OJ's Corner : Reflections

Don’t fumble with
God’s name

As for us mortals, “what is in a name? That which they call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”, to quote Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

This is pretty profound statement for humankind. And quite accurate in love and romance. Not that all would agree with the Bard. There is something sweet in the statement.

The content and the depth of wisdom may weigh the same for one who visualises the opposite in profundity. Freewheeling is sauce for man, and not so for the Divine.

Former MLA Umesh Challiyil would have become all the more wiser after he found that no one can tinker with the name of God.

Maybe, out of  pure-heartedness about religiosity or over-enthusiasm to project his Deity, Challiyil took his oath as MLA in the name of Sree Narayana Guru.

One can swear in the name of God or can have a solemn affirmation, the Constitution dictates.

It seems the Constitution has no sense of romance and so it does not allow dragging in names of God.

Since the oath is “in the name of God”, it encompasses everything. One cannot fumble with the names such as “I am That I am”, “Ohm”, “Immanuel”, Ram, Mohamed and the like.

Challiyil got away with a fine of Rs 500 for each day he sat and voted in the Assembly till he took the oath properly.

The penalty imposed by the court was by way of debt due to State.

The other day, when the Ministers took oath of office and oath of secrecy, it has been pointed out by a section of the intellectuals that the oath of secrecy should be re-worded to suit the provisions of the Right to Information Act. Otherwise, the Minister would not be duty-bound to divulge the details of decisions taken by the government other than that which is necessary to discharge his/her functions as such Minister.

It may need a Constitutional amendment to incorporate such changes. Until then, there cannot be an oath to suit one’s fancy.

The God, whatever be the name according to one’s faith, is such an overarching entity that puny human beings need not worry about safeguarding this Being. We are not doing any service to It by “protecting” this all-embracing Power, which is beyond comprehension.

We have our own duties to perform in the sectors assigned to us. By diligently discharging this duty and serving man, we are serving the God of all faiths. Let us not trap God within our frail framework.