Faith(Part 2) :Collecting The Evidences

Heaveno!!

I am feeling elated after going through the positive reviews I received (I am an extremely unpopular figure on the social network so please don't interpret that I am inundated with fan mails!) on my last post "Faith (Part 1)- Buying your Ammeter." The last post gave a glimpse of the duality between Science and Spirituality.They are not different but correlated.Like the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that at " You cannot measure the position and momentum of a body at the same time with cent per-cent accuracy" (Techies please don't behead me if the aforementioned principle has a semicolon or comma wrongly placed J).Similarly, you cannot view the world accurately with a completely scientific or a completely spiritual perspective.You need to have an optimal blend of both these perspectives(This line reminds me of an advertisement for a Tea brand!).
Albert Einstein said; "A legitimate conflict between science & religion cannot exist. Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind"
In this post,as the title suggests,I will propose some arguments in the favour of the notion that the world(including us) could not have evolved as a result of a random event and gradually turned into one in which we live today.It is rather created meticulously in a planned manner by a superpower whose intellect is unfathomable.This is a brave endeavour only to express my views as I now consider the world to be a safer place for arguments than it was at the time of Galileo(Poor guy was imprisoned only because he said that the earth revolves round the sun).Today, armed with various theories likes of the Big Bang  Theory ( it's not the in vogue American sitcom!),scientists claim that the creation of universe was a random process.The theory of creation by a superpower is rejected by science.I am myself a science student,but when I use my logic and reasoning abilities(of which I have a scarcity of),they challenge my credulity in the the theories propounded which state that the creation of universe was a random process.

Hereby I also make a formal confession that I am very poor in Physics,Biology and Geography.These subjects have always appealed least to me.But fortunately I (unwillingly) studied these subjects(though at basic level).But as they say "Knowledge never goes waste",I now think that the basic knowledge of these subjects enabled me to understand the world in a better way.So this establishes that the points listed below are from a layman and  a novice philosopher.Let the Physics fanatics not be offended.

1. As far as we know by now(thanks to our space missions),no form of life exists in any other planets.As the size of the Earth is negligible as compared to that of the galaxy(Milky Way) it belongs to and the possibility of extra terrestrial life cannot be denied considering the fact that there are innumerable galaxies in the universe.
Now,with our knowledge till date,no form of life can exist without water.Also,there is no life in other planets and moon(s).Coincidentally NO other planet is known to have water on its surface.Life of any form cannot be imagined without water and water is found only on the planet Earth which 'coincidentally' supports life too.Moreover,the origin of water on the Earth is still unknown.

2. The Earth which is the only planet known to support life is at the optimum distance from the sun and the moon.If it were any nearer from the Sun the temperature would have been too high to support life and all the water on the surface would have evaporated.Any farther from the sun, it would have been too cold for life to flourish here.The Moon is responsible for the ocean tides that ensure that the oceans don't stagnate and if it was nearer the tides would have been so vigorous that the oceans would have drowned the continents.


3. There is a strange similarity between the 'Macro' and 'Micro' aspects of the universe.
The motion of planets around the sun is analogous to that of the electrons around the nucleus.Isn't it fascinating? 

4. The human body is an epitome of the meticulous planning of the almighty in creating the universe.The Sense organs(ears,nose,eyes,tongue and skin) work in co-ordination with the brain in the most perfect manner.The brain itself is capable of storing immeasurable amount of data.manifold greater than that of all the storage devices of the world summed together.

5.The stomach contains a layer of mucus which prevents it from digesting itself!! (It can digest flesh and hence the Hydrochloric acid in the stomach can corrode the walls of the stomach).This depicts a perfect troubleshooting arrangement.Created by a random process over centuries??

6. The Nervous system is a very complex communication network.Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 170 miles per hour.That enable us to perceive the world around us with our sense organs. The complex nature of the Nervous system and the tremendous amount of utility it brings to the human body makes it the best and most efficient communication system.What's your say Telecom Engineers?? J

7. The human body is stores everything it requires to survive.Blood,Minerals,Water and Nutrients are stored in the body.Ever wondered why Oxygen is not stored.If it would have stored Oxygen we needn't breath every second.Isn't it??So many people who ever died of suffocation would have completed their lifespan.

But our creator was wise enough.As we know that oxygen is responsible for oxidation of food and hence the body cells.This is the basic process of 'Metabolism' which enables an organism to grow and reproduce.If the  body would have stored oxygen,the process of oxidation would have sped leading to a very short lifespan.Definitely, it looks planned and organised.

