GOD, On the Eyes of Kids...

We had a casual Ganesha Chaturthi Party last Saturday inviting few friends and their kids. It was nice family get-together both for adults to share the holiday spirit and for kids who had good time making Ganesha and getting to know about him.

I was requested to show the kids how to make Ganesha because they thought I am an expert in Ganesha making by looking at my Clay Ganesha from last week's Vinayakar Chaturthi. I accepted the request and just took the chance to show off my artistic ability. Ladies prepared instant artificial dove and got it ready for the art lesson.

I recollected my skills of making Ganesha from last week. F irst I took a trial run to practice myself once and then showed the kids step-by-step to make him. They wanted 3D Ganesh instead of 2D which I made last week. I gave it a try. Ladies helped kids to follow my lead. Actually they did better than me.

Check out the pictures of cute Ganesha's - different shapes and sizes,

My 3D Ganesha

Kids busy taking my lead creating their own Ganesha

Parade of Ganesha from artistic hands - Isn't so cute..



Close up look at them..

After creating Ganesha, Kids were lead by my friend's wife to tell slokas and thotrams as a prayer. Also she explained reasons of Ganesha's Elephant head, big stomach and other characteristic via some old stories. Some intelligent kids heard similar stories, tried to argue with her on different versions of it.

One who was like 12 years old, tried to make fun of the stories on cutting the elephant head and so on. It was funny to hear his argument but I went on to explain him, that these are just man made stories to make people believe in some good things. "Do you think its true?", I asked him. He started talking to me like, "Why can't it be true, if its not true why do follow, endless list of questions followed". I don't know what to say.

I am going throw out a big question, "How do yo tell GOD stories are imaginary ?!", "How to answer kids on that topic of GOD & RELIGION ?" In general, how well it can be explained to make them believe in religion you believe in. I know its a difficult question with too many answers. As parents many of you already gone thru this rapid round questions from your kids, whether its when you take them to temple or celebrating festivities. They are so picky but smart to ask simple questions like, "Why do we have so many GODS? Why do we celebrate Deepavali, Navarathi" like every American ask us?! "

We all have well versed answers for these questions with stories which was transferred to us by our elders. But Kids of this age, they are really smart and they are touch different religion in their very small age. I feel its lot more thought process need to be involved in answering this question in a simple way.

I believe in GOD greatly but I also know very well that these stories aren't actually true as an adult. I am conscious enough to differentiate them and believe or not to believe it. I also believe in ONE GOD, a super power which guides us but we all happen to continue our own HINDU tradition of worshiping many GOD's. Its all easy for us to think about it but when the small minds try to digest this big thing, its not an easy fact to grasp.

I had similar arguments with my wife and she strongly believes that we should continue to instill our beliefs to our kids but in a right way telling the true facts. We should walk in a fine line to explain about GOD and also about our religion not crossing the line. I totally agree with her. If we seed wrong belief system at this smaller age, it might end reaping adverse effect in the future.

What do you guys say ?! I love to hear from others on this very broad topic.

An Interesting Conversation...

I came across this nice email which I never seen before about the existence of God in connection with science. I thought it will be good to share it. Read along..

AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his new students to stand and.....
Prof : So you believe in God? Student : Absolutely, sir.
Prof : Is God good? Student : Sure.
Prof : Is God all-powerful? Student : Yes.
Prof : My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm? (Student is silent.)
Prof : You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fellow. Is God good? Student : Yes.
Prof : Is Satan good? Student : No.
Prof : Where does Satan come from? Student : From...God.. .
Prof : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world? Student : Yes.
Prof : Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct? Student : Yes.
Prof : So who created evil? Student does not answer.
Prof : Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they? Student : Yes, sir.
Prof : So, who created them? Student has no answer.
Prof : Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God? Student : No, sir.
Prof : Tell us if you have ever heard your God? Student : No, sir.
Prof : Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter? Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof : Yet you still believe in Him? Student : Yes.
Prof : According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son? Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof : Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has. Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat? Prof : Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold? Prof : Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't. (The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it. (There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness? Prof : Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof : So what is the point you are making, young man? Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof : Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof : If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do. Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)
Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? (The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir? (The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )
Prof : I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son. Student : That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.