Message of hate

As a kid I studied in a christian institution. Our classes used to start with a prayer which went something like this 'In the name of the father, the holy spirit.....amen!'. And, a cross at the end for good measure.

The principal of our school Fr.Raphael, was one of my earliest role models. As a kid my exposure to religion and discussions on it was limited to say the least. When we found new friends our minds did not proceed to decipher the name as one that of a Hindu, Christian or Muslim. We were glad just to be together and have fun. There is nothing about my school days (or college days for that matter) which had even remotely influenced me and my belief about my religion or my friends'.

If faith was a town in India a returning visitor would be devastated by what he sees now. There are slums everywhere and prosperity has crumbled. Children now grow up in this town exposed to an omnipresent message of hate. They can easily distinguish a Christian name from a Muslim one. My 5 year old gets her doubts clarified when she is unable to make out whether her friend is a Christian or a muslim. How did things come to such a pass? And it is not just about religion, the divide in our society is even more radical when you make a deeper analysis. We have all become selfish and conceited individuals.

So where do we start the repair work? First and foremost in our minds. We need to change our perceptions and attitude. Think about the general good even if in the final analysis we end up losing more than gaining. I am teaching my 5 & 12 year old daughters to not view things through a narrow mindset. I am teaching them to accept and forgive, to give more than take, to accept and celebrate the diversities in our culture and to be proud of them. To be truthful, honest and sincere. I love my life and want them to spread the message of love and not hate. A visitor to my home should find that the bushes are pruned, the lawns tidy and the occupants glowing with love. He will go back and attempt the same.