8. Each individual has different fingerprints.This becomes more astonishing when we know that the population of the world is greater than 7 Billion!! ( God helps forensic experts in catching absconding criminals!!)

9. Due to the typical behaviour of water,in freezing climates only the top layer of the water body freezes.The water remains in liquid state under the layer of ice.It reflects the amicability of the creator for aquatic animals.

10. Most of the water available on the surface of the earth is saline and unfit to consume.To overcome this problem, nature(read: Creator) set up a mechanism through which the saline water evaporates in pure form leaving the impurities behind and is distributed throughout the surface in the form of rainfall.It appears as system for the purification and distribution of water.Doesn't it say something that most of us are unable to listen??

11.Nature runs on some basic laws which are invariable.The sun rises in the east(The first example of Simple Present in Grammar books! ),Rotation of earth on its axis causing day and night,revolution of earth inclined on its axis round the sun causing change of seasons and Gravitational pull are the basic laws which earth abides by.No one knows why.But it does!!

Richard Feynman (A Nobel Prize winner for Electrodynamics) said that "Why nature is mathematical is a mystery.The fact that there are rules at all is a kind of miracle."

12. In every cell of our body there exists a genetic code called DNA(Deoxy riboNucleic Acid ).It is similar to a computer binary code.The computer binary codes are in form of 0s and 1s.Similarly the information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).These codes act like instruction manuals for the cell and direct the cell to perform the necessary functions similar to a computer code.These codes could note have appeared on their own in each of  the billions of cells.Such information could not appear on its own without someone constructing it down.

13. The Atmosphere acts as a blanket of air over the surface of the earth.The ozone layer prevents us from the harmful ultraviolet rays of sun.Oxygen in the atmosphere is supports life.

14. The excellent feedback system in which plants take in carbon di oxide released by animals(Man is a social animal too!!) and release oxygen required by them is designed to balance the respiratory content in the atmosphere for every living being to survive.

15.The gravitational pull of earth is sufficient to prevent Oxygen escaping into atmosphere.

These are the few of many reasons which bear testimony to the fact that the world we live in is tailor made to suit our requirements.The theory of probability tells us that all of these could not have happened by chance.These are one of  the few facts I encountered in my course of 'education'.I have always been a theist but there was always a seemingly unending battle in my mind about the true nature of God.I always believed that there IS God but the question which raged a battle in my mind was Who is he?? Is he a formless entity or has he got any form?Can we see him? If yes then How?Some of these intriguing questions might also be troubling you...I'll help you to find some answers from my perspective in the next post...

I'll conclude this post with a 'valedictory' poem which I read in seventh grade.

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colours,

He made their tiny wings.

The rich man in his castle,

The poor man at his gate,

God made them high and lowly,

The purple headed mountain,

The river running by,

The sunset and the morning,

That brightens up the sky;

The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,−

He made them every one:

he tall trees in the greenwood,

The meadows where we play,

The rushes by the water,

We gather every day;

He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell,

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

Good Day!!! 

Faith (Part 1)- Buying your Ammeter

Heaveno!!


Well I was wondering how to start this post. Like most of us do, I started with "In this post I am going to write about faith......" I somehow thought that the title is absolutely explicit with with not even an iota of obscurity involved and the reader obviously understands what he/she is going to read about.Also I know that I was no Hemingway or Dickens in my past life so that I could have some reminiscent writing skills(Although I am a staunch believer of reincarnation).Finally I have decided to start this post in the way I first considered to write.If you have any better ways(I bet you will have!!),I am always open to suggestions and healthy criticism.Now that you know how it's going to begin,you can always skip the first line.After all it's Democracy in most parts of the world. :)

This post is about my own personal experiences with faith,religion and spirituality.It will be related to in instalments ( Interest free of course!).Although I consider myself still a novice to write on such a mature subject and rightly so,but I want to share what I went through and learnt in this process.Please don't infer that this is about some miracles which happened in my life like I prayed to God and Lo! I got a wish fulfilled.It didn't happen with me and I can assure you it won't happen with anybody else too(who can be sure that a psychiatrist will declare him sane).

Blaise Pascal said, "Faith indeed tells what the senses do not tell, but not the contrary of what they see. It is above them and not contrary to them."
Don't get irritated I won't ask you to convert it into indirect speech.
(Poor)Jokes apart,As we all know that Blasie Pascal was one of the greatest mathematician,physicist and a man of high scientific temperament.He devoted the later years of life to philosophy and theology.What compelled him to do so?
The two great physicists Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton were also strong believers in God.They knew and understood science more that most of us.What happened then?why did they started talking about old things like God and the superpower.That is where the thin line between scientists and pseudo scientists starts becoming visible.

