"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." This is what Jesus told Pharisees and Herodia (who were sent to trap him) when he was asked about paying taxes to Ceaser. What an apt response and how crystal clear was the reply!
You might wonder why I am writing this here. It is about the recent media hype on late Mathai Chacko. Pinarayi’s violent reaction on the Bishop’s statement looked pathetic. Can Pinarayi ever decide who loses or gain faith in their own religion? Has he taken over the minds of his communist flock? Is he God to read the minds of his cronies? If Mr. Chacko did have faith can Pinarayi do anything to change it. Why was Pinarayi so shocked and agitated?
On the other side why did the Bishop drag poor Mathai Chacko to the center of this controversy? If Mathai lost his faith who is to blame for this? The religious institutions cannot wash their hands and stand by claiming to have no part to play. If it was in response to the statement from the Communist Leaders, then it was totally un-called for.
Religion is something personal and it is between you and the Almighty. And the Almighty sees only your heart, he is not bothered with the flags that you wave down on this earth. Even if one takes the last rites or not, it is after all your own heart that communicates with the Almighty. As Nikesh of India Vision commented, it is not the job of a Bishop to reply in the same coin to the politicians. Their job is only to look after the spiritual health of their sheep and if you have done right, they will for sure choose the right path. And if you want to bring them back to your fold, please choose the right means.
But then.. it is again dirty politics.. and sadly even the Church seems to love all the attention. Or are they diverting the attention from other glaring truths? Maybe the Sister Abhaya Case?
Random Thoughts, Ramblings.....
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Tales From Mouse Ward
Since many of you are working in the IT sector, thought I shall share this article.. if you havent read it already. I know it is stale news.. but still...some needs reminders!
Tales From Mouse Ward
Urban Indians are paying with their health the price of being in computer-intensive jobs
Nothing about Vijaykumar’s daily schedule suggested any kind of health risk. For a young man, still pushing 33, he seemed to have an impeccably balanced lifestyle. He woke in the morning to drive to the Bangalore offices of IT major Cisco, where he worked as a programmer. He spent eight or nine hours at his computer, steadily tapping out code. His was a serious workday, but not an oppressive one, compared to the 14-hour shifts call centre workers clocked in over on Bannerghata Road. When he had time, he swam a few laps in the pool, and headed home to spend time with his family.
In 2003, however, something changed.
"It was a numbness in the hand," he recalls. "Then a cold sensation from my shoulder to my palm, and sometimes my hand became paralysed." We’re all getting older, he thought, gritting his teeth, and this must be the beginning of the inevitable wear-and-tear. And so he swam more to stay limber, tried yoga, ointments and pranayam to ease the pain. He relaxed his pace of work, moved the mouse from his right hand to his left. But that only shifted the pain to different places. The orthopaedist he consulted told him not much else could be done.
The condition progressed. A year ago, Vijaykumar stopped driving his car. Then he discovered he could not lift his kids—one and three years old—and carry them in his arms. "Five months ago, people started telling me I looked thin and worn out," says Vijaykumar. "And I realised I was living with a lot of pain, and barely sleeping at night.
So, I had to take indefinite leave, and hoped the problem would die down." It wasn’t till he was home one afternoon, browsing the web, that he came across a website that described his symptoms perfectly, and he realised it was his computer doing the damage all along.
...It afflicts even those who are young, fit, starting their first computer-dependent job. Average age: 27.
In the computer-intensive sectors of the Indian economy, bad ergonomics and work habits are more the rule than the exception. Businesses operate out of rented spaces, pre-equipped with shoddily designed desks and flimsy chairs. Hands, elbows and torsos lock in crooked formations between monitors, keyboards and mouses. The glaring screens look like they were installed to kill flies.
Tales From Mouse Ward
Urban Indians are paying with their health the price of being in computer-intensive jobs
Nothing about Vijaykumar’s daily schedule suggested any kind of health risk. For a young man, still pushing 33, he seemed to have an impeccably balanced lifestyle. He woke in the morning to drive to the Bangalore offices of IT major Cisco, where he worked as a programmer. He spent eight or nine hours at his computer, steadily tapping out code. His was a serious workday, but not an oppressive one, compared to the 14-hour shifts call centre workers clocked in over on Bannerghata Road. When he had time, he swam a few laps in the pool, and headed home to spend time with his family.
In 2003, however, something changed.
"It was a numbness in the hand," he recalls. "Then a cold sensation from my shoulder to my palm, and sometimes my hand became paralysed." We’re all getting older, he thought, gritting his teeth, and this must be the beginning of the inevitable wear-and-tear. And so he swam more to stay limber, tried yoga, ointments and pranayam to ease the pain. He relaxed his pace of work, moved the mouse from his right hand to his left. But that only shifted the pain to different places. The orthopaedist he consulted told him not much else could be done.
The condition progressed. A year ago, Vijaykumar stopped driving his car. Then he discovered he could not lift his kids—one and three years old—and carry them in his arms. "Five months ago, people started telling me I looked thin and worn out," says Vijaykumar. "And I realised I was living with a lot of pain, and barely sleeping at night.
So, I had to take indefinite leave, and hoped the problem would die down." It wasn’t till he was home one afternoon, browsing the web, that he came across a website that described his symptoms perfectly, and he realised it was his computer doing the damage all along.
...It afflicts even those who are young, fit, starting their first computer-dependent job. Average age: 27.
In the computer-intensive sectors of the Indian economy, bad ergonomics and work habits are more the rule than the exception. Businesses operate out of rented spaces, pre-equipped with shoddily designed desks and flimsy chairs. Hands, elbows and torsos lock in crooked formations between monitors, keyboards and mouses. The glaring screens look like they were installed to kill flies.
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