Author: Joy C.L., Kuriachira
Publication: Organiser
Date: January 8, 2006
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=112&page=23
Introduction: The minority-majority rift is
a creation of the politicians in close connivance with the religious leadership
with vested interests in their hidden agenda. The leadership of the so-called
minorities in India claims that establishing and managing the educational
institutions are the most important minority right.
The title may look like an oxymoron, a strange
contradiction like hot ice cream or cool fire. Spirituality cannot be traded
or consumerised, as it does not pertain to the material world. But too much
stress on materialism, clericalism and ritualism by the organised religions
has compelled spirituality to nosedive into the terrestrial depths shedding
its entire celestial luster. In order to comprehend such an ironical situation
of inverted religiosity, it is necessary to invent such a strange combination
of words.
The biggest predicament of the present socio-political
scenario in India is the displaced priorities. When very many critical issues
hang above the head of an average Indian like the sword of Damocles, the political
and religious leaders try to inflate their balloon of fantasies with the air
of unrealistic ambitions to the extent of bursting. For the last few months
the most talked-about issue in Kerala has been the conduct, management and
admission of self-financing institutions. These institutions by no stretch
of imagination cater to the needs and aspirations of an average Keralite.
However, by continuous stuffing of propaganda into the minds of the masses,
aided by the unscrupulous media, the religious and political leadership has
succeeded in projecting this as the gravest problem facing the Kerala society.
To confuse the issue further, the vested interests sponsoring this issue have
intertwined it with the minority rights, thus painting it with communal colour.
The religious and political leaders very well
know that any issue when tied with religion can gain support and create fragments
in the society, which otherwise is peaceful. They can utilise this fragmentation
and the resultant confusion in the society for achieving their vested interests.
There is a conscious effort jointly engineered by the political and religious
leadership to systematically fracture the society, to meet their vested interests.
Bertrand Russell, the renowned philosopher, has rightly commented, "The
statesman thinks of the next generation; but the politician thinks of the
next elections." Unfortunately, we have very few statesmen; but have
innumerable politicians whose myopic vision cannot go beyond the next elections,
their only ambitions being power and money. In this process, the welfare of
the society and the future of the generations become casualties.
In a secular society, where every citizen
is guaranteed freedom of religion, the very concept of religious minority
is illogical and a misnomer. It is an un-dignifying term for those who are
labelled as 'minorities'. In our motherland, every citizen belongs to the
majority community-the proud sons and daughters of Mother India, with equal
status, equal dignity and equal rights. The practice of a different faith
by a group from that of the majority should not alienate them from the mainstream.
The minority-majority rift is a creation of
the politicians in close connivance with the religious leadership with vested
interests in their hidden agenda. The leadership of the so-called minorities
in India claims that establishing and managing the educational institutions
are the most important minority right. In fact, those are profit-oriented
business houses involving no element of service. It is not the vocation or
the mission of the religion. The laity of the minority communities is not
at all interested in these. The minority right as it is practised today is
a commercial and political privilege exclusively enjoyed by the clergy and
the privileged among those communities.
The primary mission of politicians is to work
for the material uplift of the society with selfless work. When so many socio-economic
problems are facing the society, it is highly objectionable, wrongful and
sinful to divert the precious time and energy of the leaders of the public
to trifles. The primary mission of religion, its leaders and the clergy is
to work for the spiritual emancipation of the society, through formatting
of individual's conscience. It is high time that religion and spirituality
are redefined and rediscovered. The essence of spirituality is the love of
the other-the extension of one's ego boundaries. In Hinduism, the principles
of 'Aham Bhahmasmi' and 'That-thwamasi' teach that God and I are same and
my neighbour and I are same. The essence of Christian teaching is that in
love of God and love of neighbour, obedience to all commandments is fulfilled
and that love of God could be manifested only through loving the visible neighbours.
This is another way of expounding the same principles. Islam means peace.
Peace is the result of justice. Islam does not recognise priesthood and hierarchical
authority. Prayers are a direct link between the worshiper and God. Jihad
implies struggle against evil inclinations within oneself, struggle to improve
the quality of life in society, struggle to protect one's motherland and struggle
against tyranny and oppression. We all know how these great ideals are compromised
and how priesthood is gradually developing in Islam. Terrorism in the name
of jihad is a total negation of Islam and the great ideals, which it stands
for.
