Does He Know a Mother's Heart: How Suffering Refutes Religions by Arun Shourie

Does He Know a Mother's Heart: How Suffering Refutes Religions Reviews

• 
  Vibina Venugopal

  Does god exists? If yes, does he care..This book is to anyone who has confronted with this question in life..Its an all personal quest of spiritual exploration of Arun Shourie ...The following excerpt is going to be long but its well done..This book is to all who have confronted with the omnipresence of god and his way of trialing mortal souls like us ...
  "Your neighbous have ason.. he is now thirty-five year old..Going by his age you would think of him as a young man , and ,on meeting his mother or father ,would ask,almost out of habit, 'And what does the young man do?' That expression,'young man',doesn't sot well as he is but a child.He cannot walk ,Indeed, he cannot stand. He cannot use his right arm. He can see only his left. His hearing is sharp, as his memory. But he speaks only syllable by syllable...The father shouts at him.. He curses him:'You are the one who brought misery into our home... We know no trouble till you came.Look at you-weak,dependent,drooling ,good for nothing..' Nor does the father stop at shouting at the child, at pouring abuse at him, at cursing the child. He beats him.He thrashes him black and blue..As others in the family try to save the child from the father's rage, he leaps at them.Curses them, hits out at them.What would you think about the damned father? Wouldn't you report him to police or some such authority that can lock him up?Wouldn't you try everything you can to remove the child from the reach of the father? But what if the father is The Father- the 'T' and 'F' capital .both word italicized? That is what is the 'father' in question is 'God'?Why so the reaction and answer change for so many of us?" (Page 1)
  I read the above from an exclusive excerpt and ordered my copy right away...
  
  Shourie is stunned beyond horizon when he learns about his son's cerebral palsy as a result of insufficient oxygen in incubator few days after his premature birth.. He is perplexed about his son's suffering and future of the family..Like all he is confronts the cliche question, WHY ME? It's been thirty four years with his son Adit who doesn't have an independent life; worst he can't carry any of his basic chores of life, adding to the anguish, his wife Anita has been diagonised with Parkinson's disease..
  This book tears you apart several times through his personal journey fathering a child with cerebral palsy, his heart felt worry of future about his only son as he himself is stepping onto old age..His love for his son is evident in every word that he pens down.. He describes spirit of his son that inspires to be the person he is through many anecdotes,one which readily comes to my mind is when Adit fell off wheelchair as the caretaker forgot to cling the seat belt that left him hurt with two frontal teeth knocked off, at the dentist's inspite of all the pain Adit called him close blowing kiss that leaves the doctor stunned..His wife's courage, is another startling point , her support and love to keep him afloat through all these years of life is beautifully portrayed where in spite of Parkinson's gruesome clutch been able to support him all through taking care of the house letting Shourie all time for work...But unlike other he has been able to set his personal trauma aside in later part of the chapters to reason out things logically and justify his point completely..He describes that his son has taught many things in life, like finding happiness in simple things, non-attachment, living life for the moment, sense of gratitude etc etc...According to him, even with Adit's mental state his son is quite lucky to be surrounded with all love and joy ..
  
  Through all these odyssey he pondered upon all religion's unfailingly teaching that god is merciful and not even a leaf moves without his will. If so why there are so much suffering around the globe..He quotes from bible about Abraham,God tested Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice his son Isaac, but God spared him when Abraham indeed was all set for the sacrifice for a ram instead..bible says that this a Abraham's faith is a perfect example of faith , affirming that the promises God made to Abraham extends to all who believe in him...He questions the discrepancies of all religion's anomaly to sufferings ..In Hindu religion everything is connected to 'karma' one's sins in the past birth.For Shourie "Karma is a convenient fiction" ..There's no credenda of heaven for innocent, but he sees laughter for sinners then asks why so? When Christianity believes that the whole world is the result of bad deeds of adam disobeying him, why all the innocents thereafter are condemned?? Islam promises life for eternity and death is a journey to god if that's the case what about a spastic ???
  
  He says all religion for that matter are self contradictory this time ... Every aspect is thoroughly researched at times, glimpses of personal anguish sparkles throughout...Oddity of religious preaching and theory is questioned through many examples from bible to Quran to Gita ..Shourie has also borrowed many phrases and philosophies of many writers and thinkers to build up his own vantage..In Hindu religion where everything good and bad is attached to karma which Shourie aptly borrows from the quote of PV Kane that "our sense of fairness and justice would be shocked by the inequalities in the world" which implies that linking every deed and it consequences to karma is an intelligent and creative invention..
  
