Category: philosophy/religion topics
Today is Silence Day. Meher Baba went silent on this day in 1925 until his death in 1969. His followers observe a 24-hour verbal silence on this day.
If you believe in God, what do you think about observing an anual 24-hour verbal silence? Do you think it would enable you to develop a better relationship with God? Do you think God would communicate with you during the silence?
In the Community that I live when it comes to
meetings like City Council there has for the longest while
been at the beginning of each meeting a time when a
Minister/Reverend of the Community would be asked
to give a prayer.
Some persons of the Community gave complaint due to
usually the one called to give the prayer was of the faith
considered Christian {Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.}
and why not have Ministers/Reverends of all major world faiths
called upon?
Then too some gave the complaint that there should be no prayer
offered as there should be the "separation of church & state" or if
there was to be a time of prayer then it should be more so along the lines
of pausing for "A Moment of Silence."
Well, with a new Council on board they chose to have besides the
regular prayer offered to now have The Moment of Silence added.
These moments combined are all just before saying
The Pledge to the American flag with afterwards the start of
the Council meeting for the week.
I too, am annoyed at groups and organisations that feel it's necessary to have prayers before their meetings, particularly outwardly Christian ones. I feel uncomfortable in those situations and would prefer either a general prayer of some kind, a moment of silence where we could pray to our chosen deities, or lack their of for those who are atheists, or just eliminate it entirely. This is, after all, a town/political meeting, not a church service. As for a day of silence, I don't think I personally could do that, given my character, but I do think that getting away from things for awhile and focussing more on the world around me and on myself as an inward reflection could bring me closer to The Gods.
I am thinking of trying it one day.
So in a modern universe would Silence day mean unplugged / disconnected phones, no Twitter, no Facebook, no Skype? The practicalities of such a day would make it something you'd have to plan for, especially the lot of us who are responsible for dependents.
It would make it more challenging, and therefore a greater achievement.