Issue of identity

Identity is a confusing issue. At least for me! There are two kinds of identity all of us carry. One is the bestowed identify and the other is the earned identity. The bestowed one – generally we don’t have a choice. Earned one, is in our control and all through life we struggle to earn various kinds of earned identity.

We are living at a time “Nationalism” is being discussed in the media quite often. This is also in the background of various other identity issues which are being highlighted in the Media – the legitimate and Illegitimate Indians, the Hindwatha discussions, the secular Indian in a spiritual India and many such.

I am confused. I am a Mallu, Protestant Christian by birth, evangelical by choice, Hindi speaking by practice, North Indian by domicile, South Indian by birth, Doctor by profession. And many such identities. Some bestowed and some earned. Of course I am an Indian by birth and emotion and I love my country!

All my bestowed identity, have been empowering. No identity of mine has stood in the way of being part of a caring profession and being of service to others. National, regional or language identity has not been an impediment to this. My religious identity rather gave me the motivation to be engaged in caring profession! My professional identity gives me platform to engage in this. 

The differences God has allowed us to have within us as Indian’s are to be used to complement and care and not to compete and cut down. We are called to celebrate the diversity, and use these diversities to build each other.  

But many in our country have not had the privilege of having an empowering bestowed identity. Considered as “cursed” due to disability people carry, born into lower castes which has a “lower identity” or many such other 'humanity bestowed' disempowering identities, marginalize people. And we find these being used to divide, destroy and de-mean each other, instead of using diversities to build each other and Nation.

But in all these discussions, we forget the “imago dei” – that all of us carry, whether Indian or Pakistani, Hindu, Muslim or Christian, High caste, low caste or tribals, Madrasi or  Mallu, Punjabi or Bihari, the same common image, though marred it may be – the image of God. The crown of the creators creation! If this is true, does any other identity matter?

Augsutine says "We stand in awe of the ocean, The thunderstorm, The sunset, The mountains; But we pass by a human being without notice even though the person is God's most magnificent Creation."