Earlier today, I was discussing with my friends the importance of religion in our lives and how it never fails to shape us. We were in agreement that all religions do preach and suggest similar if not the exact same lifestyles and morals. However, it is up to the individual to determine the impact religion has on his or her life. Sometimes, religion can help the individual be able to make better decisions in life. Other times, religion can provide the person with a set of morals and values to live by. However, whenever I think of religions that issue a strict code and a set of rules to live by, I remember the story by Father Anthony Di Mello in his book The Prayer of the Frog.
Mullah Nasruddin found a diamond by the road-side but, according to the Law, finders became keepers only if they first announced their find in the centre of the marketplace on three separate occasions. Now Nasruddin was too religious-minded to disregard the Law and too greedy to run the risk of parting with his find. So on three consecutive nights when he was sure that everyone was fast asleep he went to the centre of the marketplace and there announced in a soft voice, “I have found a diamond on the road that leads to the town. Anyone knowing who the owner is should contact me at once.” No one was the wiser for the Mullah’s words, of course, except for one man who happened to be standing at his window on the third night and heard the Mullah mumble something. When he attempted to find out what it was, Nasruddin replied, “I am in no way obliged to tell you. But this much I shall say: Being a religious man, I went out there at night to pronounce certain words in fulfillment of the Law.”
To be properly wicked, you do not have to break the Law. Just observe it to the letter.
I can be sure to say that many of us have definitely done this. For example, in various Hindu rituals, there are often mantras that are suggested to be repeated a certain number of times. The easy way out of this would be for one to mindlessly repeat the mantra while his or her thoughts wander off. After repeating the chant for the recommended number of times, the individual would have technically completed the chanting part without sincerity in the prayers.
This is not only true in Hinduism, but for almost all other religions of the world. Regardless of our religion, it would be better if we keep ourselves from being the Mullah Nasruddin by sincerely practicing the rituals or following the rules without looking for loopholes.
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