Games Of Mass Delusions: The origin of religions, ideologies, and their resulting conflicts by Grace Forest

Author:Grace, Forest [Grace, Forest]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2013-05-23T16:00:00+00:00

Picture A: Battle at Lanka, Ramayana, by Sahib din. Battle between the armies of Rama and the King of Lanka, Udaipur (1649-1653)

Picture B – Kurukshetra: A manuscript illustration (eighteenth century?) of the Battle of Kurukshetra, fought between the Kauravas and Pandavas, recorded in the Mahabharata Epic .

Nonetheless, one can infer that significant religious delusions did exist, as hinted by the comic story told by the nineteen-century Hindu saint Ramakrishna:

There was a man who worshiped Shiva but hated all other deities. One day Shiva appeared to him and said, “I shall never be pleased with you so long as you hate the other gods.” But the man was inexorable. After a few days, Shiva again appeared to him and said, “I shall never be pleased with you so long as you hate.” The man kept silent. After a few days, Shiva again appeared to him. This time one side of his body was that of Shiva, and the other side that of Vishnu. The man was half pleased and half displeased. He laid his offerings on the side representing Shiva, and did not offer anything to the side representing Vishnu. Then Shiva said, “Your bigotry is unconquerable. I, by assuming this dual aspect, tried to convince you that all gods and goddesses are but various aspects of the one Absolute Brahman.” 3

Spiritually speaking, the Hindus are very comfortable relating to many forms of deities. According to professor Smith, they “have represented God in innumerable forms. This, they say, is appropriate. Each is but a symbol that points to something beyond; and as none exhausts God’s actual nature, the entire array is needed to complete the picture of God’s aspects and manifestations.” 4 However, when a Hindu cannot accept that there are other, equally valid ways leading to spiritual enlightenment, he or she is deluded, as shown in the example given above .

The Indian Caste System

As mentioned previously regarding the Tibetan Buddhists, a common delusion occurs when a person departs from living in the present and enters into either the past or the future. Such a delusion is clearly displayed in the Indian caste system. This system originates from two concepts: (1) karma, the moral law of cause and effect, (2) samsara , the principles of rebirth according to the given person’s nature of karma. According to Hinduism scholar David Kinsley of McMaster University: “The basic idea is that what a person is now is the result of all that one has done in the past, and what one will become in the future is being determined by all one’s actions in the present.” 5 This concept compels the given individual to dwell in the past for explanation of his current state. He feels equally obligated to invest in the future because whatever he does in this life will help determine the quality of his next life.

The varying qualities of life can be divided into five major castes (Brahmins on the top, followed by Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and then the Untouchables), with numerous finer divisions within each of the five major castes.

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