Looking For Howard Roark

I have no problem with religion as long as it does not encroach upon the right to not believe and yet be accepted as perfectly normal and not branded as a communist (or whatever). But there is one question which has intrigued me time and again.


Why is it that we believe in God?

I have a few theories as to why. These theories, as in most cases, with almost all of the beliefs that I have on every conceivable thing on earth is borne out of books I have read, articles I have come across and most importantly the fruition of many ‘adda’s that I have had with friends.

Theory 1: Lack of Confidence

It goes like this. We are all basically mentally very weak. The fact, that we are incapable of handling defeat or adversity on our own, the very unwillingness to admit that our success or failure may be due to our incapacities or due to a combination of various factors which by simple probabilistic calculation can occur and is no exception leads us to assume that there exists someone out there who is controlling everything.

And I fail to understand it.

Many a time I have heard people say “Its destiny”. I, for one, would like to believe that man makes his own destiny. To me it’s a simple case; there are ‘n’ number of persons in this world. And they are vying for ‘x’ number of things where x is always way smaller than ‘n’. So isn’t it obvious that for majority of the times a lot many people will be deprived of things they want?

Now, the question is who or what decides which amongst those would be the chosen ones. Ability. And a variety of other factors which are completely unconnected to one another. (Now, if 'that' is called GOD then I have no problem) If we were to fail in our endeavours, we would tend to turn a blind eye on ourselves and try to find a scapegoat, an entity whom we can blame.

We do not have the confidence in our abilities or in our rational minds to comprehend and more importantly accept that we have not succeeded. That GOD has nothing to do with it. That it just did not happen. Like many other things which have not and like many others which will not.


Theory 2: Lack of Guts

It takes a lot of courage to believe that I am responsible for my actions. And whatever is bequeathed upon me is due to my own actions or inactions. I depend on no one, certainly not GOD and if I were to succeed the plaudits should entirely be mine and if I were to fail the reasons should only be attributed to me. Or an acceptance that on that day and time someone else was a shade better than me.

I am yet to see such a person. Apparently, communists are atheists. If that is the case, I would like to meet one. Communists by definition are neither atheists nor socialists, they are opportunists.

But would it not be wonderful to know that there exists someone like that?


Theory 3: Upbringing

This has possibly the most prolific effect on us. From the very day we are in our senses we are taught to pray, taught to believe that for anything that we intend to do it is essential to ask for HIS blessings and that whatever happens HE is there.

The mind at that young an age does not have the power to reason and for many intricate and sensitive incidents of lost toys, injured egos, hurt feelings we turn towards HIM. That is the begining. And from then on, it moves in only one direction. Before any major examination, before proposing to a girl, before the first job interview, after the dream job - everywhere HE is supposed to answer.


Shall we ever realize that if we play to our full potential and always believe that the intrinsic ability of man is far more powerful than any single entity, we can create something which might, just might be better than the best HE is supposed to have created?

Shall we ever find a Howard Roark?