Sunday, May 22, 2022

Parables of The Day 1

Chapter 1. 

 'The Blind Men & the Sun'

A large conglomeration of blind men sat by the sea as the Sun set behind them. There were 4 speakers, each with a clear objective. Define the Sun and its light. Three of them had piled a huge bundle of papers, written in braille, next to them, while the fourth sat by himself, unmindful of the snarky comments coming from the crowd. If any of them succeeded to convince this whole lot about what the Sun and its light was, they would have followers and build a group of believers. Each of them was raring to go.  

The first, began his argument.

“I belong to the Green Sun Cult. Our scriptures are clear. The Sun is a green, elongated tube-like structure and rises in the south. Its light carries water and enters our bodies through our skin. If we stand on our head in prayer, we can feel the heat sear through our head, it resonates on our feet and Sun is happy and blesses us. All of this is written here in the ancient scriptures.” Saying this he distributed the papers to the crowd.

Many agreed with him and nodded.

One young man stood up and shouted, “Hail the Green Sun, its blessing be on us!”

Another man stood up to reaffirm, “Yes, my grandfather said very clearly, the Sun blesses those that stand on their head.”

“Liar! Your grandfather died before you were even born!”, another shouted from the crowd.


The Second man stood up to speak, requesting all to calm down.

“Brothers, I stand for the Blue Disk Group, I have our prophet’s writings, it is clear, the sun is a flat blue disk that moves from west to the east. Its glorious power is generated by its rising, and it is forbidden to venture when he is risen, the universe awakens when it sets. Only when the Blue Disk has set, that life is possible. Our prophet came from the heart of this blue disk to give us this message, that nothing else is true except his message. All others who tell you otherwise are liars and must be exterminated”

“Yes! Yes! He is right. I was burnt by the Sun when I ventured out during its rising.” As people read through the braille papers, some nod, others wonder.

“Hail the Prophet that he rests on the blue disk. Asking for our deliverance with the blue disk.”

 

The third man screamed aloud.

“All of this is lies!”

The Sun is round, and its light travels with the speed of D, which is the slowest speed in the universe. I have written an equation that defines the sunlight!”

“Man! Who are you?” Someone screamed out aloud.

“I follow science, I follow logic, I follow only data!”

“And your equation is?”

“Em = D4”

“What the hell does it mean?”

“Where E stands for all matter, m stands for the heat and D is the speed of sunlight which is the slowest speed in the world.”

“Man is this guy for real?”

 

“Does the fourth one, have anything to say?”

The fourth one answered without getting up.

“I have nothing to say.”

“Then why have you come here?”

“I have nothing to say, because I am an atheist.”

“What is that?”

“I don’t believe there is any Sun or any Sunlight! It is all an agenda to pinch our money. These guys are using their philosophy to misguide us. Use us.”

There was chaos in the crowd. Some ran to beat him up.

Finally, the crowd divided into 4 groups.

 

Large numbers joined the Green Sun Cult, and stood on their heads, another large group joined the Blue Disk Group, and prayed towards the west, a small number collected with the scientist and a few with the Atheist. 

 

The Leader of the Green Sun Cult, was categorical, 

"All our work is for the upliftment of the entire blind-kind! Once they realise the importance of the Green Sun and his benevolence, they will find eternal happiness!"

 

The Leader of the Blue Disk Group was unequivocal, 

"Only love and peace stated in our Prophet's writing can save the blind world. It will enlighten them and give them eternal peace."

 

The Scientist was definite,

"The data is absolute. The Sun is just a sphere, and its light is the slowest in the universe. Only the truth can set the Blind kind free!"

One young man shouted from the crowd. 

"But another study says that Sunlight is the fastest thing in the universe."

"Who sponsored that study?"

"Someone from the Green Sun Cult.", replied the questioner rather embarrassed.

"Throw that study away," said the 'wise' scientist, "That study is false and has an agenda. It is not a scientific one."

 

The Atheist with the smallest group, clarified to his followers,

"These people are fooling everyone with their ideas. No one is talking about things that matter, social issues, water, hunger, none is bothered about it. Once they realize the truth behind these agendas, they will truly be free."

Someone suggested,

 "We can try and align ourselves to the Scientist's group, at the end it is not deifying anything, just objectifying it. It’s close to our line of thought."

The Atheist was excited by the idea,

“Anything for the betterment of the blind-kind.”

 

Each group collected an entry fee from their followers, as funds to run the group.

 

One blind man opened one of his eyes and withdrew some money from the pot being handed around. The man collecting the funds realized the theft and opened one of his eyes and glared at the thief, both looked at each other, each with just one eye open and smiled, whispering, and winking at one another,

“We can share the booty later!” 

"But keep your eyes closed, never know who’s watching." 

"Of course!"

 

In a while, all the groups intoxicated by their concepts of the 'Sun' God, became like street gangs, ready to kill one another, to prove their individual definitions of the Sun and its light as the only absolute and indisputable ones, while the pretentious ‘blind’ ones amongst them egged the violence on and laughed on the side.

 

A mad writer of Parables stood by the sea and shouted out at the Sun,

“Are you going to keep quiet or are you going to do something about these frauds, who claim to represent you?”

 

Lao Tzu, a Taoist monk, the only one with eyes that could see, unmoved by any of the pandemonium happening around, just enjoyed every moment of the beautiful, Red Sun as it sank into the horizon, while waves of the sea lashed onto the rocks beside him.

 

 

­­­­ ---

Coming Soon

The Gardner and the Angel’s Trumpet

The Ordinary Man in a boat

The Lady Statue and the child

The Bicycle ‘Handle’

Death and the Billionaire

The Bees & the Farmer

 

 

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