Sunday, March 1, 2009
Mixing Religions?
As we've talked about before in class, Pi is definitely having a huge identity crisis. But from the reading over the weekend (chapters 21-35) I've realized that his crisis has taken a new turn. One of the main questions that came up to me as I was reading relates to chapter 26. Can you really choose your own religion and pick which rules best apply to your views? Pi states that he wants to "pray to Allah, but be a Christian." In my personal opinion, I think that it is difficult to choose from multiple different religions because of their different regulations, guidelines and general values and beliefs. At the same time, maybe Pi can be a generally more enlightened person if he incorporates the values of multiple different religions. Any other thoughts?
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I think what you said was really interesting. In my opinion, there are too many religions to choose from. And the majority of them differ by several small facts. How can you tell which one best represents you? Especially when you have parents and other peers pressuring you to think the same way. I think the best thing for Pi to do, and anyone else who is as conflicted as him, is to take his opinions and ideas that he believes in and create his own form religion. He may be the only person practicing it at the moment, but at least he is supporting what he believes in and is at peace with himself over the topic.
ReplyDeleteKathryn, I think you brought up some really good questions. I agree with Adria and the idea that Pi can be a more enlightened person if he incorporates the values of different religions. I think it is unfair for Pi’s parents, the Pandit, the imam, and the priest to make him choose between being a Muslim, Christian, and Hindu. Although the religions are completely separate in our minds, Pi explains on page 72 how the three religions are all similar, and he finds aspects of each that he likes to follow. So, I think it would be hard for Pi to choose just one. I think it is good that Pi is showing so much passion for religion and god.
ReplyDeleteYou guys make great points. Pi doesn't understand that it is the norm to pick one religion, one list of regulations, and denounce the rest, becuase in each religion he sees that it is easy to love God/many Gods. When his mom tells him there's one nation in the sky and only one passport to get to that nation, he responds on page 73 asking, "If there's only one nation in the sky shouldn't all passports be valid for it?" Something about each religion has drawn him in, yet he can't find a clear reason to become completely devoted to Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism. Right now, he is the only one who desires to practice all three, so in a way he has created a new way of worship, but no one seems to understand.
ReplyDeleteI think that religion has much more meaning if the god you worship represents what you want to see in a deity. This is why, like Adria said, there are so many religions that "differ by several small facts." However, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. The reason there are so many religions, in my opinion, is because people use the framework of existing religions and then add to them so that they can make their religion something in which they really believe. It isn't that hard to actually choose a religion, but if a person wants religion to be truly meaningful, or to be something that dictates how one goes about life, a person must either agree with all of the tenants of a particular religion or add/subtract elements so that this person does not have to live life doing things that are central to a religious, but not to said person's personal view of God.
ReplyDeleteFor people like Pi, who are so concerned with finding the correct religion, it seems like the best solution to incorporate various aspects of different religions in order to create something that means a lot to them. Pi doesn't understand why he can't be part of two religions, and his father tries to force him to conform to one, saying on page 72 that he "must be either one or the other." But the adults in Pi's life seem to be wrong. Who are they to limit who and what Pi worships?
I do agree with Kathryn when she said that Pi is in an identity crisis within his religious values and beliefs. It is difficult for anyone to choose their religion and what path they want to follow. Especially for Pi, who seems to be constantly questioning his own values, who is conflicted between believing in the morals of a Christian, a Hindu, and a Muslim. While I was reading the chapters assigned, a broad question came to mind: Can you control what you believe in? And if so, would it have more of a positive or more of a negative impact on your character as a religious figure? In my opinion, experiences in one's life are what allows someone to make decisions and permit someone to know what is right verses what is wrong. Regarding religion, two people's decisions and their perspectives on wrong verses right can be completely diverse. Yet, it all leads back to control: are those who say that they are religious people actually religious for the "right" reasons, or do they just believe in the facts that they hear from their parents and friends?
ReplyDeletei think that Pi is absolutely going through an identity crisis. I think that he is constantly searching for something new in his life as i have said before. he has a tendency of not liking the person that he is and wanting to change. i don't really understand why he can't just be content with who he is. I keep going back to changing his name but i can't help it haha but seriously i honestly think that he does not like the way that he is and that is why he is constantly searching for a higher being and trying to improve himself in total because he is searching for a better version of himself that he has the potential to be.... if that makes any sense at all :)
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a very interesting topic. First of all, in my opinion, mixing religions is always a good thing. I don't think there there is anything wrong with it whatsoever. New religions have to start some sort of way, and one way that it can happen is through mixing pre-existing religions together. Religions are only sets of guidelines created by certain people to express a sense of spirituality and devotion. The question here is, who creates a religion? I think anybody can, including Pi. If Pi chooses to believe some parts of one religion, but other parts of another religion, that is perfectly acceptable. Religion and faith are definitely personal opinions, personal choices. Nobody can judge what Pi believes. However, I do not think he can call himself a Christian, Muslim, or Hindu if he only believes certain aspects of these religions. In order to be devoted to one religion, one must follow all the guidelines set by that religion. However, Pi is religious - religious and faithful to his own religion.
ReplyDelete