Post by But Seriously on Jul 18, 2009 12:17:36 GMT -6
I have been reading numerous posts here by certains persons who shall not be named (to protect the innocent 
) blathering on in these topics about the great pain and difficulty of doing japa, puja, kirtana, etc., etc.
Well, for some people, those activities are actually fun. And to those people, the attitude towards them that they are some sort of austerity undoubtedly seems weird. It raises the question about the people who think that way and speak about it in those tones - is there something wrong with them? Maybe so. Maybe it is not those activities that are difficult but difficult people trying to engage in those activities on a regular basis.
It would appear that there are legions of folks out there who took to the path of bhakti, yet it was never actually fun for them. Why would people do things that are not any fun, when they could be doing other things that are fun? Just because of some promised reward? OK then. Is that what it is? Is it like taking a spoonful of bitter medicine because it was prescribed by a licensed medical doctor that one trusts to make one all better?
At least for the people for whom those activities are fun, there is no other external cause necessary to motivate them to carry the same on over time on a regular basis.
) blathering on in these topics about the great pain and difficulty of doing japa, puja, kirtana, etc., etc.Well, for some people, those activities are actually fun. And to those people, the attitude towards them that they are some sort of austerity undoubtedly seems weird. It raises the question about the people who think that way and speak about it in those tones - is there something wrong with them? Maybe so. Maybe it is not those activities that are difficult but difficult people trying to engage in those activities on a regular basis.
It would appear that there are legions of folks out there who took to the path of bhakti, yet it was never actually fun for them. Why would people do things that are not any fun, when they could be doing other things that are fun? Just because of some promised reward? OK then. Is that what it is? Is it like taking a spoonful of bitter medicine because it was prescribed by a licensed medical doctor that one trusts to make one all better?
At least for the people for whom those activities are fun, there is no other external cause necessary to motivate them to carry the same on over time on a regular basis.