Questions to Hindus — Part 1
I am an agnostic leaning heavily on faith.
I have been praying to the Hindu Gods for years trying my best not to miss one single day.
The reason I started praying was I thought that there was a 50–50 chance God(s) exist, and I wanted to take the chance that God(s) exist and want to help, or at least listen.
It took years but I started seeing remarkable positive changes in me, and my life.
But I am still not sure if God(s) exist.
It could be God(s) are helping me.
Or it could be my subconscious.
It could also be pure coincidence.
But I don’t think we should be so unwavering in our faith that we develop prejudice toward opposing views.
Blind faith is the worst form of faith. You are disrespecting the most precious gift you ever received — your intellect.
And that goes for confidence in ourselves too.
I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn’t wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine. — Bertrand Russell
I’m asking this question publicly not to try to defame the religion in any way but because I am curious.
And a convincing answer will strengthen my faith.
Here’s where Bhagavad Gita, one and probably the most important scripture in Hinduism defies my logic:
BG 7.26: O Arjun, I know of past, present, and future, and I also know all living beings; but Me no one knows. (Source: https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/7/verse/26)
So here’s the problem:
Hinduism says God is omniscient, at least to my limited knowledge.
And this is not just with Hinduism, I think there are other religions too that believe in an all-knowing God.
But what about free will?
How much control do you have over your actions if fate exists?
If God(s) (or anyone or anything else for that matter) knows what we are going to do in the next moment, aren’t we like a programmed robot or a puppet who can’t choose our future?
And how much responsibility do we have for our actions if it was all fated to be?
If we didn’t, don’t, and will not have an option except to follow a script God or fate or someone/something else wrote, how can we be held responsible for our actions?
What’s the point of rewards or punishment if our words, thoughts, or actions were never in our control?
And if we have no control over ourselves or our fate, how can we implement the advice of anyone including God(s) for a better life, or after-life?
Thanks for reading, and I’d appreciate your comments.
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