By Varghese Alengaden

Indore: Criminals who are accused and arrested for crimes of murder, rape and financial irregularities refuse to confess their crime. They flatly deny their crimes and employ the best and the most expensive lawyers to defend them. Many of these criminals succeed in escaping from the clutches of the law with the help of their lawyers and money power. They manage to publish their stories of innocence in the media by purchasing them. The irony is that many of these criminals even manage to get elected to Parliament and become ministers.

The trend of telling lies after committing various crimes are not limited only to politicians and business people. Even the godmen who are accused and jailed for various crimes continue telling lies and refuse to confess their crimes. The wealth they have accumulated and the common people whom they have brainwashed with the drug of religion help them sustain their status despite various crimes they have committed on innocent people. Even when they are sent to prison they manage to get VIP treatment there. Their arrogance and self-righteousness do not vanish.

It is said, “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Politicians and business people become corrupt because of the money they accumulate and the power they hold. However they are liable to be questioned and investigated at some time or other. They do not have absolute power which is unquestionable.

Contrary to this the god-men and religious heads enjoy absolute power and unquestionable authority over their people. They have more chances to indulge in corruption and crimes. They brainwash their people in such a way that no one dares to question them. In fact many people have blind faith and obedience to them. Because of this, people keep silent even if they rape their women disciples or murder those who raise voice against them. With money power they manage to get the support of politicians and officials to defend themselves.

Abraham Lincoln has rightly said, “You can fool all people for some time, some people for all the time; but you cannot fool all the people for all the time.” Persons who are in positions of power may succeed to buy the media, judges and even all people.

In India where common people are drugged by religion, it is easy for the religious leaders to get the support of the common people despite indulging in corruption and immorality. Administration also will be slow in taking action against god-men because of the pressure from political leaders, who are concerned about votes of their blind followers.

When religion is commercialized its leaders deviate from their role as spiritual guides. They become owners of large commercial empire in the name of God. They sell their souls by suppressing the voice of their conscience. They become hypocrites telling lies to prove themselves. With money and muscle power they silence and eliminate prophets who challenge their hypocrisy.

Jesus wants his disciples to be prophets who act as conscience of society. He expects them to be salt preserving society from decay. It is important to preserve the saltiness, the credibility, of His disciples to be trendsetters in society. It is unfortunate that the disciples of Christ, especially the leaders of the Church, instead of following the Good Shepherd model are imitating the imperialistic style of corrupt politicians and businessmen.

The present crisis the Church faces in different parts of India can be solved only by adopting the Christo-centric way of life to become salt of society and act as prophets. This is possible only by listening to the voice of conscience and obeying it.

Spiritual people will humbly accept the mistakes and do penance without waiting for a court verdict. Even if the highest court in the country may give a clean chit to a criminal his or her conscience will imprison and persecute him or her forever.

Will the disciples of Christ and the leaders of the Church show courage and honesty to obey their conscience?

(Courtesy: Indian Currents)