Eternal Values in Changing Times

Eternal Values in Eternal Values in Changing Times: Religious Changing Times: Religious Morals in the 21st Morals in the 21st Century Century

A Hindu PerspectiveA Hindu Perspective

A Secular WorldA Secular World Religion in the west has been on the Religion in the west has been on the

retreat since Enlightenmentretreat since Enlightenment Rationalism as opposed to superstition Rationalism as opposed to superstition Empirical evidence as opposed to FaithEmpirical evidence as opposed to Faith Science as the Ultimate Answer: it brings Science as the Ultimate Answer: it brings

results e.g. Industrial Revolutionresults e.g. Industrial Revolution Declining church attendanceDeclining church attendance Idea of god as an irrelevant hypothesisIdea of god as an irrelevant hypothesis Live for the Present not artificial afterlifeLive for the Present not artificial afterlife Religion as force for divisionReligion as force for division Humanity as the focusHumanity as the focus Individual freedom as opposed to doing Individual freedom as opposed to doing

what pleases any godwhat pleases any god

Failed AlternativesFailed Alternatives

Twentieth centuries witnessed worst Twentieth centuries witnessed worst crimes against humanitycrimes against humanity

Class and Race replaced any god in Class and Race replaced any god in human centred ideologies human centred ideologies

Loyalty to Loyalty to Proletariat/Nation/Volk/Race/ClassProletariat/Nation/Volk/Race/Class

Non–existent or ambiguous moralityNon–existent or ambiguous morality Idealism and Sincerity severely warpedIdealism and Sincerity severely warped Communism and National Socialism Communism and National Socialism

secular and anti-religious in creating the secular and anti-religious in creating the “New Man”“New Man”

No god to restrain excessesNo god to restrain excesses Disillusionment with heaven on earth Disillusionment with heaven on earth

revolution meant retreat into lowest revolution meant retreat into lowest common denominator, that of race, common denominator, that of race, ethnicity, and volkethnicity, and volk

Directionless Youth Directionless Youth CultureCulture

Punk became the epitome of Punk became the epitome of rejectionrejection

Anarchy, Revolution, No Future, Anarchy, Revolution, No Future, DIY music created energy, DIY music created energy, impulse and driveimpulse and drive

But rootlessness and rudderless But rootlessness and rudderless philosophy left dangerous philosophy left dangerous VacuumVacuum

Filled by ultimate in tribal, Filled by ultimate in tribal, racist and volkisch loyaltyracist and volkisch loyalty

Punk led to skinheadPunk led to skinhead Anarchism, Naïve Idealism Anarchism, Naïve Idealism

created strict unbending yet created strict unbending yet appealing structures that gave appealing structures that gave directiondirection

Infantocracy in the UKInfantocracy in the UK UK Society is bemoaned for being out of UK Society is bemoaned for being out of

controlcontrol Children brought up by parents who Children brought up by parents who

themselves trapped in perpetual adolescencethemselves trapped in perpetual adolescence Family breakdown increaseFamily breakdown increase ““Am I bovvered” attitude dominatesAm I bovvered” attitude dominates Lack of any sense of responsibilityLack of any sense of responsibility Egotism rules in warped sense of human rightsEgotism rules in warped sense of human rights Bombardment with images of sex, needless Bombardment with images of sex, needless

consumer products, extra financeconsumer products, extra finance Fake Veneer more important than authenticity: Fake Veneer more important than authenticity:

credit not thrift, prefab hits not musical credit not thrift, prefab hits not musical craftsmanship, immediate sexual gratification craftsmanship, immediate sexual gratification not stable romantic commitment, envy not not stable romantic commitment, envy not aspiration, exploitation not friendshipaspiration, exploitation not friendship

Emotion reduced to commodity like packet of Emotion reduced to commodity like packet of crispscrisps

No sense of right and wrongNo sense of right and wrong Atomisation of societyAtomisation of society Lack of social structures and role models Lack of social structures and role models

creates vacuumcreates vacuum Gang culture, MTV, voyeurism, Big Brother, X Gang culture, MTV, voyeurism, Big Brother, X

Factor, addictions provide new structures for Factor, addictions provide new structures for disillusioned Generation X disillusioned Generation X

Religious Revival in Religious Revival in WestWest

Secularisation led to interest in Secularisation led to interest in New Age, Oriental spirituality, and New Age, Oriental spirituality, and “indigenous” beliefs“indigenous” beliefs

Last 20 years have seen religious Last 20 years have seen religious revival especially in Americarevival especially in America

Churches playing greater role in Churches playing greater role in community cohesioncommunity cohesion

Faith schools, youth groups, Faith schools, youth groups, remain popular and increasing remain popular and increasing presence even among secular or presence even among secular or those of another faiththose of another faith

Provide structure in world and Provide structure in world and generation that lacks onegeneration that lacks one

Important work recognised by Important work recognised by governmentgovernment

But is this irrational leap of faith?But is this irrational leap of faith?

