind- an almost divine power. Krishna's ability to use his body as a medium to control the environment and spread information is perhaps what leads to his respect, amongst other things. Perhaps my favorite quote of the book was when Krishna advised Arjuna to practice "with a heart which refuses to be depressed"(53). Again, control is illustrated. A heart which refuses to be depressed implies that we have can have complete control over our disposition, as well as our mindset. I very strongly agree, as my freshman experience in college has been a reflection of it. The first semester, I was depressed because I wanted to be. I was unproductive because I was unhappy and that's how I wanted to be. This semester, everything is the same aside from the fact that I'm starting off behind now, but my cheerful attitude and hopeful heart won't allow anything to get me down! These little life lessons are littered all across the Bhagavad Gita, and the fact that Krishna knows human nature so intimately is perhaps what truly sets him apart and makes the morals of Hinduism so universal, and a worthy read for all kinda of people.

Thus, as the Little Mermaid once said, "You [Krishna] and me, together we can live in harmony!"

The Little Mermaid relates to Hinduism

Check Your Footprints

I never realized how not-grown-up I really was until I started thinking and acting as if I were. I came into college suddenly believing that I knew it all. Studying? Effort? Those were words that had never applied to me. And college would be no different, right? Especially in an English class- I'd never had to lift a finger.

Me in high school

E603A was a grand slap in the face.

I was suddenly surrounded by people just as intelligent and capable as me- what's more is that they applied themselves. That was something I'd never seen before. In high school, a great amount of diligence usually indicated a lack of intelligence. It was looked down upon- oh, you try, because you're not naturally talented. And the unfairness was accepted. The more intelligent and creative kids got away with all kinds of laziness. Looking back on it, I'd never realized how lazy, arrogant, and utterly disgusting I was. This class created a newfound respect in my eyes for those diligent people. People who got up everyday with an agenda, people who had control over their immediate desires. I woke up every morning 5 minutes after I had to and stumbled to class in my pajamas with excuses. It was frustrating, because I realized that I had no control over myself. I was just like a baby- when I wanted to sleep, I slept. When I wanted to eat, I ate immediately. If I wanted to hang out, I was going to hang out- let the homework pile up. I couldn't do it till I got recreation out of my system. I gave in immediately to whatever urge I had. That's when I realized that I had only experienced the tip of the iceberg- these were the baby steps, and I had a ways to go.

Yeah, the lazy one laying down was definitely me.

Perhaps the most personally impacting lesson I experienced in this class was the series on childhood. I hadn't given much thought to my childhood in quite some time, but revisiting my long-gone mindset granted me a great dose of humility. I had dreams then. I was devoid of them now. I had ambition, work ethic, and an amazing attitude towards life. I wanted to live it to the fullest, leave my mark on the world, pursue a hundred hobbies while allowing my mind to hungrily feed on all the knowledge I could obtain. I read books for pleasure every day of my life until 9th grade. What happened to that girl, so full of potential and spirit? I'd become lethargic and uninspired. It saddened me. Everyone else had patted me on the back and told me I was amazing and achieved for so long, that I'd never asked myself if I had met my own standards. For they can only see the surface, and only I can judge the inside. I was truly pathetic.

I'd lost that essential passion for everyday life.

Over winter break, I set out to redefine myself. I read for pleasure, took interest in the well-being of all those around me, never procrastinated, and remained positive and efficient. Since I've been back, I've gotten up 5 minutes before my alarm clock every day and leisurely prepared for class, dancing and singing to start off the morning. Others have noticed it too. Last semester there was a perpetual cloud of gloom surrounding me, but since I've been back not one person has failed to comment on how happy I seem to be. I owe it all to that lesson on childhood, which truly allowed me to realize that little miss-i've-got-this-under-control really hadn't grown an inch.

So stop and check your footprints- look back on what you've done, and I think you'll find that those little feet are quite a bit smaller than you'd thought.

In retrospect, we're all little girls who were right at that moment.