GEK1045: “Introduction to World Religions”

Semester 1 AY2009/10

Term Paper COVER PAGE

Name: KANG BO HAN ABRAHAM

Matric Number: U0900023J

Tutor’s Name: Adrina (sorry I have no idea how to spell her name)

Tutorial Time: Thursdays, 2-4pm

Question Attempted: “Pain is necessary for the meaningful fulfilment of religious

obligations.” Do you agree? Discuss this question by using at least TWO of the religions we

are studying as examples.

What is pain?

Religion is today is often propagated with the exclusion of suffering, discomfort and pain, but

is that really what religiosity is? Or are these so called negative emotion an integral part of

religions in general? This is what will be discussed in this article.

There are many definitions of pain out there, but for the sake of this article, we will be

defining pain as a feeling of marked discomfort.1 ["pain." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of

Current English. 2009.Encyclopedia.com. 14 Sep. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>]

Pain comes not simply in the form of extreme torture but also from mild discomforts in

various forms of self denial. In order for pain to be subjugated by mankind, we must first be

able to associate pain to our personal religious convictions and obligations; this humanizes

pain, and makes it bearable, if not only for a “higher cause”. As such, the role that pain plays

in religion is very important. The idea of martyrdom and righteousness are symbolic of pain.

With pain comes discomfort, with discomfort, suffering, and with suffering, a sense of

fulfilment. This is the essence of our religious obligations. For Islam2 [The Significance of

fasting by Ramadan Oasis (2005)http://www.islamweb.net/eramadan2005/The

%20Significance%20of%20Fasting.htm> ] and Christianity3 [What is the Real Significance

of Fasting by Tony Warren (2001) <http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/bible/fast.html>], the

idea of denying oneself to draw near to God.

The meaning behind pain

Pain is something we all have to endure. Even Buddha himself claimed that life was

suffering4 [Pain & Suffering <http://buddhism.about.com/b/2008/04/27/pain-and-

suffering.htm>]. The idea was pain has been etched into almost all known world religions. It

isn’t something that is being denied, instead, it seems as if it is being embraced by religious

fervour. The idea that an omniscient deity has a greater purpose (Islam and Christianity), and

through suffering we are able to draw closer to the spiritual truths of that deity, is something

many people today can relate to, something many people today, strive for. So is it possible

for one to achieve meaning from any religious practice in the absence of pain? Or is pain too

deeply entrenched in each practice, to the point that without it, the action becomes pointless,

or insignificant?

Pain #1: Self Denial

Fasting is a practice commonly associated with Islam, however, we should not forget that

Judaism and Christianity also has numerous instances where fasting is mentioned as a

religious obligation. In Islam, fasting, or Swam, occurs mainly in the month of Ramadan,

where Muslims unite in their abstention from not just food and water, but also sexual

intercourse, of both the mind and body. This form of deprivation is to achieve 3 results,

namely, Shukra, Taqwaa and Takbhir5 [Objective of fasting

<http://www.parvez-video.com/insight/Islam/ramadan/index.asp>].

Shukra is the idea of being grateful, by depriving oneself of basic needs; it allows one to

empathise with the poor and needy, to exercise self restraint, Taqwaa, and calls for greater

social involvement where possible. Ultimately, the goal of fasting is Takbhir, the glorification

of Allah for His guidance during these “hard” times.

The hunger pangs that come with fasting makes one give a thought for the destitute that often

go for long periods with this exact same feeling. As such fasting provides an opportunity to

alleviate the distress of the poor, at least temporarily. Muslims also believe that fasting has

numerous health benefits, as it is a method of self purification, which must be accompanied

by sincere spiritual pursuits, a cleansing of both the body and the mind. The cutting off of

oneself from worldly comforts allows a Muslim to attain a sense of spiritual peace, knowing

that he is in devotion to Allah. He will also go through a humanization process especially

with the intense kinship experience he has with fellow fasting Muslims. Cleansing always

involves a certain degree of discomfort, and this is where pain comes into the picture. The

discomfort from the month long fasting is crucial to fulfilling a Muslim’s personal religious

obligations. The Ramadan fast is a spiritual discipline of commitment and reflection and to

align Muslims with the need and hunger in the world6 [PODCAST

<http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2009/ramadan/>]. What about self-denial

in Christianity? Do Christians practice this with the same goals in mind, or is there more to

their version of fasting?

The Christian perspective on fasting is not entirely different from the Muslim methodology.

In fact, they share some common goals. In both cases, believers abstain from nourishment

(although different Christians abstain from different foods at different times) and seek to

draw closer to God. For Christians, fasting does not necessarily mean not consuming

anything for an entire day like their Muslim counterparts. Instead, they can choose a specific

type of fast, depending on the specific goal they want to achieve. Some examples are spiritual

healing and deepening their relationship with God.

Ask any Christians today and most will not be able to account a time when they have fasted.

Fasting is not compulsory in the Church. It is a voluntary and an act of devotion to God, at a

time when it suits you the most, in other words, it is a personal choice. However, similar to

Ramadan, there is no doubt that discomfort is a major factor in fasting. The key difference

between Islam and Christianity in the area of fasting is that Islam teaches that fasting is a

duty, whereas Christianity teaches that it is a delight7[Why Don’t Christians fast the same as

Muslims <http://www.gotquestions.org/Christians-fast.html>].

