"Die dominee op die radio," he said, "sê dat as julle 'n prentjie sien van iemand wat saam met 'n koei staan, is dit duiwels."
The thought struck me yesterday (yes, SUNDAY!) that the dominee had been speaking of an image of Lord Krishna with a cow. I think it was Krishna - sadly my Hindu imagery needs some serious brushing up. I know, however, that Lord Krishna liked herding cattle, and that much early Hindu life revolved around dairy.
Anyway, it put me in mind of something I read about the Apartheid regime and how very Churchified we all were pre-Democracy, and even for the first ten years afterwards, and it strikes me now as sad that an image sacred to some can be so badly misinterpreted by another religious leader. By definition, aren't they supposed to be knowledgeable of such things as religious symbolisms? Never mind. I know better than that - too often our Church leader in Ugie would call something "New Age" of say that "in the Church's view...". He's one of the last reasons I left the church and that way of life behind. Again, here's this really great guy, friendly in his own way - but sorely uninformed and rather a bit of a hypocrite, when it comes down to things. So sad.
One of my fellow passengers on the bus to the Bayside Station this morning was a Hindu amma, dressed in saree and telling her japa mala (prayer beads). She had them in this gorgeous little cotton bag with some loose beads on a short string tied to its strap. I was listening to something that's usually a bit loud for my tastes, but on hearing her pray under her breath, I couldn't get myself to press "play" until I got off the bus at the station. She was a normal auntie, hair held in an Alice band and a tortoiseshell hairclip, handbag, scarf and jacket - and telling a prayer string. Cough and sniffing and all, there was just something calming about watching her tell her beads inside their little baggie printed with Sanskrit and images of Shiva and Shakti.
There is so much being done by the Pagan leaders of South Africa. Let's hope that in some way they reach those stalwarts of the Other Faith and can convince them that they need toopen up and think for themselves.
