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AM Politics: Self-Interest is Uppermost

Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:09:41 -0000 To: AM-GLOBAL From: J.Young Subject: AM Politics: Self-Interest is Uppermost Baba "Apa'r ananta tumi ki va' ja'ni a'mi, toma'r krpa'y mor din cale ja'y..." -2147 Purport: O' Parama Purusa, You are endless and infinite, but how can I understand this fact when I myself am not merged in that-- when I myself am not infinite and vast. O' Lord, even then my days are passing only by Your grace. Baba, by taking Your name and singing Your song, I am moving along on Your divine path according to Your desire. My existence moves on in Your flow. Baba, I love You-- by singing Your name, I laugh and cry, by Your grace. Baba, for Your work, I come onto this earth again and again. The way You want my life to proceed, I will go on making it like that, according to Your desire. The discussion of scripture, philosophy, and science-- these things do not reach up to You. They cannot get any clue about You, indeed not any trace. Always these approaches fall far short of the mark, far below Your divine stature. Baba, according to Your desire everything happens. Everything happens due to Your karuna', due to Your immense compassion. O' Parama Purusa, O' Baba, You are infinite, beginningless, and endless. And by singing Your name and chanting Your song, my whole life is passing according to Your direction...
== AM POLITICS: SELF-INTEREST IS UPPERMOST ==
Namaskar, On the eve of the start of the week-long NY sectorial summer retreat, it is time once again to have a look at the driving force behind AM politics in this present era. We should examine the modus operendi of all the groups across the globe, and apply that to the hot-bed of activity going on now in AM. Along the way it is also worth making a short case-study of the factional antics currently going on in NY. Here then begins the journey.
GROUPISM BEGINS & ENDS IN SELFISHNESS
Since time immemorial various clans, castes, communities, and groups have existed on this earth-- each with their own set of values and outlooks. Some wanted their land areas extended; some wanted to impose their language on others; some wanted to preach their beliefs to all; and, some wanted their man to be king etc. Each and every faction had their selfish goal of what they wanted to accomplish. That was the very binding quality of their group: Self-interest. All this Baba has described thoroughly in various discourses related with Prout and neo-humanism.
GROUPISM IN AMPS
Not surprisingly then, when groupism took root in AMPS in the post 1990 period, self-interest was the name of the game. One faction was pushing for their cultural superiority and to that end they even printed "Translated from the Original Bengali" on each and every AM book, irregardless of which language Baba delivered the discourses. Such was the height of their fanatical approach. And others rode along on that factional train for some years-- hoodwinking and bootlicking here and there-- until they got their Purodhaship, money, name, & fame etc. And when their self-interest could no longer be served by that ruling regime, they formed their own group to satisfy their selfish desires. By that way they got more power and control etc. And in this manner groupism spread: One became two; two became four, etc, etc. Baba says, "One human society is divided into different nations, and one nation is divided into different religions; religions also have different castes, and caste also have different sub-castes – what kind of situation is this? We have only learned how to divide and subdivide humanity, and we never learned how to unite the people. This is all due to the defective teachings of dogmas." (PNS-9) Here the point is that only so long as their selfish desires were met would those Dadas remain in a particular group. And when their interest was no longer served, then it was time to form their own group. Until finally groupism spread throughout the entire upper echelon of our acarya ranks and even overflowed into certain select family acaryas and margiis also. Who is who, and what is what, everyone is already aware. So there is no need to mention names here. The main thing at this point is to recognise the modus-operendi, or selfish-interest.