Would fasting be the same if one was not subjected to the pain and discomfort that it entails?

I highly doubt so. Without the feeling of deprivation, the sense of reliance on God, then this

obligation would not be met, and self denial, would be in denial.

Pain #2: Floored Skin

Circumcision is widely practiced in Judaism and Islam. It is the rite of passage where a young

boy (8 days old for Jews and variable for Muslims) loses his foreskin in an operation that is

seen as a physical mark for God. What makes this operation so significant? In both cases,

there is a “legitimate” reason for circumcision. It is the “mark of the covanent”. In Judaism,

Jews believe that God himself gave Abraham a commandment, to circumcise all in his

camp8[New International Version Bible <Genesis 17:12-14>]. This leads many Jews to

believe that it is their religious obligation to obey this commandment, even to the present day.

Although the memory of pain that the young boy experiences is forgettable, he still feels it.

The act of cutting off the foreskin of the penis is more of a symbolic action of being “cut off”

from the rest of the world, to become a “special people”, chosen by God. Muslims also

believe in the Covanent with Abraham (although it is Ibrahim to them). However,

circumcision to them is more of a cultural (and more recently health) practice rather than a

religious one, as it is not commanded by Allah.

With the modernization of health science technology, circumcision procedures today are done

under local anaesthesia, taking away the element of pain. Does this take the significance

away from this notable practice? In biblical times, circumcision was carried out with the full

weight of pain on the men at that time, no anaesthesia, no herbs. The pain that young boy felt

and the physical mark it left on him was an outwardly reminder of his religious obligations.

Indeed, pain or no pain the mark will still be there.

Physically, the lack of pain still entitles the man to the promises of the covanent, but

spiritually, the link between him and God is inevitably missing, since he has not gone through

the experience that God had intended for his forefathers. The ritual of pain in this case is very

significant.

Pain #3: The Day I died

Martyrdom. The act of sacrificing one’s self for one’s faith. A martyr is defined as someone

who willing suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion9 [Definition of Martyr

<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/martyr>]. Martyrdom is often associated with the

“righteous wars” of any given religion, be it Hinduism10 [Martyrdom in Hinduism

<http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-02-37.html>] or even lesser known faiths such as

the Bahai Faith11 [Winters, Jonah (1997-09-19). "Conclusion: Dying for God: Martyrdom in

the Shii and Babi Religions. M.A. Thesis.”]. Pain from death. That is the key concept here.

These people who are subjecting themselves to death for the sake of their faith are truly

accepting pain in their lives. They are willing to suffer now (often under intense torture

circumstances) in order to attain their rewards for faithfulness in heaven. Islam promises

virgins, wine, wealth, young boys and even streams of purest water for martyrs of the faith12

[Islamic Heaven <http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/heaven.html>]. Christians too

share such a rich reward from God, who promises a great reward for anyone who suffers for

the name’s sake of Christ. Many figures central to the various faiths today are remembered

for the suffering they endured in their lives. Their obligation to their God outweighed any

worldly obligation, any pain they felt was temporary, to them suffering was needed for the

fulfilment of scriptures. What would martyrdom be without pain? Simple. It would be just

death.

Conclusion: Pain Vs Suffering

In conclusion, pain is indeed an integral part of religion. Many religious practices rely on the

fact that discomfort is often felt (some much more than others) throughout the duration of the

ritual. From fasting, to circumcision, and even martyrdom. All these practices would surely

lose their significance if the element of pain was removed. I hold a personal belief that unless

one feels pain for his faith, one is not a true convert. But I have a different view on suffering.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional13. Indeed, we will all be put through painful trials in

our lifetime. Buddha said life is suffering4, but I beg to differ, suffering is a mental and

physical response to the inevitable pain in our lives. We might not be able to escape pain, but

we can escape suffering, temporarily at least.

References:

1. "pain." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English.

2009.Encyclopedia.com. 14 Sep. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>

2. The Significance of fasting by Ramadan Oasis (2005)

<http://www.islamweb.net/eramadan2005/The%20Significance%20of

%20Fasting.htm>

3. What is the Real Significance of Fasting by Tony Warren (2001)

<http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/bible/fast.html>

4. Pain & Suffering <http://buddhism.about.com/b/2008/04/27/pain-and-suffering.htm>

5. Objective of fasting

<http://www.parvez-video.com/insight/Islam/ramadan/index.asp>

6. PODCAST < http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2009/ramadan/>

7. Why Don’t Christians fast the same as Muslims

<http://www.gotquestions.org/Christians-fast.html>

8. New International Version Bible <Genesis 17:12-14>

9. Definition of Martyr <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/martyr>

10. Martyrdom in Hinduism <http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-02-37.html>

11. Winters, Jonah (1997-09-19). "Conclusion: Dying for God: Martyrdom in the Shii

and Babi Religions. M.A. Thesis.”

12. Islamic Heaven <http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/heaven.html>