  He quotes Gandhi that a child is subjected to pain so that parents learn about demure and kindness but Shourie questions., to start with why all pain upon the an innocent child ,that too by a God who is supposed to be all merciful..If the child's suffering is by the karma of his past then it was God's plan to make him do all that..Now why blame the boy..He adds ,when a plane crashes,how can God be cruel killing all 300 on board except for a 5year old..He comes with the logical reasoning why to complement good things to his mercy and the bad upon the person himself..
  
  He says borrowing from Buddhist philosophy that sufferings are the basic truth of life which one cannot escape..To overcome this one should conquer his prejudice and the cultural upbringing and the myth about god and world..
  
  I am sure no parent can get used a child's sufferings, it only goes over and over gain, living through this is the most difficult thing a parent live by ...I feel this is what made him write on all this. All the confusions and question, frustrations he was confronted with made him question every thing that included life and fate..This indeed formed the very essence of this book, which would help emotionally any one who is onto such situation every single day of life, or anyone who has compassion in one's heart...His vivacity for religion and spiritual life is based on his own experiences..He says Buddhism doesn't require belief in god but belief in life and that seems to be convincing to Shourie than any other religion... He quotes from Andre comte-Sponville that "The belief in God is so strikingly congruent with our longings that it seems to be invented to fulfill them." Humans created God rather than vice verse..He argues that people should learn to accept what ever circumstances they are onto and react to things in a matured way rather running up and down in haste cursing life,god and fate...And that's exactly what he does in his own life, he takes his son everywhere with full pride and not hiding him away from society and living with hope and love than worrying about the future...
  
  
• 
  Sankarshan

  Probably one of the most different from Shourie's usual writings. It has his trademark incisiveness and, a well thought out point of discussion. But, the addition of the personal, the incidents in his life, his family make this one of the searing books I've read in a while. It may not appeal to you. In fact it might just appear to be one-sided or, far too rigid and inward looking. However, there is no way to deny the pain, the anguish and thereafter the logic that flows through this. Very much a recommended read.
• 
  Arnav

  IF you have been a care giver to anyone who is suffering from extreme illness, you must read this book. The title of the book quotes "How suffering refutes religion" , and rightfully the book is detailed to answer this question, not only by quoting Arun's personal experiences but substantiating it with the religious texts of various sects .
  
  The books begins with Arun's own role as a caregiver to his son and later to his wife as well. Then he takes us along a journey of quoting texts from Islam/Christianity/Hinduism and then explaining how they don't really makes sense. Extreme suffering can never be justified-Bad karma , act of god, lack of faith are all but mere tags to help people to get over the suffering .. but anyone who has witnessed a cancer patient/spastic child and similar sufferings would agree that suffering does indeed refute eligion. This book substantiates this emotion with facts , with oxymoron's in our religion ...
  
  The last part of the book is how he looks at the suffering and what would help anyone who is in similar shoes to get over the tragedy and live a peaceful life while playing the role of a care giver.
  
  A must read for those who stick to religion and suggest bad karma/lack of faith as the reasons for suffering and also for those who look for logic behind everything and are not blinded by faith ..
  
• 
  Vijay Menon

  This is a book I intend to reread, for I don't think I understood all of the profound things Arun Shourie has said here. So, I know that I will have to read, and reread, and put a lot more thought into it over time to understand it well. Moreover, I also want to reread it because I think it is an important book. Arun Shourie, through his personal story, questions a lot of beliefs we have come to hold about God and religion, explains---as perfectly put by the tagline of the book---how suffering refutes religion, and he asks how we would perceive a human who does the kind of things God claims to do in His books ---for instance, he asks how we would perceive a father who mercilessly punishes his child for not revering him and him alone. As he poses many such questions, provides answers for many of them, and shares his personal story and gives anecdotes from the lives of those around him, he also discusses on how those suffering can put their suffering to work and in the process can even help others. And through all of this, he makes those of us who have been fortunate to have seen suffering only from a distance to feel even more grateful.
  
  For anyone who has wondered "if God really exists, why is there so much suffering around?", maybe this is the book you were looking for. Personally, I think it is a compelling read!
• 
  Anadi

  A compelling argument for choosing Budhism as way of life.
• 
  Anoop Chatterjee

  Why do we suffer? Who decides fate? Is life fair? If every outcome is decided what is 'action' then? Is there indeed a Doer? What is the purpose of existence?
  
  These are the line of thought in this rather unusual book.
  
  There is an old cliche "In God we trust, everyone else must bring data!!" This book confronts God with data. It tests the nature and personality of God from the magnifying-glass of a skeptic a critic. Let me hand it out...this is indeed a unique book I have read.
  