Ethnic Minorities and Ethnic Minorities and ReligionReligion

UK Black Churches buck the trend of UK Black Churches buck the trend of declinedecline

Black Churches recognised for Black Churches recognised for important role Inner City regeneration, important role Inner City regeneration, crime prevention, rehab and cohesioncrime prevention, rehab and cohesion

Church growth among ChineseChurch growth among Chinese Islam most practised faith in UK and Islam most practised faith in UK and

expanding among indigenous expanding among indigenous populationpopulation

Minority religions recognised for Minority religions recognised for continuing to emphasise family values, continuing to emphasise family values, dignity and a morality which has been dignity and a morality which has been ditched as “uncool” by the Infantocracyditched as “uncool” by the Infantocracy

Multiculturalist Multiculturalist NightmareNightmare

Oppressive, claustrophobic and blatantly Oppressive, claustrophobic and blatantly illegal social norms excused in name of illegal social norms excused in name of anti-racism, cultural sensitivity and not anti-racism, cultural sensitivity and not wanting to offend any religionwanting to offend any religion

Forced marriage, honour killings, rape of Forced marriage, honour killings, rape of minors, dehumanisation of the individual minors, dehumanisation of the individual with females as overwhelming victimswith females as overwhelming victims

Pseudo-Validation of religious bodies Pseudo-Validation of religious bodies needed before normal human rights can be needed before normal human rights can be enforcedenforced

Fossilisation of religious/cultural elements Fossilisation of religious/cultural elements in vain attempt to hold onto idealised pure in vain attempt to hold onto idealised pure version that never actually existedversion that never actually existed

Infantocracy plagues once seemingly Infantocracy plagues once seemingly cohesive minority groups causing the cohesive minority groups causing the oppressive elements to be emphasised oppressive elements to be emphasised more in vain attempt to defend religion, more in vain attempt to defend religion, culture, community from falling apartculture, community from falling apart

Any Answers?Any Answers?

Secularisation allowed freedom of thought uninhibited by theological Secularisation allowed freedom of thought uninhibited by theological constraintsconstraints

Individual freedom, liberty of conscience, idea of Progress in the Individual freedom, liberty of conscience, idea of Progress in the FutureFuture

But no guarantee it would be progressive or positiveBut no guarantee it would be progressive or positive Nature abhors vacuum and will restore balanceNature abhors vacuum and will restore balance Gang culture but one aspect of Infantocracy creating own warped Gang culture but one aspect of Infantocracy creating own warped

morality as a result of nonemorality as a result of none Addictions of drugs, sex, alcohol, mind numbing media to escape Addictions of drugs, sex, alcohol, mind numbing media to escape

hendonistic world hendonistic world Clock cannot be turned backClock cannot be turned back Irrational leap of faith mere temporary respiteIrrational leap of faith mere temporary respite Scientific discoveries and rationalism cannot just be unlearntScientific discoveries and rationalism cannot just be unlearnt Despite secularisation and decline of “religion” the lure of spirituality Despite secularisation and decline of “religion” the lure of spirituality

remains strongremains strong New Age phenomena flourished due to open mindedness created by New Age phenomena flourished due to open mindedness created by

secularisationsecularisation Increasing adherence to ideas of vegetarianism, ecological Increasing adherence to ideas of vegetarianism, ecological

responsibility, ethical business practices, astrology, reincarnationresponsibility, ethical business practices, astrology, reincarnation

Divine Cosmic Divine Cosmic Universal OrderUniversal Order

Hindus need to be asked what exactly are they Hindus need to be asked what exactly are they defending in their own culture and how is it defending in their own culture and how is it applicableapplicable

In applying Hindu perspective one needs to re-In applying Hindu perspective one needs to re-examine terminologyexamine terminology

Dharma has no western equivalentDharma has no western equivalent Colonialist era constructs of “religion” are Colonialist era constructs of “religion” are

inapplicable in Indian contextinapplicable in Indian context Dharma needs to be felt and can be realised Dharma needs to be felt and can be realised

once it is missingonce it is missing Dharma can be seen as that which sustains Dharma can be seen as that which sustains

societysociety Rta is in balance with cosmic orderRta is in balance with cosmic order Dharma and Rta provide reference points for Dharma and Rta provide reference points for

morality now missingmorality now missing The divine is within each of usThe divine is within each of us Rights need to be combined with Rights need to be combined with

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Dharma Relevance to 21Dharma Relevance to 21stst CenturyCentury

Emphasis on Behaviour and Conduct rather than just BeliefEmphasis on Behaviour and Conduct rather than just Belief Understand Consequences of actionsUnderstand Consequences of actions Act according to available and accurate informationAct according to available and accurate information God is not dictating to humanity but is humanity and lies God is not dictating to humanity but is humanity and lies

within each of us: Our Consciencewithin each of us: Our Conscience Conscience has its foundation in humility, compassion and Conscience has its foundation in humility, compassion and

love for all love for all Dharma is context specific, so morality is not compromised, Dharma is context specific, so morality is not compromised,

neither is it made irrelevantneither is it made irrelevant Brain is rationality, Heart is BhaktiBrain is rationality, Heart is Bhakti Sanatana Dharma is therefore eternal because rules, Sanatana Dharma is therefore eternal because rules,

responsibilities and living in harmony with others and nature responsibilities and living in harmony with others and nature can never be dispensed withcan never be dispensed with

Idea of Samskaras make the Infantocracy an anathema and Idea of Samskaras make the Infantocracy an anathema and irrelevantirrelevant

Understanding DharmaUnderstanding Dharma

Guru Nanak:Guru Nanak:““Dharma is the son of Dharma is the son of

compassion”compassion”

Goswami Tulsidas:Goswami Tulsidas:““Compassion is the root of Compassion is the root of

Dharma, ego the root of Dharma, ego the root of sin”sin”

Final Words of Wisdom Final Words of Wisdom from Confuciusfrom Confucius

Adept Kung asked: Adept Kung asked: "Is there any one word that "Is there any one word that

could guide a person could guide a person throughout life?"throughout life?"

The Master replied: "How about The Master replied: "How about 'shu': never impose on others 'shu': never impose on others what you would not choose for what you would not choose for yourself?“yourself?“