Proselytization to Revelation
About one of the secrets of good conversation that was stumbled upon while thinking about religions and practices
To proselytize (third-person singular simple present proselytizes, present participle proselytizing, simple past and past participle proselytized)(intransitive) To encourage or induce people to join a religious movement, political party, or other cause or organization. 1909, Ralph Connor, The Foreigner, ch. 14: "I am not sent here to proselytize. My church is not in that business." (transitive) To convert (someone) to one’s own faith or beliefs. 2001, Douglas Waller, "A Terror Threat From The South," Time, 10 Dec.: Counterterrorism officials believe bin Laden has set up cells to proselytize the large Middle East expatriate population living in the area.
Inference:
Thus, one of the meanings of the word can be interpreted as – “The act of or attempt to propagate or instigate faith or belief in a specific or into a different stream, destination, ideal, purpose or thought! “
Vindication
Firstly, the above inference can be a mistaken one as it is wholly and solely one connotation that I could glean from the Dictionary’s deep explanation of the term. Secondly, there are two sides to any coin and just like the proverbial penny this argument will be spoken of presenting the two faces, viz. the positive aspect and the negative facet of religious proselytization. Thirdly, and very importantly, do not read further unless you have a tremendous amount of patience! Believe me, no hard feelings and no harm done! Fourthly, and most importantly, the following essay is no reflection on any religion or train of thought and it doesn’t speak wrong of any said religion.
It is given that in speaking about or “spreading the message” about their respective beliefs and practices, Evangelists promote Christianity, Rabbis spread the Jewish religion, Imams in Madrassas sustain the ideals of Islam, etc. With this thought in mind, it can be said, loosely to some, that the uppermost echelons of any religion are delving into the act or attempt of either purposefully or accidentally (subconsciously) proselytizing those listening to them!
Now, speaking more about the aforementioned topic is a very delicate process, simply because “untoeing” the line would mean committing the crime of judgement or in serious cases, perjury. Thus, without risking causing religious or, in some cases, religio-political insult to anyone, I shall endeavour to go as far away from that subtle topic and shall talk about the positives and the negatives that are either created or substantiated among followers.
The positives
The ideals of peace, harmony, non-violence and generally socially accepted virtues are proliferated through the spread of thoughts of the said values, anon. Taoism, Buddhism and other such primarily East Asian religious schools of thought (again, here, I am probably wrong again!) speak mainly of the benefits of harmony, non-violence and a peaceful life with oneself and the Universe (so to speak!), climaxing diagrammatically into the concept behind Laozi’s Taijitu.
The negatives
Doomsday cults, Satanic Churches (only the ones mirroring the non-destructive ideals of modern Christianity), etc. are some of the institutions initiating negative thought towards err... humanity and the Earth, to put forth simply and lamely! The Aum cult of Japan, spearheaded by the electronically-brainwashing “Guru of Initiation” Asahara, in March, 2005, set of a shockwave of terror in Tokyo City by causing multiple incidents of Sarin Gas poisoning at various locations, on the trains of the city’s railway line. And as the global population is at its booming continuum, more people get to know more about more such negative acts that are caused more frequently worldwide!
The line
In the biggest picture possible, my belief is that of normal, natural harmony (read: the Taijitu, which is the ubiquitous diagram of the Yin-Yang duality) which explains the +s and the –s of the world and soothes me, weirdly enough, to know that as chaos arises everywhere, so arise the chances of underlying order everywhere. As people know, I firmly believe in the Chaos or Complexity Theory! I profess my ignorance of this unending conjecture but still am, one might say, insolent, in my belief. But like Lord J.M. Keynes’ argument to long-run business cycle employment harmony – “In the long-run, we are all dead!”
Question
Do hardcore determinists have the most peaceful mental times on Earth because of inherent certainty in the linkages of events? Thus, in their minds, post-incidentally, are they comforted with the thought that whatever has happened had to? And that whatever will happen, once done, would have had to?
The Revelation: Why Freakonomics and such are successful!
A conversational topic being spoken uni-, bi- or multi-directionally must make vivid sense – given! But additionally, the quality of a conversational topic is directly proportional to the levels of sense it penetrates! That is, it must make subconscious sense as well, wherever possible.
The example
This was a revelation while the essay was being written. The essay is subconsciously proselytizing the reader towards the depth of the word “Proselytize”. Thus, without meaning any insult or having any manipulative motives, the current article hid the process of proselytization using proselytization itself as the topic of conversation! The article also hopefully fulfils the second pre-requisite
Now, take Freakonomics , where Levitt and Dubner, the rogue economist and the different journalist come together and unravel the most astonishing of, seemingly improbable, correlations between two phenomena! I mean seriously – “What’s common between Schoolteachers and Sumo wrestlers?” You have to throw your hands up at the brilliance of using raw data to reveal such relationships!
This is my attempt at understanding what makes anything, anyone successful?
With myriad examples that are boundless in depth and width, data seems to prove that movies, books, art, science et al that are successful have certain repetitive characteristics like:
· A different core idea
· Simplicity
· Candour
· Thought-provoking
· Revealing
Of the aforementioned attributes, the last one is of vital importance! Whatever message that is being conveyed should have some sort of unthinkable correlation that is backed by a mountain load of data simply to make the reader or viewer go, “Holy Sh*t!” Other responses include: Is that true? ; Why didn’t I think of that? ; Now, come to think of it, it’s as if it was kinda obvious but I wanted to know it for sure, subconsciously!
The Apology
This is my apology to those who have been patient and kind to the extent that is unimaginably hearty by usual standards! I call it my apology in case this essay hasn’t interested, poked at, or in some rather unusual cases, irritated! I completely understand that this composition is a lot of “I believe”(s) that are unfounded and are merely opinions!
In an act of penitence, I invite whomsoever has read - or not - this work (again, baseless though it may seem) to please enlighten the topic further!
