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Like his first book, The True Self,
J.R. Singh’s Earthly Tribulations is one serious read that incorporates some of
the same subject matter. In this collection of essays relating to what he calls “earthly
problems,” Singh provides interesting multicultural analyses on corrupt governments,
laws, spiritual beliefs, racism, war, women’s rights, abortion, health care, and other
issues. That’s a lot of stuff packed into a little book.
Earthly
Tribulations is a thought-provoking, no-nonsense, and intelligent book that can
either start an argument or settle one. Observe:
On corrupt government:
“Trying to bring about change through the democratic
process can be a difficult task
for any political party. It becomes an ongoing
battle between those who have become
accustomed to illegal practices and those who want to put an end to
them.”
On personality: “[T]rends of society affect each parent in
different ways.
Nothing lasts forever, as what may be acceptable today will most
likely become
a thing of the past.”
On spiritual beliefs: “While
millions choose to worship God through prayers,
rituals, and different forms of
meditation, I have chosen the path of selfless
action and follow mostly what my
conscience tells me is right and intelligible.”
On war: “To many people,
when injustice rises to the point where it cannot be
stopped through dialogue, war
may be the only solution to forcefully remove
tyrants who advocate violence and
continually violate the law.”
On racism: “What makes racism such a
complicated problem to expunge is the
difficulty in knowing what people sincerely
think about others of a different
race. I do not believe racism or prejudice will
completely be obliterated;
however, I believe that with the right effort it can be
controlled.”
On women’s rights: “In a nation where equal rights are
strongly emphasized and
there are strict laws to protect women from physical abuse,
men tend to treat
women with a certain degree of respect.”
On arranged
marriages: “To many people in western societies [arranged
marriage] seems
old-fashioned and unfair, however many people of eastern
cultures do not consider it
so bad, since they claim to have only a small
percentage of broken
marriages.”
On abortion: “Amid varying views on abortion, many at times
have called upon
government to enact laws enforcing what they support. But it is
hard for
governments to please everyone, since for the greater part it appears to be
a
personal issue where the circumstances have to be carefully
weighed.”
On laws: “Though many laws may not be perfect, we have to
adhere to them to
sustain a world of order and harmony.”
On television
and the media: “[A] lot depends on us to reflect on some of
the information we are
fed, so that we are not easily persuaded by biased
views.”
On health
care: “[I]n the coming years, the quality of health care may largely
be determined by
what governments can provide or what citizens can afford.”
On nature:
“Nature is that uncanny part of God which has the ability to
create, absorb, and
change things.”
While certainly not light reading, Earthly
Tribulations addresses a diverse
range of subjects without being one-sided or
wordy. Singh uses clear and
concise language to enlighten us on worldly matters,
leading to mind-broadening
discussions to those brave enough to undertake them.
