In India, it has become a cultural fad or fashion to follow some Guru or other, and then to start ones own 'Guru-dome', a mini kingdom where intolerance to anything other than one's own ideas or views constitutes the hallmark. Now there are almost over a dozen of these fire-brand Gurus. Each of these Gurus have almost a large follower-ship. Some followers are more zealous than their own Gurus, using literally dirty and lowly language to describe other 'Great' Gurus and their followers.
What these great souls are doing to the humanity is nothing but promoting divisive tendencies.
Some local Gurus have been arrested for womanizing, murder, embezzlement and so on.
These news are reported by leading dailies, still there is a great rush among the public to follow these so called great souls.
This deterioration is not without parallels in religious circles too. Some priests from all leading religions in India are accused of some or other criminal activities. I wonder, why then this mad rush after the so called 'Great Divine Beings'? I am yet to hear a contemporary factual report on some activities by these Gurus either equaling the stories in their respective religious legends or holy books or the deeds of their professed divine incarnations like Jesus or Muhammed or Anjaneya or Vinayaka (I am not endorsing blind faith in any of the aforesaid names).
One answer that seems befitting the situation is that people are so needy of some degree of guilt reduction and a sense that they are are forgiven by the God for whatever (sinfully) unacceptable activities that they have or have been committing. In a post-modern, competitive, globalized, cut throat, materialistic, business society where even human relationships and lives are for sale or exchange or barter; there is no doubt that we the great inhabitants of this planet earth may trigger the mental trap of guilt.
When are we going to realize that there is nothing sinful? What is a sin? I can understand justice, equity, civil behavior, mutual support, cooperation, growth, development, and the such. Why do we fall prey to some religious tricks of controlling the lives of people? The offertories in big and popular religious centers run to crores and crores of money (whatever currency be it).
Education was thought to be a panacea to end social evils. But when I see highly educated professionals and other celebrities running after the so called Gurus, I am afraid there is going to be no solution for this problem. Even civic elections are fought and won with the support of these so called Great Souls.
There is no end to these devilish game. Is it that humans have to learn to live with these nonsensical gurus, like having learned to tolerate the politicians?
What these great souls are doing to the humanity is nothing but promoting divisive tendencies.
Some local Gurus have been arrested for womanizing, murder, embezzlement and so on.
These news are reported by leading dailies, still there is a great rush among the public to follow these so called great souls.
This deterioration is not without parallels in religious circles too. Some priests from all leading religions in India are accused of some or other criminal activities. I wonder, why then this mad rush after the so called 'Great Divine Beings'? I am yet to hear a contemporary factual report on some activities by these Gurus either equaling the stories in their respective religious legends or holy books or the deeds of their professed divine incarnations like Jesus or Muhammed or Anjaneya or Vinayaka (I am not endorsing blind faith in any of the aforesaid names).
One answer that seems befitting the situation is that people are so needy of some degree of guilt reduction and a sense that they are are forgiven by the God for whatever (sinfully) unacceptable activities that they have or have been committing. In a post-modern, competitive, globalized, cut throat, materialistic, business society where even human relationships and lives are for sale or exchange or barter; there is no doubt that we the great inhabitants of this planet earth may trigger the mental trap of guilt.
When are we going to realize that there is nothing sinful? What is a sin? I can understand justice, equity, civil behavior, mutual support, cooperation, growth, development, and the such. Why do we fall prey to some religious tricks of controlling the lives of people? The offertories in big and popular religious centers run to crores and crores of money (whatever currency be it).
Education was thought to be a panacea to end social evils. But when I see highly educated professionals and other celebrities running after the so called Gurus, I am afraid there is going to be no solution for this problem. Even civic elections are fought and won with the support of these so called Great Souls.
There is no end to these devilish game. Is it that humans have to learn to live with these nonsensical gurus, like having learned to tolerate the politicians?
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