Oh My God - The Nature of Divine Faultlines

Author: Shashi S Sharma
Publisher: Rupa
Year: 2002
Language: English
Pages: 382
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8171677452

Description

This book argues that the Indian conception of godhood, where every man can have his own god, may ultimately prove to be a harbinger of a harmonious perspective to resolve spiritual controversies.

Religious assertions about the nature of 'God' and its relationship with man have emerged in a variety of linguistic and metaphysical forms in human societies. Every society has reasons to consider its own idea of god as fairly adequate and noble. This book tries to look at the ideological basis of religious statements to find their relevance and validity. Any insistence on supradenominational validity of a particularistic religious idea requires to be questioned.

The author undertakes a critical examination of the validity of religious claims regarding the exclusive truthfulness of an idea of the divine in suppression of every other idea. A comparative study of the idea of 'God' in the Judaic and Indian traditions have been forcefully used to underline the fact that mankind has described God in myriad forms over the past millennia. To put a spiritual presence in a theological straitjacket, therefore, would lead to religious narcissism and strife.

The book argues that the Indian conception of godhood, where every man can have his own god, may ultimately prove to be a harbinger of a harmonious perspective to resolve spiritual controversies.

Contents

Acknowledgement
Introduction

Religare
Dharma
Close Encounter With The West
I Your Lord Am One
The Living God
To You Your God--To Me Mine
God is in the Mirror of My Heart
Ekoham Bahusyam
The Cosmic Emanation
Yo Vai Visnuh Sa Vai Rudro
Hai Hari Bas Kuch Aisa: God is what it is

Notes
Table of Transliteration