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Pastimes : Understanding Islam -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bag of Pucks who wrote (578)	11/23/2001 2:29:34 AM
From: HG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2926

I'm not as young as you may think I am, and have felt a need to 'belong' and 'hope' too, esp in the last 5 years, which have been very traumatic for me. I guess in our youth we think we have all the answers, and as we grow older, we realise we really don't know anything. A quest for those answers can lead us to different places. A lot of research has been carried out about the needs and requirements of human beings at various stages of their life. One of the most famous works in this area is the Adult Development Theory which outlines how human needs change with age and life stages, thereby affecting our actions at that stage of life. It was found that men and women under 40 are generally competitive, they are rebellious and they need to 'take' from societies. However, between the ages of 40 and 50, something changes within human beings, and they become 'givers' to the society. The need to learn is replaced by a need to teach. They need to be sponsors rather than stakeholders. The need to give parts of themselves selflessly becomes stronger with age. Maybe this was nature's way of balancing the give and take equation.... Maybe it is this need which makes most humans turn to religion, for it is where they feel they can give themselves, their energies, their time, their emotions selflessly. We turn to religion because thru centuries, we've been told that religion provides spiritual growth, it provides comfort and hope. And since these are the things we look for, some of us are attracted to them.....and there isn't anything wrong with it either. I think the ultimate goal is to find peace and harmony. Whatever means one chooses within the framework of a civilized society, are ok. The only thing that makes me sad is that when we grow old, and wise, and turn to religion, we choose not to utilise our wisdom 100% for the betterment of our societies.........we can do much more, but in chasing that elusive entity called God, we choose to divert our energies towards a probable image, which may or may not exist, which may or may not need us, instead of utilising our resources towards millions of project in this world which definitely need us.We are 'giving', but it is only to a causee which is more uncertain than this real world is. Personally, I used to be a computer professional with 100 hour weeks at work to show for my life, but my quest for spiritual awakening is leading me to discover, appreciate, enjoy even create beauty in all possible forms. It could be working towards a beautiful garden full of flowers, or it could be reading a good book on Jung, or understanding the intricacies of the Egyptian pyramids, or finding peace in the sounds of the surf on a deserted beach. Even helping destitude kids create a future for themselves. My dream is to one day go to one of the third world countries as an aid worker, helping with the children. Whatever brings peace, comfort, joy, HOPE......without harming anyone. Isn't that what religion is supposed to achieve too ? I believe this is my religion...and i hope it stays so. But yes, what you say may be true too. Maybe i turn to God one day. Maybe thats what is more fulfilling at a later stage of life. But right now, I somehow have hard time imagining that it would be more fulfilling than nurturing a destitute child in Ethopia and watching him become succesful member of society. Maybe we all should try to do both and then compare which is more fulfilling ? <smile>