The people who debate about God's existence always use science as the only weapon in the war of words.They argue that now when we've reached the moon (and quote some recent developments),it is useless to talk about God.Science is everything.I respect their contentions with the theists but I feel sorry for their myopic vision.

What I feel, is that the more you learn and study science, the more you will come closer to God.I don't talk here about God as some specific form but an entity as a whole.If you study with a little bit of understanding,you will definitely 'Imbibe' the basic laws of science and when you do so,you are surely on the path of spirituality.You need not to go to a spiritual 'master' and pay thousands of rupees to learn the 'Art of ___'.
(just in case money is overflowing from your pockets,contact me.I'll give you my account number :) )


I recently read the autobiography of Dr. APJ Kalam and I found that he had the same opinion too about science and spirituality.Actually it is the basic concept of duality.Science and Spirituality are the the two faces of the same coin.We always look it from only one side.Both go hand in hand.We always look up to the extremes.We have the basic conviction that both these are two opposite things.But actually it is the opposite of what we think.One thing justifies the other.People who call these things as opposites and unrelated are like   a student with only a Voltmeter measuring the voltage across two points.He correctly measures the voltage  but when he is asked about current, he says it is not present at all.Now he acts foolish and rejects the presence of current ,only because he could not measure it.
Bhaiyaji!!! Get an ammeter and Get well soon..... :)

When are you planning to buy your Ammeter??????

In the next post I'll try to give some examples which are actually the basic concepts I(and you too) read in high school science books and when you start pondering over whys and hows about these ,you will definitely get your answer.The best teacher and guide is inside you.It is you!!  Trust me....And for all students, I advise you to always be inquisitive.If someone shuns your questions,Consider him a bad teacher unworthy of your respect. Do not get disheartened and never ever devaluate yourself. Your inquisitiveness is precious.It is the path to knowledge and self realisation.Don't let it drown.

Glossary:
Ammeter: A device used to measure current in an electrical circuit
Voltmeter:A device used to measure voltage across two points an electrical circuit.

The Best Policy

As they say: "Don't judge a book by its cover" .Please don't be mistaken that I am a snake oil salesman trying to sell you an insurance policy.Let the salesmen fraternity not be offended.I am writing about the best policy in life(and not life insurance).No prizes for guessing."Honesty is the best policy" the quote that you often see in children's story books in the moral of the story column after the story 'The Honest Woodcutter'

The first story  I am going to share with you is about honesty(No please don’t grump .This is not about the woodcutter who lost his axe).It is  a rather mundane one and is based on real life incidents which, in a way, transformed the life of the person who went through the incident . I hope you too find it inspiring.

This is the story of Vibhu. This Incident helped him to understand the meaning of honesty and the inexplicable  joy that one derives from an act of honesty which blossoms right from the heart(Not the heart they teach in the circulatory system ,which I could never understand).Today he is a successful working professional and a man who abides by simple ethics of life. He considers his father as his hero and his guide in the tough journey called ‘life’.

 Vibhu had a modest upbringing. His father was a Government employee. His earning was sufficient to satisfy the basic needs of his family. He was highly regarded among his colleagues as a man of principles. In his workplace(which was notoriously famous for being one of the most corrupt government departments),he never compromised with his principles. He was like a lotus in the marsh.He was a humble man who believed in the age old principle of “simple living and high thinking.”

It was the last week of march. In Northern part of India, sun had already started to shine brightly in the plains and the knocks of the sultry summers was audible as the spring was  gradually  transmuting into summers. Ten days back, The results of the final in home examinations of the school  were announced and  Vibhu had secured third rank in his class. He was happy but at the same time, he felt disappointed for having missed the second spot by 3 and first rank by 8 marks. The sixth grade student vowed to secure the first position in the next class.( we all do that!! J )

With the report card, the academic calendar for the upcoming session was also handed over to the parents. The school had set up the book  purchase stall within the premises for the convenience of the students for a duration of three days, starting April 1^st. The bookseller had a monopoly in the city as far as the business of school books was concerned. He was the official bookseller of almost every school in the town and so he charged very high prices. The books were sold at M.R.P.s with no discount and the notebooks with the school logo were priced more than double the price of similar notebooks in the market. Since, the price of the notebooks was unreasonably high(wrongly),vibhu’s father decided to buy only books from the school stall and notebooks from the market. The books were available only  at the stall so they had to get them from school.

