A Love for God - "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

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- A Love for God -

"Everyone ought to worship God according to his own inclinations, and not to be constrained by force."

Flavius Josephus (37 AD - 100 AD), Life

It's only a religion to some people. To other people, it is the only salvation they have. It is their refuge against the horrors that they've had to endure in life. It is peace and grace and solace in a world full of indignity, sorrow and loss. In Yann Martel's novel, "Life of Pi" the main character Piscine found God in all three religions Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Even though Pi was born in a non-religious Hindu family he found god in the rites and rituals. He found that the universe made sense through his Hindu eyes. He found that Shiva, Krishna, Shakti and Ganesha were all qualities of the god Brahman. Thus he found his place in the universe through Hinduism.

Yann Martel also shows how Pi hears the Story of a God who sends His Son, the Story of Christianity. Pi found a God unlike all the gods in Hinduism. He found a God who was ready to humble Himself and come down to the world as a Man. He knew that the gods in Hinduism would never consent to humiliation or death at the hands of humans. He thought that gods should be with shine, might and omnipotence. But he saw a God who went hungry, suffered from thirst, grew tired, became sad and anxious, who was heckled and harassed and was considered without any respect. He found a God who was tortured and crucified to death for man's sins. He found love. He found Jesus.

In Islam, Pi found the presence of God. In Islam, Pi found strength. He found everything in...