Man attains the absolute spiritual stage when
his ego boundaries are extended to infinity so as to contain the whole universe
and its inhabitants-Vasudhaiva-kutumbakam (Mahopanishath). But unfortunately,
at present we find hypocrisy and pseudo-spirituality around us. People go
to worshipping places and pretend to be religious just to satisfy the religious
community to which they belong. Fear of the society, and not fear of God motivates
them. The threat of social ostracising compels them to participate in the
religious rites mechanically. It is easy to float in water like a log of wood
and move according to the flow of water. The unscrupulous clergy exploits
this weakness of common man. Every ecclesiastical rite has a price tag! In
fact, religion is a quest for the ultimate truth and a search for one's identity.
The primary duty and absolute goal of religion is to take man to the peaks
of spirituality and give him the touch of divinity. There will not be any
religion without spirituality and divine experience. But, due to the influence
of consumerism religions have deviated from this goal. The imposition of a
creed on an individual through council decrees, encyclicals or fatwas strangulate
the identity of the individual. He will be constrained to surrender his intellect,
will and discretion to the dogmas decreed by the religious hierarchy. God
is unknown and unknowable. Any definition of Him would be a distortion of
truth. As the noted jurist Nani A. Palkivala has put it, "A blind obedience
to authority is the surest prescription to spiritual paralysis." Religion
is neither a cluster of rituals and sacraments nor a code of do's and don'ts;
but is an epitome of eternal values-Sanatan Dharma-that leads humanity to
liberation (mukti) and salvation (moksha). To attain these goals, religion
should propagate the virtues of justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, peace
and tolerance. Condemning other religions as false and nurturing enmity towards
the followers of a different faith are negation of the eternal values, which
the true religion should stand for. Every religion is a unique path designed
for its followers. Every path has its own dimensions and specialties. Thus
every religion is the will of God. Without the divine blessing, no religion
can exist in the universe. So condemning or cursing any religion is sacrilege
and blasphemy.
The established organised religions never
oppose social evils such as tax evasion, smuggling, corruption in public life
hoarding of essential goods, amassing of black money etc. In fact these are
encouraged on the condition that portion of the ill-earned money is donated
to build huge church mansions and support the luxurious royal lifestyle of
the clergy. In fact, religion should be a moral encouragement in social life.
But the political designers and manipulators contaminate the purity of religion
and the traders in religion and spirituality spoil the essence of politics
and statesmanship. This reciprocity weakens the very fabric of the society.
Society becomes fragmented and people are compelled to remain in their communal
ghettos.
The greatest tragedy of the contemporary era
is that religion and spirituality have become profit-making businesses. The
priesthood, which was once a noble service, has been degraded itself to a
'profession'. The clerics are more concerned with the offerings of the faithful
than catering to their spiritual needs. Through organised priestcraft and
aggressive propaganda they make one believe that by giving offerings to the
priests, the faithful can obtain favours from the Almighty! The religious
leaders are not at all interested in true spirituality; but in trading in
religion. Most of the religious institutions have now become cut-throat business
houses that trade in spirituality and temporality. They employ sophisticated
marketing and management techniques to ensure enrolment and to attract large
crowd. Artificial believers are created through ceremonies, rituals, sponsored
miracles and pseudo spiritual exercises. The Charismatic Movement in Kerala
(Catholic Pentecostal Movement) is a classical example of this. True God,
true spirituality and true religion do not require advertising and canvassing.
People will feel the impact automatically. The organised religions do not
teach that God's mercy showers on all alike. They teach that God's mercy and
consequentially salvation are available only to the members of their particular
religion, rather sect. Each religion claims superiority over the other and
claims to be the one and the only true religion. They project a sectarian
and communal God! These heretic teachings go against the spirit of universal
fraternity and lead humanity to communal stratification. Because of these,
believers in religions never become true believers in God; but only indulge
in religious narcissism and miss the ecstasy of spirituality and the bliss
of divinity.
(The writer can be contacted at St. Thomas
Road, Kuriachira, Trichur 680 006; chettupuzhajoy@yahoo.co.uk)
