My Perception and I

– Dr. Thohe Pou

It is only my perception that makes me to hate or love someone or something; infact no man or nothing is good or bad in this world – it simply is. It is my projection that I projected something good or bad. I may be born in a rich or poor family but my future life decide on my projection, perception, attitude, approach, concept, pre-concept, understanding, interest and desires. My parents, friends or environment cannot decide my present or future life. It is my perception that the world is a good place to dwell or miserable place to dwell.

It is through my understanding and attitude that I can change my wrong projection and perception about someone or something. Do you know who you are or what you are? Are you the master of none or are you the master of everything? How do we approach a situation or perceive a thing or man? Our life is mold by our perception, attitude, approach, concept and pre-concept, understanding, interest and desires.

 It is very important how I approach or project the people or to a situation. My positive or negative thoughts come from my projection, perception or pre-concept. There were two sons in a family. Their father drinks everyday and fight with all the family members. The elder son follows the footstep of his dad and drink everyday as he grows up. One day, someone asked him, “Why do you drink everyday”? My father was like that and how can I be different from him? The younger son never drinks and he was not like his brother or father. Someone asked him, “Why you never boozed like your elder brother and father”? He said, “I am not happy with my father who always drink and fought with all the family members; I don’t want to be like him.” It is his projection, understanding and perception on his dad that made him to change his life. He was convinced that if he would be like his dad, other people would dislike associating with him.  

 When we perceive something in our mind, it continues to linger in our mind till we develop a constructive or negative projection. Whatever we do – whether we do good or bad, our understanding, perception, projection or pre-concept etc decide what to do. We may be very poor but the situation or environment cannot make us richer. It is our only positive projection, attitude, perception and approach (PAPA) that will make us richer in our hearts. We may be from a rich family but our lives may be miserable like the poorest in the world with our wrong PAPA. Man’s ends are unlimited and it cannot be content with our richness with our wrong projection, attitude, perception and understanding. Suppose you find a beautiful dress and you want to purchase it. But when you observed it and re-examined, nothing is special in that dress but only the latest fashion. The quality of the dress material is ordinary and not durable – then you think that this dress deceived your eyes and heart. Nobody has deceived you. Your mind projected – the dress is good and so you purchased it. One day a person may perceive a beautiful thing; another day the same person may perceive a thing very ugly. It is our projection, perception and understanding that the whole thing around us is beautiful or ugly. 

 The situation or environment is similar to all the people in this world. Our projection, attitude, perception, approach or pre-concept makes us sad or happy. Who is perfect in this world? Everybody encounter the problem – the rich or the poor man. The people from a developed country like, UK or US or from a third world country like India or Pakistan – they have the problem to be solved. Our right projection, perception, approach and attitude only can help to solve the problem or overcome a difficult situation. When people have right approach, attitude, projection and perception to the situation or environment, a difficult situation or environment cannot make a person’s life ordinary or meaningless. Some time we may no be able to solve the problem immediately but our right attitude, approach, perception and projection can solve or remove the problem in our mind. Where is the problem lies? Can you see the problem or touch the problem? Many people thought that the problem is the biggest problem in their lives; they want to remove the problem by their hand or with something. But can you remove the problem by your hand, which you cannot be touched? Problem cannot be touched by hand but feel only in our heart. So something cannot be touched by hand cannot be removed by our hand. Many times problem lies only in your projection, perception, understanding, mind and pre-concept. Can we touch our perception, understanding and attitude? If not, we cannot remove the problem by our hand. Everywhere there is problem and we will encounter the problems. The problems or difficulties can be changed by our projection, perception, attitude and approach. It is easier to change our PAPA than changing or removing the problems. When we change our PAPA, the problem is automatically vanishes.

