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Guiding Light of Morality?

Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:34:19 -0600 To: AM-GLOBAL From: "Paul Paltrow" Subject: Guiding Light of Morality? Baba "Toma'r ka'che ca'i na' kono ma'n, ca'i na' kono yash..." (P.S. 825) Purport: Baba, by Your grace I am not asking for any name, fame, or prestige from You. These type of desires I do not have. By Your grace, I do not want to plunge myself into the vanity of all those worldly things. Rather I want to keep my mind exclusively focused upon Your lotus feet. This devotional longing I have. Baba, since the crimson rays of the dawn, You have colored my days with the rainbow color. You have decorated everything. It is Your grace. When evening falls, then I feel Your proximity and Your divine dance. I see Your liila in the form of countless stars shining in the sky. Baba, all the time You are with me-- in all the spheres of my life. You make everything charming and colorful. What You have graciously done for me, that is enough. You have granted me everything. By hearing the chirping of the birds, I listen to Your songs. In this way, I feel Your blissful presence. And when the sky is covered with clouds and by the dance of the peacock, You create beauty in my life. Baba, everywhere I feel Your divine grace-- Your eternal presence in this divine liila. You are behind each and every expression of this universe. You are in every form. Everywhere I feel Your presence. I am never alone. In my good days and bad times, always You are with me. And in this way everything becomes meaningful and joyful. Baba, it is Your grace...
ARE WESTERN DEMOCRACIES THE GUIDING LIGHT OF MORALITY?
Namaskar, Each and every moment that transpires in the materialistic western democracies like the US brings new ordinances and laws that depict the growing distrust and suspicion in these societies. "Background" checks have become routine; students pass through metal detectors to enter their school; picture id's must be carried everywhere; and, so many more things are done which reveal the superficial unity of these western democracies.
THE "GLORY" OF WESTERN CAPITALISM
Even then it is the capitalist-run democracies of the west project the image around the globe that it is they who have the patent on humanity: As if everything that goes on in these lands is the defining standard of society, i.e. the way it should be. They think that they are the leaders in all respects including on points of morality and human rights. Having grown up in one of these "leading western democracies", it is clear that this type of idea has saturated the soil of such countries. For these reason and others, since WW II-- to the naive observer-- it looks like capitalism is the winning ticket.
MATERIALISM IS A HOLLOW APPROACH
But we Ananda Margiis know that the materialistic approach of capitalism is intrinsically flawed to the very bone. Not only can't capitalism keep itself afloat financially, but it creates a distinct rift or distrust in the human society. Because in the materialistic outlook of capitalism, there is very little faith or regard for one's fellow human beings. Baba says, "Materialism functions by imposing social pressure on people to enjoy material objects; and accepts that as the only mode of operation. Thus, in materialistic countries or societies, people look at one another with suspicion and act according to the information given by the intelligence agencies. In absence of spiritual ideas, firmness of morality cannot be established. The apparent morality in a materialistic society is nothing but an immoral alliance to protect self-interests." (PNS-6, p.59) By Baba's above teaching it is clear that the defective approach of capitalism completely undermines human & moral values and leads people down the dark alley of distrust, phobia, and suspicion. Steeped in their own selfishness, people become completely alienated from one another.
ARROGANCE OF THE WEST
However since long common citizens in our so-called advanced countries of the west have been thinking that they hold higher moral values than people in our so-called third world nations. Here it is common for people to look down upon those in the "developing nations". In their arrogance, westerners feel they are more "cultured" and "civilised" than our eastern counterparts. But the truth is that in our materialistic western countries morality is only skin deep. And that is what Baba exposes in so many of His teachings. That is not to say that there are no redeeming qualities in the west, but on whole it is quite clear that our western democracies are not the beacon light of humanity, as they would like everyone to think.
NOT MORALITY: JUST FEAR OF GETTING CAUGHT
Sure enough, superficially it looks like capitalistic western society is very advanced and orderly and that everyone is quite particular in their behavior and dealing. This is the external show of capitalism. But upon closer examination we can see that only due to fear of the authorities do people follow the rules. They are just scared of getting caught-- there is no higher ideal in their mind. And the proof is that when the police are not strictly watching them, then even regular citizens start indulging in so many illegal and immoral misdeeds. This is evidenced by various incidents such as the terrible looting which happened in New Orleans and Houston during Hurrican Katrina, where people were rampantly stealing and committing sexual crimes like rape -- all because the police were not there to stop them. Thus only out of their selfish desire not to get caught do our western citizens refrain from stealing. And when their selfish mind tells them that the gains to be had from stealing outweigh the potential hazards or chances of getting caught, then they move in that negative direction. Thus, the social fabric which keeps society together is very low-- almost non-existent. In contrast in our "third-world" countries we do not see such type of outbreaks. The common people do not start stealing just because the police are not watching. If that were the case then they would be stealing night and day-- because the police are not able to monitor everyone so strictly like in the west. But common people do not sink themselves in immoral activities.
