All Roads Lead to Learning, Whether We Learn or Not…

"All roads lead to God, my son."
"All roads?"
"Yes, all roads."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, of course. Our sacred scriptures say so."
"Maybe they mean certain paths lead to God."
"No, my son. All paths lead to God."
"What does that mean?"
"It means God is everywhere, in everyone."
"So God is everywhere, in everyone, and therefore all paths lead to God?"
"Yes."
"So, the Hindus and Christians are going to God, as are the Muslims, the Buddhists, and all other religious denominations?"
"What is it that you seek?"
"The rich people? Who have it all and want some more? They are also going to God?"
"Yes of course."
"And the poor? Who have nothing? Are they also welcome in God's place?"
"Of course, of course."
"The Blacks? The Browns? The Whites? People of all colour and denomination are going to God?"
"Yes."
"And the lower castes? They are also going to God? And since God is everywhere, God is also in them and the Hindus and Muslims and the Christians? And since all paths lead to God, I can follow them just as well as I can follow you."
Silence.
"And women? God is in women as well?"
"Yes."
"So I can follow a woman's path, her teachings, her interpretations of the sacred texts and that would also lead to God?"
"Well..."
"Are you sure that all roads lead to God? And that the scriptures are true?"
"What do you want? Now you are being arrogant and disrespectful."
"I am being arrogant? Disrespectful? By repeating what you are saying and seeking to confirm what you say with examples just so I don't make a mistake in understanding?"

I think what all the scriptures really mean by all roads lead to God, is that all that lives, shall die. Nothing more. Nothing less. All lives. As in all living beings. Everything else has been conceptualised, written and interpreted to divide, subdivide, subjugate and thereby control people. Religion, culture, art, science, technology, law, statecraft, industry, economics, constitutions ... all of these take the humanity out of humans. Left, right, centre, liberal, neo-liberal, traditional, modern ... every ideology is fanatic and fundamental by nature since it opposes all but its own. And all of these are united in their egotistical ode to themselves as the benevolent secular benefactors of the peoples of the world.

Right now, there are people suffering and dying all over the world. And in that very world, there are people who are arguing and finger-pointing and blaming and countering and ... in the name of ideology and philosophy and religion and logic and righteous indignation and politics ... each of us who is pointing a finger at anyone else is doing so because we are afraid.

And in the same world are people who are smiling and spreading encouragement and positivity and ideas to stay calm and fit and productive and generating tonnes of uplifting content ... in the name of humanity and righteousness and sympathy and bonhomie and solidarity ... each of us who is doing their bit in such upliftment is doing so because we are afraid.

It is alright to be afraid. And after acknowledging that I am afraid, I have to find a better way to help myself than spreading pessimism or optimism or neutrality. A good beginning would be to not follow others - leaders, comedians, artists, politicians, family members, teachers, bosses, writers, philosophers, ChatGPT, WhatsApp, Claude, mummy, daddy, bhaiya, bunty, babli - follow no one.

I am a great fan of perseverance; but I am also a great fan of learning. If I keep making the same mistakes, then I am not learning. Whether it is one party or the other, including a non-party, whether it is an influencer or actor or … so long as I am following, I will always be a follower.

There is no difference in the intent and outcome of a mob irrespective of its ideology. There is always violence at its foundation by its very nature. One does not join others to protest peacefully; one joins others knowing fully well that if push comes to shove, a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand is relative safety.

True change - even in examples - happened because one person led the way, the hard way. Violence is inherent in every being.

If you must raise your hand, make sure it is your hand that you are raising for reasons that are yours for an existential cause that truly affects you.

What I need right now - and in every time - is to face reality, follow my own path, change myself so that I can have the courage to change other things around me. Nothing more is required and nothing less will do.