debater

Vaclav Havel, the former President of Czech Republic, in his book Power of the Powerless highlights the importance of dissidence in a society. If a society progresses it is because of those who dissent not because of those conform. Conformists abound everywhere because it is easy to be so. To dissent is to risk oneself for the sake the society. These days there is a group in this country which is busy issuing 'anti-Indian' certificate. Anybody who stands up to the ruling dispensation(s) - in some places there is their proxy rule as well - are handed this certificate. Many wish to get a good certificate from them because it means their existence is not under threat. What if a society itself dissents? Then the whole society becomes anti-national, anti-development and anti-blah, blah, blah. They sell lies and the buyers are a few. They say cows are holier than humans; an eight year old girl can be torn apart; killing an intellectual for allegedly hurting your religious sentime...

As times change so too the problems! The digital era has its own peculiar issues to deal with. One such is the prevalence of 'body shaming' without a prick of conscience. A couple of days back I was shocked to hear an actor with political allegiance or better with a change of political allegiance mocking the differently-abled to score some political points against his opponents. This takes place everywhere and it has become the tool in the hands of a few whom 'evolution or better sense is yet to take hold of.'  The advent of Internet brought forth immense possibilities to interact with people, to share views and to be enriched at all levels. While body shaming has been in practice from time immemorial in many ways -  think of the way the Africans were treated in the past; they were considered not to possess 'souls' - it has grown leaps and bounds in the technocratic world.  Monica Lewinsky who was a victim of online humiliation after the Clinton affair cam...

Sometimes these things keep coming to my mind! Perhaps, this is the sign that I am not dead still alive and can think too! If God doesn’t give it upon me, why should I? All that I need is God. If God alone becomes the point of reference everything else becomes light and easy. How foolish to run from pillar to post trying to reform oneself. It doesn’t work. When the greatest is within He takes care of everything. The strength of one’s character is manifested in the forcefulness of words. Where there is no character there could be sophistry but not force. Character, I believe, is the result of habits – virtues in the Aristotlenian language. Habits either form or break us. Although I am a Christian I do not let it affect my daily life. Leadership is a vocation. It has to be so. Otherwise, it is an occasion to usurp power. No one in his right mind would like to embark on a journey without a destination in mind. We know how we would call the person if there is...

There are actually a few days in a year that fill, if not all but most of us, with certain pride of being citizens of this great country, India. It is right and good to feel this way! When I think of the Independence Day what comes to mind is the celebration that marks across the country burying our differences at least for a while apparently; the military prowess that is on display and the cultural heritage of our nation are things that define our celebration at the national level besides the fiery speeches by our eminent leaders. I have been particularly excited about the Independence Day round the corner for it being the 70 th anniversary of our independence. Hence, my reflection is not something customary that we hear from our schools and colleges – at least that is what I have been hearing all these years - on that day deploring the miserable conditions of the masses across the length and breadth of our great nation. However, I cannot but make a reference to this malady so ...

The largest democracy in the world is going through turbulent times which makes one to think whether it has become irrelevant or marching towards its dead end. The way things unfold to us day in and day out make us skeptical about the effectiveness of democracy. Be it the acquittal of the powerful involved in scams, suppression of civil rights movements (NGOs), hijacking of people’s movements by political parties (Sasi Perumal’s movement has been taken over by the politicians for scoring political points), lack of tolerance in the public (recall what happened a couple of days back. A Muslim suspected of eating beef was lynched by the mob), increasing of political cults (one only needs to see the way people bow to their leaders!). The political discourse in India is moving towards the ‘right-wing’ fundamentalism – creating myths and tearing down the secular fabric of democracy. What has led to the sudden and violent opposition to civil demands for justice? It is perhaps the right ques...

The post-modern world has not left anything unquestioned. If there is one thing that has come under the heavy scrutiny of post-modernism that in all probability - not so much the question of God - are matters concerning religious beliefs and doctrines. It seems clearer even to the simple minds that you cannot be the way you were in the past. Everything changes and we are caught unawares most often. We cannot present God the way it was presented to us when we were kids. We are forced not only to change the method of communication – today attention depends on attraction – but also the content of it, if not completely. This is the situation in which we live. I am intrigued by the timeless yearning of the human heart to know the Divine even in the midst increasing material prosperity! Hence, it is needless to discuss whether the study of theology is relevant today. The need is greater than in the past precisely due to the challenges that arise to theologizing. I would give three reason...

1. Life Francesco Forgione who came to be known as Padre Pio was born in May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. His parents, Orazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio, were poor peasants. From his early years he loved virtue and abhorred all forms of vice. He entered the Novitiate of the Capuchins in 1902 at Morcone. From the time Francesco entered the Novitiate until his death he never enjoyed good health. His life of prayer and penance was interfered with constant fever and attacks from the evil one. He was sent to the monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo after his ordination as his ill health demanded such a place. It was on 20 th September 1918 Padre Pio received the five wounds of Christ visibly in his body. For fifty years be bore witness to Christ in his body and breathed his last on September 23, 1968. 2. Content of Padre Pio’s Spiritual Gifts If we could point out one chief purpose of all the spiritual gifts that God in His kindness bestowed on Padre Pio that wou...