Today 27jul2008, in the Deccan Chronicle i found
a rather interesting article on Virgin Mary in a Sari. According
to a news article in aol.in, Vatican has taken the
“initiative” … to “Indianize” the Bible … by “projecting Virgin
Mary in a Sari. And the Indianized Version of Bible also has quotes from the
Mahabharata and Ramayana … to explain prospective converts into
Christianity.
I could have used the word “gesture” instead of
the word “Initiative” as above. But i think i have used the right word
“initiative” … because the news article explicitly states that
“the Vatican is hoping to attract more people into turning to the
Catholic church in India – as congregations decline in Europe and North
America” … in the first sentence of the news article.
Why have i used this word “initiative” ? … Its
because, i guess the Vatican and the Catholic Church thinks that “Religion” is
some sort of a Business … and it can Play with the beliefs of people … to make
sure that more and more people embrace “christianity” … since the Catholic
Church has “failed” to get more patrons in the Europe and the American
Continent, and they have failed to get more funds in their kitty … as
per its dwindling financial resources … they have chose India to get more
members … and thereby make sure that the Financial situation of the Catholic
Church improves in the “near future”.
I personally dont think that there is wrong in
trying to “project” Virgin Mary as a Goddesses Clad in a Sari. If the Catholic
Church wants to drape her in a Sari … then i think i would be glad to see her in
a Sari … as i consider her as “Divine”. If the Catholic Church has brought out
this “Indianized Bible”, just out of respect for the different faiths that exist
on this planet … then this would become a “gesture”.
That is highly unfortunate.
I do respect Lord Jesus Christ … and i think he
is a “Guru” and “the Messiah for the humanity”. So, he is on par with any “Guru”
that has existed on this earth … like Shri Krishna, Guru Gobind Sahib, Shridi
Sai Baba, Sri Raghavendra, Prophet Mohammed, Bahaullah, etc.
But the circumstances under which each and every
“guru” comes on earth has to be understood first before blindly following
his/her teachings. Lord Jesus Christ arrived on the earth, during a time when
there was a lot of oppression on the poor and the helpless and the “Respect for
Life” was not there. So, in some of the films based on Lord Jesus Christ … on
the day before his Crucifixation, he saves the Birds and Animals from the
butchers … he tells that we should not fight with each other, we should
“respect” each other, few wealthy people should not opress the poor people.
He surely told that he was the “Messiah of the
Mankind” … but he expressly addressed the people in the “Land of Israel”. And
taking into the “political scenario” prevailing that time, he came as a Messiah
of the Oppressed people of Israel, and in that “Avatar” it was destined that he
suffer for the common people by giving light to them, and hence he says (and he
knew) that “Its his destiny to suffer for others”. He was mercilessly
crucified.
The prevailing “Political Conditions and Social
Conditions in a particular Land” during a particular time determines the “Nature
of the Avatar” of a particular Messiah, and accordingly the Messiah is sent by
the “Almighty God”, so that the “Principles of Dharma are Upheld”, in every
“Yuga”.
And, its needless to say, that the Religious
Texts of Various Religions “Correctly” tell the “Truth” … “Prophesises about the
future of their own religions” and the “Future of the World” as well. This is
because these religions have been formed by the sanction of Almighty
God himself.
These are the basic principles involved
in various religions on this earth … and hence we see many “Gurus” or
“Messiahs” that come on this earth … and we see very many Religions on this
earth.
Trying to Project a particular religion as the
greatest religion … or making Religion as a tool to meet some unworthy goals of
a selected few … is not at all desirable. When all the “gurus” work in tandem
and with each other … and when God himself is ONE … utmost respect should be
given to each and every “Guru” and “Religion”. And it is also said in Hinduism,
and specifically by Shridi Sai Samarth, that “one should always follow
his/her own Guru”, whatever the circumstances are.
Considering the arguments above … I find it very
hard to swallow these tactics of the Catholic Church … to “propagate” teachings
of one faith (in this case Christianity) to the followers of the other Faith for
some petty gains and ulterior motives.
If it is the will of the Almighty God, to give
another faith to a set of people … of give some “New Religion” to the People of
Earth, then he will do so through this Messiah. I frankly dont think a “Pope of
the Church”, whom i compare with a “Hindu Priest in a Hindu Temple”, is the
Correct person to convert to people from one faith to Christianity. The
“Pope of the Catholic Church is not the Messiah” !
Surely, i would want to think this Draping of
Mother Virgin Mary in a Sari, as a “wonderful gesture” by the Catholic Church …
if it was just out of respect for the Indian Culture … but “Initiative” just to
make sure that the Catholic Church gets more members makes it a “Business
Initiative”.
To see it in another perspective … seeing Virgin
Mary in a Sari makes her completely Indianized … and she becomes a Hindu Goddess
… giving the impression that Mother Mary has embraced Hinduism … much to the
dismay of the brethren in the Catholic Church and the Vatican !
NO FORCED CONVERSIONS.
Vamsinath.
27JUL2008
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