Beware 'God Men'

Dr. Rajesh Bhola
India
Jun 01, 2013

 

This article is about the occult practices and rituals used by some pseudo religions, sects and 'god men' in India, who are victimizing; and fleecing the innocent and the vulnerable. Of course, living in this world, imperfect as we are, many of us do worry. At some time or the other all of us experience perplexing situations. We do not always have the answers to the problems that inevitably arise. Other family members, friends, acquaintances and colleagues may give us advice that brings no clarity or peace. In such vulnerable moments we succumb to such pressures - of visiting some pseudo religious sects or 'god men', for relief. However, in such weaker moments, to seek the 'power and experiences' of occult realms is often to invite harm, and be led into darkness and destruction – just as one may take a mind-altering drug thinking it will do no harm. Unfortunately, both can prove to be addictive - and even lethal.

I feel great pain when I see even very highly-educated and well-placed people, during the course of their struggle to find meaning and happiness in their lives, going to these 'god men' and ruining their lives. I am writing also on the basis of some startling revelations made by some of the 'god men' and their followers.

Subscribing to a faith system based on irrational and unscientific rituals and occultism are pseudo religions that thrive on the belief of the reversal of the role of man and God. The occultists say that man makes his own way in this world and the world beyond without the help of God. Occultism and the pseudo-spiritual paths tempt those who are emotionally vulnerable, and also those who choose to remain proud, and insist on pursuing any pleasure, power or immoral activity. They offer man a seemingly easy path to a "shopping-cart" type of arid spirituality without God - a glimpse into the fascinating "mysteries of life" that the ordinary innocent masses supposedly cannot understand. 

Recognizing ourselves to be as tiny in this universe as a drop of water in an endless ocean, we can rightly and humbly claim that we owe our being to the life given to us by our God - the source of all life. But if we claim to be the entirety of all that God is, or to know the entirety of God, He might laugh at our absurd arrogance - just as the ocean might ‘laugh’ at any drops that claim to be the ocean in its entirety. 

Every village and town in India has some ‘god men’, who enjoy a high status, and who offer a panacea to the innocent masses for all their suffering. All these ‘god men’ have a similar modus operandi. Let us take a look at what the cults are doing, and how they are doing it. They are attempting to create a conditioned personality in each of their members. The followers are conditioned to such a maverick level that they willingly start accepting to be a part of bizarre practices – like swallowing of ‘rakh’ or ‘bhasm’, dancing madly while their shaking heads, as if they have discovered some ‘God’. This conditioned personality is necessary for the survival of the cult, because any deviation from the imposed norms will cause an erosion of the cult’s authority, and finally the disintegration of the whole organization. The egos of those in charge cannot accept the loss of worshipers, as well as the resultant loss of cash flow. 

All cults practice some sort of mind-controlling techniques. Some have compared this to brainwashing - but brainwashing is based on physical coercion. The cults require voluntary participation. By manipulating words, playing on the ignorance and innocence of people, and the people’s natural desire to belong, cults make it seem that what an individual did was his or her personal choice. It is a cleverly designed trap. Once, such a ‘god man’ from Rohtak, after knowing that I avidly read and write on issues of secular spiritualism, confided in me, while sharing the dais, before addressing a gathering of his followers, that “all such people who are sitting in this gathering do not probably know that I am a normal human being like any of them, and in the same way undergo great hardships in my personal life. I have a meagre pension, a divorced daughter sitting at home, a son who had been caught by the police for stealing, another son who is a drug addict and unemployed, and neighbours with whom I have a very acrimonious relationship. I feel a great sense of insecurity due to all these circumstances. But these people treat me as a ‘god man’ and foolishly feel that I can cause miracles”. I know some of his followers, who have now become mentally morbid, and are under medical care and rehabilitation. 

These god men follow a false path, and attract people who are seeking easy answers to life's questions - answers that do not challenge them to change how they act or how they are. They lead men astray. They look for the respect and reverence that rightly belongs to God alone. 

Subtle coercive forces are also at work here - forces based on conformity and fear. There is, at some point, a moment of conversion – an intensely emotional experience engineered through the adept exploitation of information and emotions. When this occurs, the new member is surrounded by everyone, and is overwhelmed by their love for him or her. This is then contrasted to what it is like being outside of the group.

The 'god men' call for the individual to surrender, to turn off the reactive mind, or merely let things float. All of these are nothing more than covert hypnotic suggestions. This produces a manipulated emotional rapture, which is a numbed, mindless
high, usually interpreted as the accomplishment of a peak spiritual goal. That is why you see cult members walk around with vacuous, expressionless smiles on their faces. This is where the cult experience departs from a respected, valid religious or spiritual experience.

Source:  http://www.fridaygurgaon.com/news/3428-Beware-God-Men.html