Make notes of the following passage by using headings and sub-headings

We often come across situations and incidents, which appear quite contradictory to the known laws of Nature, creating doubts about the impartiality of divine justice. For instance, an honest, duty-conscious, morally elevated person is often seen caught in adversities in one form or the other, or is suddenly struck with a great misfortune in life as though he/she were being punished by God for a great sin. On the other hand, we find persons engaged in worst types of corrupt practices living in peace and prosperity. An idler wins a jackpot or inherits a fortune from unexpected quarters, whereas a hard working intelligent person is found suffering endlessly for want of basic necessities. One person achieves great success with little effort, whereas another does not succeed in spite of his best efforts. Such phenomena are popularly ascribed to the role of fate.

Unprecedented natural calamities like famine, epidemics, tornadoes and floods, damage by lightning and earthquakes and untimely death are also commonly attributed to the will of God and called predestined. Such unexpected happenings as financial loss, accidents, sudden mental/ physical disability and physical separation from a dear one are also attributed to fate.

Such unexpected adversities are rare, but they do occur in life. At times, they leave such deep imprints on the psyche, that it is not possible to ignore them. Those who are not familiar with the mysteries of divine justice become very much perplexed by such experiences and form prejudiced opinions, which, in some form or the other, hinder their mental and spiritual progress. Many become resentful towards God, blame and abuse Him for favouritism and injustice. A few even become atheists, considering the futility of worshipping God who does not respond to prayer in distress, despite their prolonged adherence to religiosity. Then there is a class of devotees who serve the saints and worship deities in expectation of some material gains. However, if they are visited with some failure, unfavourable circumstances, or mishap coincidentally, their adoration changes to contempt of disbelief.

There are quite a few believers in this world who correlate people, places and things with good and bad luck. Such superstitions have caused extreme miseries to innocent persons. The root cause for such irrational behaviour is the belief that whatever come to pass is predestined by God and the beings created by Him have absolutely no role in shaping their own destiny. Quite a few persons in this world forsake their responsibility in the mistaken belief that the gain and loss being predestined, there is no necessity of personal effort.

Notes on the Passage

1. Contradictions in Divine Justice

• Observations of Contradictory Events

  • Situations that defy natural laws create doubts about divine justice.

  • Examples:

    • Honest, moral individuals face adversities or misfortunes.

    • Corrupt individuals enjoy peace and prosperity.

    • Idlers gain wealth effortlessly, while hardworking individuals suffer.

    • Unequal outcomes despite effort (e.g., success with little effort vs. failure despite hard work).

• Popular Attribution to Fate

  • Such phenomena are often ascribed to fate.

2. Natural Calamities and Unexpected Events

• Attribution to Divine Will

  • Natural disasters (famine, epidemics, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes) are seen as predestined by God.

  • Other misfortunes (financial loss, accidents, disabilities, separation from loved ones) are also attributed to fate.

• Impact of Rare Adversities

  • These events, though rare, leave deep psychological imprints.

  • They challenge perceptions of fairness and justice.

3. Reactions to Adversities

• Perplexity and Prejudiced Opinions

  • Those unfamiliar with divine justice become perplexed and form biased views.

  • These opinions hinder mental and spiritual growth.

• Resentment and Atheism

  • Some blame God for favoritism and injustice.

  • A few turn atheist, believing prayer and worship are futile.

• Conditional Devotion

  • Some devotees worship deities for material gains.

  • Adoration turns to contempt if faced with failure or misfortune.

4. Superstitions and Irrational Beliefs

• Belief in Luck and Predestination

  • Many correlate people, places, and things with good or bad luck.

  • Superstitions cause suffering for innocent individuals.

• Root Cause of Irrational Behavior

  • Belief that all events are predestined by God.

  • Denial of human agency in shaping destiny.

• Consequences of Fatalism

  • Some abandon responsibility, believing effort is unnecessary since outcomes are predestined.

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Key Themes:

• Divine Justice vs. Human Perception: Contradictions in life challenge beliefs about fairness.

• Role of Fate: Events are often attributed to fate or divine will.

• Human Reactions: Adversities lead to resentment, atheism, or conditional devotion.

• Superstitions and Fatalism: Belief in predestination and luck fosters irrational behavior and abdication of responsibility.

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