Vibhu went to his school to purchase new books for the upcoming session with his father. As they had decided, they went to the counter and asked for a set of “only textbooks for class 7”.His father paid the amount and handed over the receipt to the person who was delivering the packed ‘sets’. He handed  over a big packet to his father and  the transaction was over. They started moving towards the gate. Father was holding the packet and Vibhu was supporting it from bottom.

As  they were moving out of the school, Vibhu felt a sudden rush of joy. He realized that the packet was heavier than what it should have actually been. It took him no time to realize that the bookseller had mistakenly handed them a set of books as well as notebooks. The small boy made some calculations in his mind and smiled thinking “A profit of Rs. 800.Wow!! “

He softly said” Papa,move fast.I think he has handed us the notebooks too by mistake”. On hearing this, his father’s face fell. He thought “This is not what I want my child to learn.”

He suddenly about turned and started moving towards the counter. Vibhu was surprised and didn’t understand what was going on. He said ”Papa!why are you going back ?”

Father didn’t reply and went straight to the counter and said “Mister, your delivery assistant has mistakenly handed us the notebooks along with books and we had paid only for a set of books. Please take the notebooks back”

Vibhu was enraged at this action of his father. He decided to stay quiet then and as they both moved out of the gate he couldn’t control his tears and started crying at this apparent loss. He scowled at his father and shouted” why did you do that? The bookseller is himself dishonest. What do you think you are doing? Trying to be the greatest of the great”. Vibhu was weeping uncontrollably and at the same time he was furiously yelling at his father. Father had a calm expression on his face. The subtle smile on his face could be noticed.

He took Vibhu to a nearby confectionary shop and bought him a Coca-Cola, Vibhu’s favourite soft drink. His tears stopped but the anger was still visible on his face. In a voice affected by the retreating tears he angrily said “What you have done cannot be compensated with this soft drink. I am not a small child”(children always think they are big enough to take on the world)

Now it was the father’s turn to speak. He said “ My dear child. It was wrong on our part to take the notebooks for which we have not paid. I have lived my life with honesty and I would not like my children going on the wrong path. Today you may think I am wrong but someday you will realize that I was right that day. At this moment you will think that I am talking about idealities and trying to be Yudhishthira, but it will take you some time to realize the importance of being truthful and honest. As far as the bookseller charging monopolistic rates is concerned, let us leave him to God and moreover,  if he is being dishonest, why should we come down to his level. If the other person does wrong, it doesn’t mean that we should also start to follow him. Somewhere in your heart, you know that you are doing wrong but you are trying to justify it by convincing yourself that if the bookseller is dishonest, there is nothing wrong in taking the notebooks(acting dishonestly).Isn’t it what you are trying to tell me?”

Vibhu nodded his head in the affirmative. He had agreed some of his father’s words but was still not convinced.

Father said” Then tell me, If you too act dishonestly, then what difference will remain between you and him?”

Vibhu had no answer.He had got his lesson. He sat silently with a calm expression and looked at the road outside. He saw a cyclist whistling and pedaling swiftly. In a minute the cyclist disappeared into the horizon.

Heaveno!!!

The introductory post is titled Heaveno!!Sounds bizarre(It does!!).Before even reading the first line some of you might have futilely consulted the dictionary's F section only to find out that the word doesn't exist and exasperatingly grumbled some 'F' words for me.But the intent was not to irritate you.It's just a healthy way to say Hello by avoiding Hell(at least verbally) in our lives. La vita è bella(Italian:Life is beautiful) so why be bothered by trifles and spoil our lives.The journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step.So our first small step towards a happier life would be Heaveno!! ( Heaveno=Avoid hell :) )


The unconventional title that I chose for this Blog is just because I didn't get a username by the title 'The caged Bird'.It was already taken.This doesn't mean that I am an adept at Latin or Greek ('Ornith' literally means Bird in Greek) and moreover this confession bears testimony to the fact that the writer is Honest. :)




The Caged Ornith is an account of the arduous journey of a tormented soul seeking a quantum of Solace(Oh! you just can't escape Bond).Sometimes we use a single word 'LIFE' to describe the last 'hefty' sentence.In this blog I will try to share some experiences of the aforementioned 'soul(s)'.The stories/experiences that I will share with you, left an indelible impression on the lives of the people who went through them.


As an old saying goes "Experience is the best teacher",these experiences helped them to learn some rudimentary things about life which you don't find in books .This Will be a Spiritual,Motivational and Educational odyssey encompassing delectable stories of their adventures.Its best if you learn from other's mistakes because you won't have chance to commit all of them yourself.From as much as I have heard from people,read and experienced myself ,I can infer that you are going to relish them and moreover they will strike the chords of your heart (somewhere down the corner at least).