Two thoughts about those no longer with us: GONE TO HIS HEAVENLY ABODE. This is a common phrase in Goa newspapers and in quaint English used by many Indians generally. Too much presumption don't you think? The guy might have been obnoxious and evil when living, grabbing other people's property, seducing other people's wives, harboring all kinds of grudges and prejudices against relatives and villagers, giving nothing to the less fortunate, but somebody hopes he went to his heavenly abode. Not to mention whether there is anything like a heavenly abode.
I have no doubt that the current crop of Goa's politicians will have "heavenly abode" written all over ads in O Heraldo when it is time for them to go to whatever they deserve. Reason says that in fact instead of heavenly abode, the deepest and hottest recesses of hell will be reserved for them. Again, assuming there is a Hell. As Santosh would say, there is no evidence of it. HE IS WATCHING OVER US FROM ABOVE. When living, the guy never watched over anybody. He drank like a fish and never worked a day in his life, getting money from robbing coconuts, selling drugs, pimping his principles. His wife and children had to look after him, preserve the family name and keep whatever esteem they could salvage. But there is the fond hope that after death, he will be hovering somewhere in space, a reformed angel, doing magic that will transform into good fortune for his family or even better making the instantaneous trips to earth, when required, to guide his loved ones when they need him. Leaving the humor aside, on the other hand there is a real psychological risk from thinking that someone whether relative or other being is watching over you from above. That gives us the chance to be cavalier about how we treat living, breathing people. If one lives by the fact that there is no "watching over us" or that no person will be rewarded one day after death for all his suffering, we will somehow take our responsibilities to each other more seriously. We will feel uncomfortable then to abuse, criticize and judge, to neglect or pass over what needs to be done in the here and now, that we have only this life to live and we better live it well. We will be more apt to look after someone who needs us because he too has only one life to live and if I am in better circumstances, then I should be the one to help him better it for him. Scientists, researchers and all others who have cut back on their lives so that ours could be better and longer, finding treatments and cures for what ails us and forever reaching out to stretch the physical and mental boundaries that keep us prisoner, believing that we have only one life to live are great examples of what I mean. The God business somehow allows us to shirk our own duties under the uncertain assumption that there is a greater being who will do what needs to be done for those who need me and for me. Instead of - if I believe in a God, then I should believe that He (or She) expects me to do the good I can and help may come when I can really in all conscience do no more. Roland. Toronto.