 Our success in our works depends on our PAPA. It is not only the rich people who will be successful in this world. Anybody who has the right PAPA will be succeeding in life. It is the PAPA that makes a man’s life different from others. There was a man selling the balloon on the roadside. A boy came and asked the man, “Will this black balloon fly very high like the red balloon?” Then the man told him, “It is not the red color balloon that can fly very high but the Neo gas which is inside the balloon.” Likewise it is not the people from a good background or environment but the PAPA of a man makes successful in life. We may be from a royal family but without having the right PAPA, we cannot face the world and become a successful man. People who blame the situation or environment have wrong projection, attitude, perception and approach. If we are failed today, tomorrow we can be a successful man with our right PAPA. People with wrong PAPA will be always a failure. We are failed not because of the situation or environment but we have got the wrong projection, attitude, perception and approach. We cannot blame the situation and environment for our failure in life.

 We may be optimistic about our future lives. But we will be pessimists when we do not change our wrong PAPA. We may be full of confidence and optimistic about our lives but we cannot face the failures and problems without the right PAPA. Every one encounters the problems and failure in life and once we face all the problems and failures, we will loss all our confidence and optimism without the right PAPA. The problems are created due to our wrong projection, attitude, perception and approach and the problems can be solved with our right PAPA. Our whole life is mold by our projection, attitude, perception and approach. It is impossible for a man to suicide when he/she changes the wrong PAPA to right PAPA. 

 We may be in a same or similar environment or situation but one day our life is beautiful and another day it becomes meaningless because we change our projection, attitude, perception and approach. It is not the situation, environment or problem that makes us our live ordinary or special. Our right PAPA is very crucial – with our wrong PAPA can make us defeat or paralytic. We may appreciate and inspired by someone, while other people may not like and uninspired; it is only our projection or perception on some one. The sunset looks beautiful to one person; and to another, sad. And to another it does not matter. In everybody’s live, there is something special and beautiful that needs to be dug out. Many people may not like an ugly and poor guy but there is something beautiful in him and he can be very helpful to many. Your right and constructive PAPA on him will make lots of difference on him. A girl may be very beautiful and helpful according to your projection but to someone she may not be beautiful and helpful. It is because we have different projection, perception and approach on her. 

 For some people defeat is the greatest enemy and saddest thing and they may want to end their lives due to defeatism. But for the people with different projection, attitude, perception and approach may not be the greatest enemy. For a man with right PAPA – it is the best time to learn the causes of the defeat and accept the defeat. Osho-Rajnesh was a bit notorious when he was young and he loves to play and talk in the class. One day, his teacher told him to get out from the class and stand in the corridor (varender). His teacher made him to stand outside the class as a punishment but he loves to stand outside and watch the beautiful scene so it was not the punishment for him in his heart. Here the point is that it is our projection, attitude, perception and approach that a man thinks the punishment or problem very big or small or no problem and no punishment. A person who cannot accept the defeat cannot overcome the defeat.

 The victorious people always accept the defeat with their right projection, attitude, perception and approach. But the people who do not want to accept the defeat will defeat themselves. The people, who cannot accept their mistakes, defeat, problem and failures with right PAPA cannot subdue and handle the situations. Accept all the people and everything around you as it is with your right approach, attitude, projection and perception and it will good as it is. To deal any kinds of situations, people, problems, defeat or success, everything is depend on our projection, attitude, perception and approach. Our right PAPA on man and everything around us will make our live different in a special way. It is our projection, attitude, perception and approach that will mold our live what we want to be.

 We can use different perspectives but it is possible only when we put into practice in our real life. Some of the people use only the first perspective without taking into consideration the second and third perspectives. When we have only the first perspective, everything becomes good or bad depending on our first perspective; we may also snub the important aspects too but when we take the second and third perspective, the situation changes. When we want to change a situation, problem or anything, we should never conclude from that first perception or perspective. Many times our first perception or perspective can be derived from our preconception, misconception, misunderstanding etc; one needs to practice using different perceptions or perspectives on different situations or man. You can definitely live a better life when you have right PAPA and start using different perceptions or perspectives in dealing the things or man around you. Put into practice today and I wish you to live a better life.