HIGHER STANDARD IN "THIRD WORLD" NATIONS
Hence although in the so-called third world countries the people's lives are difficult materially, but with their own conscience they basically follow the social rules. No authority figure or policeman is there watching them-- forcing them to follow. It is not like that. So the social order achieved in the less materialistic societies is based upon the moral fiber of the people, not on the threat of being put in jail. In contrast in our west, many citizens break the everyday rules whenever they get the opportunity. That is, crimes often are committed simply because people think they will not get caught. So when the authorities are not directly watching or threatening them, then common citizens indulge in looting or theft etc. And if those same people from these so-called advanced countries were living in third-world countries where there are less police authorities to watch them, then they would commit exponentially more crimes.
THE PEOPLE ARE NOT INHERENTLY BAD; THE PHILOSOPHY IS DEFECTIVE
Here the point is not that all the people in materialistic countries are inherently bad and those in so-called developing nations are better. Rather the key issue is that materialistic philosophies like capitalism lead to the degradation of the human psyche. Of course in the east the people are guided by various dogmas in the religious sphere etc, but on the point of morality they are comparatively better. Because to the degree people are not engrossed in materialism, the better they will be on the point of morality. And of course to become a true exemplar for the society one must follow the path of spirituality.
ROOT CAUSE OF NEGATIVITY OF MATERIALISM
The question that strikes in the mind is why is it that materialism has such a disastrous effect on the human mind, whereby people become so cynical and suspicious of one another. And the answer is that materialism dictates that mundane things are everything. There is nothing beyond that. Yet the people see that there are only a finite number of material objects in this world. So this causes two negative tendencies: greed and fear. Out of greed people feel that they should grab things quickly before their neighbor gets those things. Secondly, their mind is always coloured in the fear that there will be a shortage. Thus with these two psychic diseases prevalent, then the whole society becomes imbalanced and people walk around wary of one another-- worried about what the other is going to grab.
MORE NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MATERIALISTIC COUNTRIES
So inside and out, materialistic western countries are riddled with doubt and suspicion. That is why when every baby is born in the west their fingerprint is taken and now authorities are also demanding that a sample of every baby's DNA be taken at the time of birth. All for the purpose of law enforcement because there is no hope or faith that the new members of society will grow up to be benevolent citizens. Rather the basic assumption is not to trust anyone-- even new-borns. In that way the materialistic nations are totally trustless, ravaged by the thorns of selfishness and fear etc.
NO HARMONY IN THE SOCIAL LIFE
Here Baba reveals how despite the apparent gains of our western materialistic society, there is no harmony in the social life. Baba says, "The West is completely obsessed with physical development...it has made so much material progress...But for all that, it is not socially content." (PNS-18)
BABA'S BLESSING AM IS THE PATHWAY FOR SOCIAL WELFARE
Only the pristine and sublime approach of our Marga can create peace and welfare for the entire society and planetary world. Baba says, "The socio-economic philosophy of Ananda Marga calls for the elimination of capitalism. It clearly emphasizes the need to fulfill minimum economic needs and create an ideal congenial social environment in which there will be maximum utilization of collective wealth and the rational distribution of resources to solve all economic problems. Every human being will get ample opportunity to follow Pra'na Dharma'....Ananda Marga wants to establish the Pra'na Dharma of the entire universe, and the Ananda Marga philosophy has been conceived to that end." (TK-2) Namaskar, Punya'tman
Note 1: JUST ONE SUPERFICIAL SHOW
Here Baba clearly explains how fake morality or materialistic morality is totally fleeting-- not at all dependable. Baba says, "The show of morality, may at any moment break down...The morality of a moralist may disappear at any moment. It cannot be said with any certainty that the moralist who has resisted the temptation of a bribe of two rupees would also be able to resist the temptation of an offer of two hundred thousand rupees." (GHC, 'Introduction')
Note 2: SPIRITUAL VALUES NEEDED
Baba says, "Without spiritual ideals true morality based on universal love cannot be awakened." (PNS-16)
Note 3: BABA'S FINAL WARNING
Baba says, "Materialism can never be the base of human life in any country because it is detrimental to the all-round development of human beings." (PNS-7, p.56)
****************************************** Why Some Intellectuals Are Fools?
Baba says, "When the human mind is filled with positive tendencies, it integrates everything which it receives as real and claims that it has seen an object-an elephant or a camel. Now suppose that the mind is obsessed with negative tendencies, what happens? In that case, though the mind projects an elephant within, it cannot experience that elephant. Even if the mind thinks of it, still it cannot see that object. Because of this psychic defect or disorder, the mind suffers from positive or negative hallucinations. In your mental thoughts as well sometimes such positive or negative hallucinations can occur. Obviously, whatever an intellectual thinks in his or her arena of intellect is complete defective. There always remain scope for doubt in intellectuality. So intellectuality is also baseless because the very movement of the ectoplasm is baseless." (PNS-14, p.18-19)
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