Remembered Event - Personal Statement Example

Remembered Event My family moved to the United s from India when I was a child. Following that life-altering event, my life has been spent living within the realm of two cultures, the one of my parents and the one of my friends. It is difficult for me to imagine what life would be like without this experience. I remember the cultural differences between the peoples of the two nations were surprising when we first moved here but quickly learned to assimilate into American society. In many ways, this experience shaped my personality. Of the most astonishing realizations was that a seeming majority of Americans are intolerant and ignorant of religions other than Christianity. In India, practically all are Hindu but most are not inclined to reject the concept that others can follow different spiritual paths yet reach the same goal, at least to near the same degree. This led me to examine the predominant religion of this new culture, an event which shaped my overall philosophy on life. I bought a Bible, took it home and read it in my room with the door closed. Had they known, my parents likely would have only been pleased that I was expanding my knowledge by exploring differing philosophies, such as the Bible. However, that may have bordered on wishful thinking and I did not want to endure the dramatic scene that would have ensued had they not been as open-minded as I hoped. What fascinated me the most were the first four books of the New Testament. I found the words of Christ simple, to the point and ultimately a path to inner contentment. I have also read other philosophical and religious books and found they do not contradict, in fact they support the tenets found both in the Bible and Bhagavadgiitaa. All books of philosophical content are written as a guideline to happiness. Isn’t an individual’s philosophy of life meant to provide meaning, purpose and a road to inner peace and happiness? This must be part of the answer to the question of why people from vastly differing backgrounds develop a somewhat similar philosophy of life. The Bible, specifically the words of Christ, had an effect on me unlike no other religion or philosophy I had explored. Maybe I read it at an impressionable age or I was old enough to comprehend the material, regardless, the roots of my viewpoint today began with the Bible. The words of Christ allowed me to develop a new viewpoint which teaches the path to real happiness. In my case, this involves thinking in ways that bolster my self respect, what makes me proud of me. Others, of course, have different views on what makes them happy such as ‘if I make more money, I’d be higher on the social ladder’ or ‘if I had more control over my life, I’d be happy then.’ These are goals, yes, but not a sound philosophy. However, I do not consider myself Christian, far from it. The institution of Christianity, the ‘Church’ teaches that ‘we are the right path to God’ therefore no other belief system is valid. My interpretation of Christ’s words leads me to believe division such as this is ultimately destructive for the individual and society. Rather, I concluded that inclusion and finding the similarities help bind us all together. The words of the Bible contradicted the Christian culture. It wasn’t that the message was different than any one of many other religious texts; the recipients did not absorb it. Maybe the difference is that the capitalistic need is stronger than the spiritual need. Monetary gain, social status and educational excellence dominate almost every social interaction and individual contemplation in the U.S. This is very different from India. Material wealth seems to be what consumes many people’s thoughts and dreams while other concerns such as integrity, compassion and open-mindedness are somewhat less important. I believe that these qualities are the very matters that produce happiness thus improving my quality of life as well as others that I come in contact with. Inner peace involves being able to examine your position on a topic and questioning why you think a certain way. This leads to questioning and modifying core beliefs, a sign of growth which is an important facet of my personal philosophy. Spiritual and intellectual growth drives all aspects of living and interrelating with other people which is another important feature of life. How we interact and affect other souls, to me, gives the greatest reward. Giving people something that they all too often do not receive, respect and unbiased understanding, gives me a self-gratification that cannot be matched. Whether or not the end result is for the common good or for selfish reasons, a philosophy of life follows in the way of what we believe we need to be happy, a selfish act in itself. The external force of a mysterious, ancient book set in motion a completely different concept of life and living that will continue all of my life. These realizations all emanated from the words of Christ. It is ironic, and to my parents perplexing, that reading the Bible crafted my personal philosophy. My religion became one of my own making and continues to evolve as new experiences bring new knowledge. It is a combination of differing religions, philosophies, and ideologies assimilated through personal introspection. It seems so simple to me and so complex to others. Of course this philosophy is just that, not something I actually follow under any circumstance every day of the week. My ideals far exceed my actions as my philosophy of life involves perpetual change by constantly pursuing spiritual growth and new sources of knowledge. Lethargy has kept me from attaining my potential in every aspect of my life but intentions count for something, right? Probably not. However, my philosophy for life includes the capacity to forgive my own human frailties and hopefully others will as well. This, I believe is the most important lesson for humankind to learn, to forgive. If a person practices this art, and it does take a concerted effort, then the rest of the lessons taught in varied philosophical literature are easier to put into everyday practice. To forgive a person for a perceived wrong they have committed against you is, I believe, the hardest thing for a person to do. By doing this, a person cleanses themselves of hateful feelings and if they can do that, qualities such as tolerance and compassion are easier to grasp. Why would trying to be compassionate and open-minded to other’s beliefs make a person happy enough to make these things a part of their philosophy of life and qualities to be attained? I really have no earthly idea, I just know it does and it makes sense to me, in my life, to follow this direction. This philosophy I have chosen opens up wide doors to science, cultures and religions and ideas that are closed to others. Many people are locked into a certain religious point of view and are definitely anti this and pro that because they were told to think that way and refuse to challenge their own beliefs. This limits their knowledge which narrows their ability to understand and appreciate people of other cultures, beliefs and ethnicities. Could this self limitation possibly be healthy for not only themselves but society as a whole? I submit that a philosophy of life includes the respect for all other people’s life. As I alluded to before, I am not Christian nor do I affiliate myself with any religion or religious belief. Such an affiliation would lead me to build walls between my point of view and others, not the least of which would be my parents. Striving to learn a new culture and religion in a new land led me to my most remembered event, picking up the Bible. . Read More