  (Note: This article is extracted from upcoming up book, “For a Better Living” by this writer and dedicated to all my readers. This was written in 2004 and experimented in last 4 years and the above PAPA concept is very helpful in dealing with different situations and people. Your feedback can be sent to: email: thohepou@rediffmail.com)

 

http://nagalim.co.uk/article3331.html

The Third Perspective: A Confession and its Aftermath

R.B. Thohe Pou

A Confession – only two words which many people might have ignored to read in detail as they glanced the headlines on 24th July 2007. However, for some people – that was the day the controversial issue on Dr. Shishak Tuisem’s confession began. Any controversial issue is an eye opener to the people and I personally believe that it may give a great impact to the Nagas to learn a good lesson. There are many people who are supporting Dr. Tuisem’s confession just as there many who are against his confession on behalf of the Tangkhuls…

There were copious articles published in response to Dr. Tuisem’s confession. I do not know if he was expecting such a good response from others – may be against or in support of him. I am sure that some of those who responded to his confession might have not had a second thought before they responded to Dr. Tuisem’s confession.

A Confession – was something like a small Pandora Box that was opened. Reading all the responses from religious leaders, politicians, student leaders and concerned Naga people – a question came to my mind as, “if you are going to write an article in response to Dr. Tuisem’s confession and TNL’s excommunication, how would you react? Personally, I do not want to support him nor against him. However I have some expectations from both the groups – those who are against him and those who are supporting him. For everything, there is cause and effect; everything that we do should have the impact – whether we support or against him.

I personally believe in practicing what I talk and write. If we become a talker or writer without putting it into practice in real life – we become another hypocrite. I am also very religious like others; at the same time, I can also be very irreligious. Henceforth, I can give my full support to him by accepting him since no one is perfect or be against him by pointing out his mistakes.

It seems many people are confused with the word, “Confession” and “Freedom of expression”. We also need to understand the Biblical meaning of Confession before we condemn or give our support to him. I believe that repentance leads to confession but confession may not lead to repentance. Is Dr. Tuisem’s confession a repentance to confession or confession to repentance? There are different Christian denominations; some believe in confessing their sin to Pope, Father, and Pastor. However some Christians believe in direct contact with God and confess their sin to God with repentance. There are some people having strong faith, while others having a weak faith and people having weak faith may not accept confession of any crime and pleading to forgive.

There are pros and cons in public confession. We all need to repent our sin and confess our sin to God. But it may not be necessary to confess a sin that brings chaos to the society. Will God not accept our repentance and confession without confessing in public? How will you react if some one confess to you that he had raped and killed your sister or mother? Is that a confession and repentance or is that an insult to you? Will God not forgive us if we repent from our heart and cry to the Lord in private? Or do we need to confess publicly? God is the God of love and peace. God may not want us to confess like the hypocrites and bring chaos in the society. If we go according to Dr. Tuisem’s confession – I am afraid that those who support him may confess to serious crimes and bring chaos to our society. Personally, I do not believe in public confession but we all need to repent and confess our sin to God. Some times it may be good to have public confession but I think it is not necessary to confess our sin publicly.

Freedom of expression seems to be another confusing word for many people. Some of the people who are in support of Dr. Tuisem also claim that the excommunication restricts freedom of expression. I think freedom of expression never means that we can defame our own tribe, other tribes or put to shame someone intentionally. Many people may think that Dr. Tuisem calling his people as arrogant, with false pride, disunited and then asking the forgiveness of the crime committed by the Tangkhuls may be freedom of expression. But what about those who do not believe in such kind of public confession and freedom of expression?

There are many people who are in support of Dr. Tuisem and they want to revoke the TNL’s decision to excommunicate Dr. Tuisem. However they are also many people who are against him.

