http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/faith-and-rituals/greed-and-avariciousness-harmful-to-society-than-religion
Recently I watched a Tamil movie and one particular scene in that movie goes like this. A group of five friends are traveling in an open jeep and the conversation leads to an argument between two. One of them tells the other that in recent time there is no place for sympathy and empathy in society while the other friend says when the situation demands every person responds and reacts. To put to test he asks another friend to approach the old man waiting for the bus and tell him that he is from other district and has lost his purse and wanted Rs. 200 so that he can get back home.
As told the friend narrates to the old man and the old man rebukes him saying he is aware of all such tricks being played by frauds. The friend returns back and first friend who had told society has forgotten empathy and sympathy whispers to him and asks him to approach the old man again. This time again the friend request the old man to believe him and proposes to give away his watch which is worth Rs.1500 if he could part with Rs.500. The old man looks at the watch and agrees to pay Rs.400 instead. The friend agrees to the amount and the deal is over. In fact the watch was worth only Rs.150.The Director of the movie points out that in earlier times it was sympathy and empathy but now it is greed and avariciousness that is to be tapped when one has to trick someone.
In the recent Aamir Khan movie which is an excellent movie and an eyeopener the director fits in the character of an old Sikh man who takes refuge of a lie to get money from the hero to pay his five star hotel bill. And amazingly the hero who is searching for God and is fed up with people lying about God in the name of religion does not seem to be concern with this lie.
Further the director of the movie wants us not to anoint the idols with milk and instead provide them for hungry kids. It is an appreciable statement but I wonder why the hero and the director have not talked about people spending lavishly in hotels and malls. If one observes there are poor people who line up in front of a place of worship but not before a mall or a five star hotel. The old man could have told the reality to his wife and she would have been happier with what he provides her. Would she be happy to know that her husband lied to make her happy? A devotee might have spent a few rupees to anoint the idol but also has a few coins to spare for the poor who wait outside the place of worship be it a temple or a mosque or a church. A candle light dinner may cost thousands but there are no poor waiting outside the five star hotels, any answers Mr. Hero who take the remuneration of Rs. 45 crores for a movie or Mr. Director for this.
Religion has never caused any harm it is the intolerance towards other religion that is the problem. Likewise it is Self-Centeredness, Avariciousness and Hoarding which is the biggest problem in the society. Religious festivals like Dussehra, Deepavali, Eid & Christmas are the time when the economy is in constant flow. Just as water which is stagnant stinks, wealth also has to be in continuous flow for the well being of the society. Economy of a place will flourish only if money is earned and spent. Religious festivals are one of the ways for it, look at how commodities are traded at festive times and economy shared. Rich may spend lakhs on holiday abroad and a few thousands for weekend parties but will it help the economic cycle? No, it has done nothing to put an end to “The Tragedy of Commons*.”
* The Tragedy of the Commons is an economics theory by Garrett Hardin, which says that individuals acting independently and rationally according to each one's self-interest behave contrary to the whole group's long-term best interests by depleting some common resource.
Recently I watched a Tamil movie and one particular scene in that movie goes like this. A group of five friends are traveling in an open jeep and the conversation leads to an argument between two. One of them tells the other that in recent time there is no place for sympathy and empathy in society while the other friend says when the situation demands every person responds and reacts. To put to test he asks another friend to approach the old man waiting for the bus and tell him that he is from other district and has lost his purse and wanted Rs. 200 so that he can get back home.
As told the friend narrates to the old man and the old man rebukes him saying he is aware of all such tricks being played by frauds. The friend returns back and first friend who had told society has forgotten empathy and sympathy whispers to him and asks him to approach the old man again. This time again the friend request the old man to believe him and proposes to give away his watch which is worth Rs.1500 if he could part with Rs.500. The old man looks at the watch and agrees to pay Rs.400 instead. The friend agrees to the amount and the deal is over. In fact the watch was worth only Rs.150.The Director of the movie points out that in earlier times it was sympathy and empathy but now it is greed and avariciousness that is to be tapped when one has to trick someone.
In the recent Aamir Khan movie which is an excellent movie and an eyeopener the director fits in the character of an old Sikh man who takes refuge of a lie to get money from the hero to pay his five star hotel bill. And amazingly the hero who is searching for God and is fed up with people lying about God in the name of religion does not seem to be concern with this lie.
Further the director of the movie wants us not to anoint the idols with milk and instead provide them for hungry kids. It is an appreciable statement but I wonder why the hero and the director have not talked about people spending lavishly in hotels and malls. If one observes there are poor people who line up in front of a place of worship but not before a mall or a five star hotel. The old man could have told the reality to his wife and she would have been happier with what he provides her. Would she be happy to know that her husband lied to make her happy? A devotee might have spent a few rupees to anoint the idol but also has a few coins to spare for the poor who wait outside the place of worship be it a temple or a mosque or a church. A candle light dinner may cost thousands but there are no poor waiting outside the five star hotels, any answers Mr. Hero who take the remuneration of Rs. 45 crores for a movie or Mr. Director for this.
Religion has never caused any harm it is the intolerance towards other religion that is the problem. Likewise it is Self-Centeredness, Avariciousness and Hoarding which is the biggest problem in the society. Religious festivals like Dussehra, Deepavali, Eid & Christmas are the time when the economy is in constant flow. Just as water which is stagnant stinks, wealth also has to be in continuous flow for the well being of the society. Economy of a place will flourish only if money is earned and spent. Religious festivals are one of the ways for it, look at how commodities are traded at festive times and economy shared. Rich may spend lakhs on holiday abroad and a few thousands for weekend parties but will it help the economic cycle? No, it has done nothing to put an end to “The Tragedy of Commons*.”
* The Tragedy of the Commons is an economics theory by Garrett Hardin, which says that individuals acting independently and rationally according to each one's self-interest behave contrary to the whole group's long-term best interests by depleting some common resource.
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