A CASE STUDY: THIS SAME FORMULA WORKING IN NY
Surely groupism exists in all the sectors. It is not that one particular sector is basking in 100% dharma and only the other sectors are affected. To some or more degree every sector is riddled with groupism. It comes in ebbs and flows, and right now NY is pumping and jumping in groupism. So let us take a look. The "official" SS designated by the Ranchi camp is Vimalananda; yet the renegade SS Tiirthananda has most of the ACB type of margiis in his pocket. So for the first time in NY history, someone (i.e. Tiirthananda) was able to get the so-called leading margiis of the sector to make a break from the main branch of AMPS. How did Tiirthananda achieve this feat? Did he use a special mantra? Does he have a grand display of hocus-pocus? No, no, no, of course not. All Tiirthananda did was appeal to the self-interest of those ACB types. He said, 'You want the power, then take it; don't follow "Centre"; make your own chain of separate sovereignty; change the by-laws of NY and turn the sector into your own organisational island; take control and rule over your own selves.' This was the pep rally type of speech Tiirthananda made-- and it worked. Because it appealed to the self-interest of those power hungry ACB members. Indeed, the ACB types of NY followed strictly. They changed the governing papers of NY and immediately declared themselves the kings and queens of camp NY. This is what the various NY ACB members did with full energy and vigor. And in the process Tiirthananda became their godfather & native son. All because he appealed to their self-interest. Hence, NY ACB snapped away and became another group. Thus, Vimalananda or any other ananda who came as the designated SS had no chance. Because the very existence of any "official SS" would infringe upon the very power that the ACB had seemingly inherited. And just like a greedy thief does not want to give back 5 dollars of the money he stole, drunk in their lust for control the NY core group has no intention of relinquishing any wee-bit of power that they siphoned. All along they are simply maintaining their "allegiance" with their adored Tiirthananda. Because he gave them what no other did: selfish power.
MILK AND CAT ANALOGY
It might look like magic, but really there is no mystery or great trick at all regarding what Tiirthananda has done in order to get the undying loyalty of the ACB core group in NY. To make the matter more clear, picture this: If one cowherd grabs a bucket of warm, sweet milk and starts walking around where the cats live and he begins giving some milk here and there, then naturally those cats will begin to 'meow' & 'mew' and follow that shepherd wherever he goes. Because that tasty sweet, creamy milk directly appeals to the taste buds of those cats. So they will walk and prance behind that shepherd hoping to get another drop whenever they can get it. ADD: In about para tell how some thought it was hocus pocus because they did not know that shepherd had milk hidden in bag etc... Similarly the thought of getting more power and position is a tantalizing treat for those NY-ACB margiis. So when Tiirthananda gave the suggestion to take over the sector and break from the ruling camp, then naturally the core group of the NY ACB became hitched. Their taste buds became excited and they danced in that direction-- and still they are dancing: Totally delighted to have a bit more power and post etc. So we can see that there is no magic involved. Make an offer according to someone's self-interest and a groupist following will be formed-- whether they be ally cats or ACB core group members. That is the great groupist game being played in NY. And it neatly follows the pattern of any group which has ever been informed in the history of mankind: Made and molded on the basis of the selfish-interest.
BABA KNEW ALL THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN
Being the all-knowing Taraka Brahma, Baba was well aware that humans tend to chase after their selfish desires and split apart. While physically present, under His command He benevolently kept everyone together. Yet He knew that in future, groupist tendencies would seep into the minds as it appeals to one's selfish desires. And anyone not completely linked with AM ideology would easily get hooked on groupism. All this Baba knew well. That is why in each and every corner of AM literature and in each and every list of AM conduct rules etc, Baba has given the teaching of 'unity'. It appears again and again and again.
BLOODY WAYS OF A GROUPIST MENTALITY
Here in quite graphic language, Baba describes how groupism unfolds in the human psyche. And tragically this has come to dominate the field of AM politics. Baba says, "Those guided by group psychology are like ravenous tigers. Of all the different types of flesh, human flesh is said to be the most delicious. That's why the tiger that has once tasted human flesh will raid a village if it cannot get human flesh in the jungles. If it happens to see human beings nearby, it will immediately attack them without bothering about domestic cattle. Where the [grouipist] approach is ingrained in people's social psychology, separatist tendencies flow through their bones, blood and marrow. Such people become extremely avaricious for human flesh. That's why those who...are guided by group psychology have accepted separatism as a political creed." (AFPS-8) Thus once one tastes the warm blood of groupism their appetite wets for more and more power. It thirsts for groupist control. And that has become the driving force behind every group in AMPS these days: Selfish lust for power. So it is no wonder that the NY ACB has fallen into the palm of Tiirthananda. Because he is the first and only ananda to openly proclaim to them: 'Come and enjoy the riches of this world; grab control and seize your sector and reap the rewards. Become your own master and rule your land; it is yours for the taking.' This type of selfish proposal, this spark of self-interest set NY ablaze in groupist & separatist tendencies. That is how Tiirthananda led the NY ACB on their merry march and that is the root of their "allegiance" to Tiirthananda. And indeed, where groupism is on the rise, this defective psychology is predominant.
