Thought for a Rainy Day

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"

                                                                        -Matthew 11:28-

I recently completed a trek across the mountains of Kashmir known as Markha Valley Trek. The trek was nearly 90km long with passes of 5200m above sea level. We walked for days carrying our bloody heavy backpacks through freezing cold and scorching heat.

Reaching a village where one can have a simple cup of water to quench our paper-dry throats and a place to rest our weary legs is like finding an oasis in the wilderness, a temporary respite from the sufferings of the trail.

The extreme relief and gratefulness one feels upon given rest after being weary and burdened is indescribable. It is tantamount to........ I don't know, nothing? Words can't describe the feeling. One just feels at peace, sheltered and safe albeit only for a moment. 

Here is a fascinating thought though:

Is finding religion similar to being given rest when one is weary and burdened?

With all the sins and evil in the world, an unbeliever stumbles upon religion and finds peace and serenity. He is at peace knowing there is some higher power at work and there is a better place somewhere when all is done. So he prays with a joyful heart and worship fervently.

Or, is religion more of a blind leap of faith?

We do what we are told because some ancient man told us many thousand years ago to do this and to that. Hence, we robotically do what ever we are told, blindly but with faith that we are doing the right thing. We feel no joy, no tranquility, no nothing. The only thing we feel is perhaps a small sense of achievement at fulfilling our responsibility. 

Or, is religion some horse-crap after all?

Just an excuse for wars and genocides. Something created to divide mankind and to allow them fight one another.

The answer? I don't know. You tell me....