  It begins with the most common origin of spiritual thought...suffering. It poses key questions to our faiths and beliefs, irrespective of religions. If God is all so loving, why does He punish if I as much as 'not pray' to Him or 'pray to other Gods'? Is He insecure or is He jealous or both for that matter?
  The writing is based on good research work done over some popular spritual works and our scriptures as well. It reasons the incidents mentioned in the scriptural teachings with harsh logic of reality. It pricks our comfortable faith in God with one jarring question 'why does a child suffer?' (this is mentioned in the context of specially-abled children. I would even extend it to other layers of suffering that childen are being exposed to like violence, trauma etc.)
  There is many incidents raked up from the lifes of many famous personalities (spiritual) which, if we follow the author's logic, are mere eye-wash sold out vehemently in the name of God.
  
  My take on the work:
  Yes, Life does not seem fair during testing times. But this does not make Life unfair.
  Scriptures though called as the word of God are infact the ever evolving understanding of God, Nature and their ways. Scriptures serve as a major pillar of religion which in turn is a platform on which we base our lives (theists and atheists both alike).
  Disagreeing with the scriptures and other works of spirituality or with opinions of major leaders does not necessarily mean that you disagree with God. We only disagree with the image of God as cast in the scriptures which again is a work of Man...prone to innocence and ego.
  
  All in all the work is a moving account of a public figure.
• 
  Rajat

  I have always wondered this about Arun Shourie, ever since I saw the picture of his family in a weekly. My aunt has a similar story to tell, as my cousin was born spastic due to mishandling by the nurse in the maternity ward when he was born. I have seen how people suffer, my aunt's husband was full of life and cheerful and no one could have guessed the deep anguish he must have felt looking at his son. Perhaps all those years of mental agony culminated into brain tumor from which he died. His death was devastating for our family. My aunt now lives with her son who is 36 years old. As with Arun's case, even my aunt has to look after the basic needs of her son. Most wonderful is the fact that even through all this my aunt and her late husband were one of the most cheerful and logical people I came across. A similarity I see with Arun Shourie. It is amazing to see their energy. I wish I had access to the fountain which replenishes them and helps then through such tragedy?
• 
  Shivam Sharma

  When we come across suffering in our life, some questions and doubts arise in our mind pertaining to God and the existence of God. This book immaculately describes such situations and seeks convincing answers from the holy books of various religions, renowned Godmen and sages.
  
  The book very well describes its tagline 'How suffering refutes religion'. It gives us a learning of how should we react to our sufferings and what mindset should be followed in order to get over them. It takes us in a deep contemplation concerning the credibility of the stereotypes which we used to follow by now.
  
  The Author has cited various passages from other books also and has provided substantial content so as to prove every point he has made in the book. I believe that if one can get along with the book then he/she can really unveil some enigmatic truths of this world. I would suggest nothing but to give this book a read.
• 
  Saurabh Goyal

  I cannot claim to understand this book fully. Its sheer range and depth of engagement with different philosophies is overwhelming. But yet the book leaves me with a profound sense of emptiness.
  
  First take the underlying emotion that inspired this book. A father, Mr. Shourie, is desperate to allay the suffering of his son, Aditya. He is looking for help for his son. He is delving deep into philosophies to find some answer, some explanation. Yet no answer comes, no grace shines. So he is indignant at God, if he is at all there. He comes to believe, to his very core, into non-existence of God. But such is a father’s heart, that he violates that fundamental belief every day. Just in case someone something can still help the suffering child. So he meets Godmen. He keeps fast. And he prays.
  
  The larger questions that run through this book are these. Do we use the idea of an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God to delude ourselves and avoid responsibility? Why do we put ourselves under the yoke of divine just when we feel his presence the least? What is it about us that even when we see daily acts of injustices and tragedies, we keep believing in the moral ordering of the world? Is it out of fear that we cannot acknowledge that a lot of life is ‘mere time and chance’? What is that deepest human instinct that we cannot give up the idea that all this, this world and this life, have some meaning after all?
  
  Despite all the suffering that inspired this book, there is no trace of self-pity or complain in Mr. Shourie’s arguments. As they say, sentimentality is the emotional promiscuity of a person with no sentiment. Mr. Shourie most certainly has some. So the book may not answer all these questions. But it will certainly raise every question worth raising. So the end effect is this. That even when you are left with no answers, the quality of your doubts will be enhanced.
  
  Most moving part of the book is where Mr. Shourie describes how his whole family comes together to take part in Aditya’s life. It is an extraordinary story of resolve and courage. A story in which people have a rare depth and dignity of character. People who will not let circumstances define themselves, People who will not let tragedies vitiate and poison their hearts.
  
  The hardest battle of life is one which is fought passionately even when one knows it will end up in defeat. Because it is fought in love. A love which is beyond the care for consequences. It is one such battle that Mr. Shourie and his family have fought and are still fighting.
  
