Random Thoughts
Does the End Justify the Means?
This is not only a quintessential parochial problem of Christians but also an unresolved catholic dilemma of theists as well as secular humanists, even if they are atheists or agnostics. The dilemma for Indians is whether to practice what they do not really accept rationally as a modus operandi, while sheltering themselves conveniently behind the safety of this bulletproof vest and taking potshots at vulnerable others. Indians are basically pragmatists as evident from their admiration and worship of Krishna. He had the ability to confuse, confound and twist every metaphysical and ethical problem to a simple, idealistic answer unsuitable to human nature and shroud it by idealistic theist transference of responsibility to justify everything. In return he promised the pie in the sky of immortality of the invulnerable soul, whose very existence was doubtful and whose promise was the opiate to the addicted ego of puny mortals. Indians, not unnaturally choose the path of indignation, affront and unjust oppression, while unhesitatingly espousing injustice, just as the Israelis do by proselytizing the evils of holocaust, while practicing it against the Palestinians.
Lest I be misunderstood, I am no admirer of Islam. I think it is a bigger fraud than other religions,
propagated by the sword and lust by ignorant fools, seduced by an illiterate, whose sexual appetites
included Ayesha, a girl of nine and Zainab, his adopted son's wife. The recent events in Iraq clearly
prove that the difference between Jews and Arabs is that during the barbaric custom of circumcision, the Arabs end up with inadvertent loss of much more tissue due to the fanatical surgical zeal of their religious operators. While my political proclivities and sympathies are with Israel, I cannot but help feel pity for the Palestinians, for they are human beings. Much of the rest of the Islamic population burns the candle at both ends. Their primary malady is aggravated by frequent recurrent subliminal head trauma against the ground on a daily basis. I have an even greater sympathy for the brainwashed, ignorant American electorate, which is rendered equally ineffective politically by the restraint of choice in electing its executive and legislative branches.
Many politically savvy Indians repeatedly urge the newly affluent citizens of Indian origin, to take a
leaf out of the Jewish lobby and emulate their successful strategy to influence the executive and
legislative branch, to modify their policy to become more favorable to India. We know the unimaginably high susceptibility of all politicians and particularly ours to legislation by and for their contributors. Do we wish to scrape the bottom of the ethical barrel to mingle with these whores of American society, even for the dear cause of benefiting India? Is this disdainful coterie of a corrupt cabal, worthy of our support or money and is the prize of possible success, worth the loss of ethics and self-respect? Even for a desired cause, it is best to keep one's distance from all politicians, lest it cripple us morally. This is not to withdraw from battle, but to fight for truth, justice, liberty and equality with votes and electorate education on issues and policies.
Ultimately every Indian's choice is between the blind belief in a crooked Krishna, a weak Yuddhisthira or a vanquished but consistently honest Karna. It is for each of us to decide who is the hero of the Mahabharata, before trying to buy political influence to achieve a good end by unjustifiable means! Since we know of the pious hypocrisy of human beings in general, and we Indians are no exception, the choice is obvious. The pragmatic atheists and evolutionists will naturally choose to buy influence, as any student of game theory would predict and as the current
administration puts into practice.
27-Apr-2003
More by :
Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Top | Random Thoughts