To those who are against Dr. Tuisem:
1. How can we have better unity and peace in our society without being called to repentance and confession?
2. What are the other means to bring more unity and peace in our society?
3. How can the political system survive without involving the church leaders?
4. Is it Nagaland for Christ? If yes then why is it not relevant to confession of sin?
5. Why don’t you believe in public confession and confession of sin on behalf of his tribe?
6. Why should or should not politics and religion mix together?

To those who support Dr. Tuisem:
1. Should we expect all those who support Dr. Tuisem to confess their own sin and come to repentance and bring more unity in our Naga society?
2. As there are many who are supporting Dr. Tuisem’s confession – shall we expect that all the leaders will help the others to bring into repentance and confess their sin – bringing great revival in Nagalim within a few years? If there is no great revival in Nagalim, then people might have just blindly supported him for the sake of supporting him.
3. Dr. Tuisem’s confession and its supporters will be proved right if more leaders come out to confess and are in turn accepted by their tribes.
4. Should those who support him also confess the sins on behalf of their tribe and ask forgiveness from other tribes?
5. Do you believe that one person can confess the sin for whole tribe? If you believe in this kind of confession – are you ready to confess the sin of your tribe?
6. Do you believe that God will forgive our sin only through public confession?

If Dr.Tuisem would have written the article calling to repentance and confession without confessing the sins of the Tangkhuls, many people might have accepted to his call to repentance and confession to God. If we are not ready to repent and confess our sin from our heart, the repentance and confession by some one for our sin may not be acceptable by God. We need the inspiration and the work of the Holy Spirit to repent and confess our sin but we may not need some one to repent and confess for our sin. If our sin can be forgiven through some one’s prayer and confession – we may not need to pray and believe in God since we have our Pastor, Father, Brothers and Sisters in the church to pray and confess our sin for us. Should we be against him because we have personal problem with him? Or should we give our support to him because we respect him? It would be unfair to against him because of our personal problem; it would also unfair to support him because of he is a respectable person.

Personally I don’t want to defend and I don’t want to condemn him but I think we have differences in our Philosophical and Biblical understanding of partaking of sin, public confession and confession of sin on behalf of the whole tribe. Some of the Tangkhuls might be arrogant, have false pride, harass, torture and murder others – but what about those innocent villagers? It seems he has generalized the whole tribe taking into consideration of partaking of sin. When we read his article, he starts with, “they say, ‘confession is good for the soul’ but I am not sure. Individuals, peoples, and nations the world over have confessed with no tangible results”. I think he knows that confession without repentance cannot bring any tangible result; it brings more confusion and chaos in the society. But I don’t know why he has to confess the sin instead of calling them to repentance and confession. When we talk about partaking of sin, which he is talking about, I think not a single Naga will be saved because we are still living under India and we are also partaker of the Indian sin; more than 80% of the Indians are non-Christians. However if we are going to be condemned and will go to hell, because of our family or village sin – I think our God is not our personal Savior or God. The Bible says that you and your households will be saved if you believe in me. Then the Bible also says that because of Achan’s sin the Israelites could not defeat a small city Ai unless Achan repented and was put to death. Now the question is shall we put our God as our personal Savior or common God in which we cannot be saved if some one in my village or tribe commits a sin?

Dr. Tuisem’s call to repentance and confession is very appreciable. However his repentance and confession on behalf of his tribe is not appreciable; it may not be helpful to confess without repentance from other side. Shall we also pray and encourage one another to repent and confess our sin before God instead of us confessing and repenting on behalf of others? Who is sinless in this world? We are all sinners and we need to repent and confess our sin to God from our heart. How can we kill some one in cold blood when our heart is filled with God’s love and peace? We all need to repent and confess our sin before God then only we can have a better society in our nation. Shall we also compete in doing good thing for our people instead of trying to compete in creating more problems in our peace loving society?

Kuknalim

source: http://nagalim.co.uk/article262.html