  They may not win it in the narrow and poor sense of the term victory. But they will have an honour that is reserved for the finest of us. An honour which redeems men. An honour which enables men to transcend defeat.
• 
  Sandeep Kulshrestha

  Till now it is a good read and dreads me with my own mortality, shakes me up and realizes how fortunate I am and that I should count my blessings! Arun is also fortunate that he has got a Son who is so much full of life. One should read in perspective to feel the book fully. If you become Arun during the reading, you will understand all emotions, of frustrations, of living life "here and now", how small things make him joyful and so on. Brilliant piece of work, it pierces your soul.
• 
  Shubhasheesh Bagchi

  I just love this book and won't mind to read it again and again. It compels a reader to think deep into the roots of religion and asks what is exactly the meaning of religion. It's so emotional and mind opening, having a personal experience in my family similar to the incidents shown in the book, I wept for many days and during the end of the book I was a new and changed man.
  Best non fictional book I have read till now.
• 
  Sankar Raj

  As excellent work by Shourie. He records his views on human suffering and the way different religions explain human suffering. It is a great work everyone must find time to read.
• 
  Anil Swarup

  Touching and analytical (on occasion carrying it to an extreme), this is another masterpiece from Arun Shourie
• 
  Abhilash Paruchuri

  A very heart wrenching yet objective book exploring the rationales promulgated by organized religion about justifying suffering and how they fail to stand on firm reasoning. This book is Shourie's personal account of attending to a disabled child and also his doting wife, who suffers from Parkinson's. He has tried to bring to attention excerpts from various scriptures and anecdotes of his interactions with godmen and various gurus, which really drive home his point that suffering cannot really be justified by any religion or even by the prevalent phenomenon of 'Karma'. He finally alludes the reader to the fact that everyone, at some point, is affected by personal blows and that the key lesson is to detach oneself from inculpating the situation and rather engage on solving the problem at hand with a sense of compassion.
• 
  Mriystic

  All religions justify human suffering as a way of God to build human character and prepare for the worst. Shourie challenges the methods and intention of God with logical flaw in all arguments mentioned in scriptures regarding suffering. How futile it is to justify the pain and suffering as an act of God to further the cause of humanity. His personal experience is a riveting account of how suffering is unjustifiable act of God and hence renders all religion helpless against his scrutiny.
  Shourie finds solace, to some extent, in Buddhist philosophy and is able to rationalize the idea behind human suffering.
• 
  Debjani Banerji

  A book where you can see Arun Shourie’s pain and anguish for his son. He is looking for answers from God on why his son, Adit, his wife Anita, has to go through so much of suffering. A book where he questions God about giving suffering to his followers, and where he has learnt to let go , after finding the answers in Buddha’s teachings. A must for all those who have gone through sufferings in life and have wanted answers for them.
• 
  Madhura

  There is far too much going on in this book for me to summarize or quote the passages which I loved. I will say this, though - this book is definitely not for those who are not open-minded. Those who aren't quite ready to question their much cherished religious practices and ideologies will scorn at Shourie's approach. For the first and foremost prerequisite of faith is that we believe; and therefore ask as few questions as possible - or no questions at all!
• 
  Abhinav Verma

  arun shourie tries to sift through all major religions to find a satisfactory reason behind his son's lifelong suffering..... he presents an analytical and thorough study of what each religion says about the cause of unexplained suffering.... and in the end is seen tilting towards the tenets of Buddhism.... an insightful and a clearly industrious effort by shourie
• 
  Himanshu Rai

  The book starts with a flow, loses its sharpness in middle yet end up in the giving invaluable insights on human sufferings. The anger, guilt & frustration borne out of personal tragedy has been redirected by the author into a fine book. Each word refutes the existence of merciful God and shakes reader from slumber.
• 
  Namrata Biswas

  It's like an anguished cry for the innocent and suffering souls in this earth.so well articulated and full of logical arguments.touches something deep in the heart. India does need more social security for the handicapped or differently abled persons.
• 
  Agnivo Niyogi

  This book sheds light on a different Arun Shourie - not the politician, not the minister. He is a father, a husband. A man who has undergone immense suffering. A heart-wrenching tale of love and struggle.
• 
  P B

  Its a wonderful book. It opened my eyes to a new world of understanding and compassion. It made me think deeply and started reading Buddha literature,
• 
  Nirupam Joshi

  Read Marathi translation
• 
  Shiv

  Mr. shourie effectively exposes shortcomings in all religious ideas and scriptures which fail to explain all the sufferings in the world as he provides care for his ailing wife and special son.
  
  The book is deeply moving and is a must read.
  
  Religious beliefs, as comforting there are, surely gives us erroneous map of reality.
  
  What is the cost of such lies? We must ask ourselves as we impose them on future generations, we cannot claim we do it for their good.
  
  Work on your salvation through diligence ~ Buddha