== DYING: MEANINGFUL OR MEANINGLESS ==
Namaskar,
Right now there is so much political-cum-socio brainwashing going on in
the various countries. Most every government partakes in such escapades
with the US being near the top of the list.
Here is a brief review of common ways that the public gets deceived and
duped by their leaders.
FARCE:
"DYING FOR THE COUNTRY"
One of the big farces in the American political war machine is that the
US propagandists put forth terms like "Dying For the Country", and "
Dying for the Cause of Freedom" etc.
With these cheap slogans, young men and women enlist in the armed forces
(i.e. military) and common Americans join the bandwagon that "this
invasion" is for the welfare of the country. That is the latest and
greatest public relations schema with regards to the troop build up in
Afghanistan.
The main idea is that the political leaders exploit the simple
sentiments of the people wherein the citizens think that something good
is going to happen - something that is meaningful to die for. Yet in the
case of young soldiers who signed-up for Iraq, often times they arrived
there and were utterly shocked to see what was going on. Their dreams of
"establishing democracy", "restoring peace", and "protecting the
country" were totally shattered by the chaos and destruction.
Yet all along those political leaders hid behind the charade of "For the
Cause of Freedom" when in fact their real interest was in oil, strategic
military positioning, and other natural resources.
Then of course the other fact remains that a large aspect of the US
economy is based on the selling of arms - either to US forces or to
local militants. So if the US can go to war (and convince others to join
in), then the hope is that the economy will recover.
So all these issues and political strategies are at play and the common
people get duped into thinking that the US is merely trying to protect
American citizens and that such causes are worthy to die for.
Certainly other countries, sects, and religions are also involved in
this type of chicanery, and that will be raised further down in this email.
ONE MORE POINT IN ALL OF THIS
One other point of note to discuss regarding the US military is the
term, "Defense". The US has a "Defense Department", a "Secretary of
Defense", a "Defense Budget", and so many things related with defense.
But the entire military strategy of the US is based on "Offense", not
"Defense". The operating budget of the US military is more than every
other nation combined, and it is only the US that has military bases in
nearly every country of the world.
Plus the US forces are constantly being sent on the offensive in distant
lands. Hence, none should think that this is about "Defense".
Tragically, common Americans fall prey to that trap and they think that
the US is trying to do good around the globe and that it is meaningful
to die for such causes. Even after the mess in Iraq, the common
Americans still have hope and faith in the cause of "Defense".
That is because the US government and media go to great lengths to cover
up covert political and economic interests.
MANY COUNTRIES, SECTS, & RELIGIONS INVOLVED
This strategy of convincing and duping followers to die for a
narrow-minded cause is not limited to the US.
We see such things going on in the Islamic world as well as in various
nations. The Pakistani government has convinced its people about the
need to destroy India.
In all such cases, the people get caught up in the frenzy of saving or
dying for their land, culture, or religion when in fact the leaders are
just involved in geo-political or geo-religious causes.
Time and again such conflicts are born on this earth and they are
becoming more and more prevalent in this present era.
HAPPENING IN OUR MARGA ALSO
One may think that this is only going on outside the Marga - but
unfortunately it is occurring in our backyard as well.
Of course in our Marga, there is an established history of doing and
dying for dharma. And hopefully someone will write more about this very
soon as Dadhicii Divas is approaching (March 5).
So in our Marga there has been the sacrifice of human life for ideology
and neo-humanism.
Baba says, "Fight for your Ideology. Be one with your Ideology. Live for
your Ideology. Die for your Ideology." (A'nanda Va'nii #14)
Baba says, "Life represents Ideology. Life should be sacrificed for
Ideology." (A'nanda Va'nii #15)
But these days ideology has been swapped out for groupism. Conniving
leaders convince sentimental margiis and wts to do and die for causes
that are merely groupist affairs.
So this dogma is alive and thriving in our Marga as well. We have
committed whole-time workers and margiis living under the canopy of
groupism thinking that they are doing and dying for ideology.
BABA'S BLESSING
We are now living in the era when grossly duplicitous leaders are
pushing their group, political, religious interest on the heads of the
common people. The ploys being put forth by the US government are
similar to the schemes delivered by factional heads in AMPS. Such
strategies are rampant everywhere. And the common people end up
innocently giving their lives to such narrow-minded strategies.
Now is the time for consciousness raising where people can escape from
the glare of dogma and sentiment - and not lose their life to those
political and groupist schemes - and instead embrace the path of
rationality.
Namaskar,
Motilal
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Method to Make Ideal Human Beings
Baba says, "Some people may ask: Why does A'nanda Ma'rga run many
kindergarten schools and not many high schools, degree colleges and
universities? A kindergarten school is something basic and the mission
of making human beings is accomplished here. If one has already become a
thief or a criminal, in that case university education for such a person
is of no avail. One is to be moulded in one's childhood. If one receives
the fundamentals of education in the formative period of one's life, one
will keep oneself alright in the teeth of the greatest trials and
tribulations in life. A bamboo, when green, can be shaped or bent in any
way you like. Once it ripens, any attempt to reshape it will break it.
This is why more stress is to be laid on kindergarten schools. Such
schools are the first phase of making human beings." (PNS-18 p.37)
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