Christmas is approaching, and with it comes the usual wave of traditions and related observances. I've been thinking about religion lately -- not in any academic way, because honestly, I haven't read much on the subject. I have never finished reading any religious texts cover to cover. And I'll be upfront, I only have surface-level knowledge of most "mainstream" religions. My mom is Christian -- or was raised Christian, anyway. She doesn't go to church regularly, but when she's back at her home, she observes in her own way. As a kid, I used to visit her place in Thrissur during the Christmas holidays and go to church with her. Here's where it gets complicated -- belief itself isn't the problem. If someone chooses to follow a text because it gives meaning, structure, or comfort, that's not inherently harmful. The problem begins when religion is weaponized -- when it's used to justify misogyny, sexual prejudice, and sexism - when it becomes a moral shield for treating people as lesser. Once belief is fused with power -- through institutions, laws, and political authority -- it stops being personal and starts being coercive. That's where it collapses. Egalitarian ideals may exist on the page, but without limits on power and accountability in practice, they remain theoretical. Religion, at its best, might offer relief from what I see as the fundamental truth of existence -- life is absurd. The universe is absurd. I'm pretty sure I fall somewhere on the absurdist spectrum when it comes to [how I view life](/when-absurdism-kicks-in). But I understand why people turn to religion -- it provides structure, meaning, a sense that there's something more than just this. These things are defined according to one's own perspective anyway, right? Anyway, I've recently started watching _Malcolm in the Middle_. It's one of those wholesome American family shows, perfect for the holidays, even though I probably won't get much of a break. On the tech side, I've been having fun with Nuxt.js (+ Nuxt UI), trying to build something like a digital garden. I've also been spending time on the side projects subreddit, giving feedback, checking out people's projects, discovering small tools. I had this constant thought about tweaking my website, but I've put that on hold. The system I have works, and I'm happy with it. [Sometimes that's enough](/feeling-this-pull-toward-absolute-simplicity). Music-wise, I've made some small bits that I'm sitting on. Maybe next year I'll let some people listen, remaster or remix them before releasing anything. That's been on my mind lately. exit(0);