BABA HAS GIVEN THE SOLUTION: NEO-HUMANISM
Despite the bloody mess of groupism dripping in all directions, none should lose hope. Because Baba has given us all the tools to develop a rational intellect and once attained that rationality will never allow one to fall into the depths of this or that sentiment, a.k.a. groupist tendency. Rather one will be bronzed in AM ideology. Baba says, "Keep your conscience ever-vigilant. Develop a firm rationalistic mentality, and no one will be able to deceive you by false geo-sentiment. This rationalistic mentality will provide you with sufficient inspiration and strength to fight against socio-sentiment, ordinary humanistic sentiment, and pseudo-humanistic strategy. You will not only gain vocal strength, but become strong in all respects." (NH-LOI, Discourse 8) So by following 16 points, doing all sadhana lessons, and studying His ideological principles, each and every Ananda Margii will develop the requisite rationality to overcome any groupist tendencies within them as well as wage a victorious campaign against the groupist parties in the social sphere. By this way, groupism will meet its match in AMPS and unity based on ideology will be established.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace the day is not far when those ideologically-minded sadhakas will lead our AMPS and the entire globe onto the path of universal humanism. [Add: Because Am ideology does not tolerate groupism it is NH and spirituality based on universalism so those groupists will be exposed and groupism will be tossed out and ideology established and create that golden era] Baba says, "In the history of the world, you will see that against this type of spiritual aspirants who make spiritual progress with the grace of Parama Purus'a, all the degrading and degenerating forces will easily concede defeat. You too should keep moving forward, and you will also attain victory after victory - there is no doubt about it. Therefore continue your efforts tirelessly, do your duty and you will surely be crowned with success." (SS-18) Namaskar, Jagatmitra
Note 1: WHICH GROUP IS BETTER
When neither camp-- neither Vimalananda's or Tiirthananda's-- is standing for the great cause of dharma, then how is one to determine which group is better. Each are guided by their own defective and selfish ways, even then one side is comparatively better than the other. To uncover this, the only way is to reference Baba's teaching from neo-humanism where he tells that a group that represents the interests of more people is more broad-minded. So when Tiirthananda's renegade crew of NY ACB core group members is only interested in their own sectorial affairs-- that is the limited extent of their I-feeling-- then they come in second place in comparison to Vimalananda's ways since his selfish interest is concerned with groups of people in various sectors. Hence, both are defective mentalities but Vimalananda's ways are comparatively better. Surely everyone got the point but if anyone is confused or unable to comprehend this matter, then it means it is time for a good, crisp study of Baba's teachings from "Neo-Humanism-- Liberation of Intellect".
Note 2: TRUE UNITY WILL COME IN AMPS
By adhering to Baba's divine formula, we are sure to bring unity in our AMPS very soon. Baba says, "To establish unity, the society will have to select an ideology which remains unassailed by any spatial, temporal or personal differences. That is why only Cosmic ideology will have to be adopted as the polestar of life." (POD #37)
*************************************** Remedy Of Disappointment & Frustration
Baba says, "Very often people become victims of disappointment for the sole reason that they forget their goal in life. If they look towards their goal, then their disappointments and frustrations will cease. Whenever a human being is created, they come within the Cosmic Mind. So when the microcosms move towards Macrocosmic Consciousness, Parama Purusa is watching-- Parama Purusa is with them holding their hands. It is the humans who do not look towards Him-- this is their misfortune." (SS-12, p.5)
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