God : now available in 200ml packs

Consider what we know :

Aliens are generally considered to be superior beings to Humans. Other worldy forms, they seem similar to us, yet are so different and easily identifiable when spotted. Reports on their effects following human contact is debatable - some claim that aliens have healed them of their
ailments, while many 'abductees' speak of torture and mind control. Weirdly, many speak of sexual abuse too. Whatever the truth, there is either an air of awe or revulsion when the topic is introduced and everyone who has been around one has claimed to have been changed by the
experience, for better or worse. Now here's the kicker : Replace the word "Aliens" with "Godmen" and read the paragraph again.

Weird, huh ? Not that there is any connection, but it just seemed a funny coincidence.

He's wheelchair bound. She's a diabetic. He makes gold amulets appear from his mouth while holy ash apparates from his hands. She claims to be the reason the tsunami was stopped in its tracks in 2004. They earn billions every month. They are revered by the country's biggest heads. He is no longer welcome in some of the biggest and most powerful nations in the world, following allegations of sexual abuse with children. She has been linked to many murders, including that of her own blood, en route to her path to fame. The court cases, registered, will never reach a courtroom. Because they are God.

The recent case of the Ghaziabad God, arrested after a news channel uncovered incidents of him raping minor orphans in his ashram ( with statements from the children and the workers there ) was made more disgusting by the fact that his devotees mobbed the court to scream their
support for this God, the proof and charges notwithstanding.Even that scion of women's Lib, Renuka Chaudary, did not dare lift a finger against him when beseeched for help because it would involve going up against this Godman. Thank God the NGOs stepped in finally to lend some sense to this drama. Anyway, it led to an interesting debate that weekend on the
news channel regarding Godmen and blind faith.

While the two big guns refrained from making an appearance or giving a recorded statement, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar joined a bunch of Local Gods , including a Pilot Baba ( a pilot who found out he was God : I'm guessing 'air deprivation at a high altitude' ) to lend their knowledge on the
living Gods of today. I was shocked when one spoke candidly of having had sex with devotees, claiming it was during his journey in the road to enlightenment. Wow ! That has got to be the best "get a girl into bed" line yet, I guess. Enlighten me, Baby!!!
Another interesting anecdote came from P.C.Sorkar, the powder faced magician. He spoke of how he visited India's number one Godman incognito ( Incognito ! I'm guessing that means no make up.. i mean, who'd recognise him then !? ). He wanted to watch the miracles up close and personal apparently. His conclusion - a poor fraud. He likened the powder tricks and the gold figurines appearing as cheap parlour tricks which any good magician can do and was extremely disillusioned at the end. This, from a guy, who deals with making objects much larger than ash appear and disappear - from elephants to the Taj Mahal !

Which brings up an interesting question - what if it were Satya Sai Baba or Mata Amritanandamayi making the Taj disappear and reappear ? Would it not be called a sign of DIVINITY then ? Would not their devotees, publications and Tv channels go overboard showing the world how this was proof they were Gods ? Right now, making powdery ash appear is considered a sign of divinity. Right now, turning water into a sweet dish is considered a sign of divinity. Can you imagine what the frenzy would be like if they did a Sorkar ?

Quite significant here is the fact that none of India's premier Godmen are ready to perform these 'miracles' under a controlled scientific environment. The excuses given range from poor wording in the invitations to lack of time. No time in 25 years to show the world proof that what you do daily isn't an illusion. To me, I'm afraid, that sounds suspiciously, like a David Copperfield antic than a Godman who is confident of his/her divinity.

So how do they influence so many people in so many ways ? How do they turn themselves into such a franchise, ranging from cricket fields to schools, colleges, Tv channels and world tours ? Why do people end up weeping so freely in their presence, feeling themselves light hearted and
in a divine presence ? Is it because they are Gods or are there forces beyond what the normal eye observes ? Is it, infact, a dark art or mass hypnosis, rather than a spiritual ladder, as many news reporters & researchers have claimed after their investigations ? That answer sounds hollow to me itself, even as I write it, cause there are too many loose ends.

But I do know that calling them God is a stretch. Is 'Chris Angel' the Devil then, just because he chooses to sell his wares and Rock Cds by appearing spooky ? He too does his version of mind reading, disappearing bunnies and levitation. And yet, we know he ain't God. So why is it
when the holy ash suddenly adorns someones head, they become God ?
I confess I do not know enough despite a lot of research over the last few months, but I know this much - God does not make mistakes. He does not discriminate. He does not walk past ailing children without minding them, just so that he can make gold chains for the American Ambassador sitting a row ahead. He doesn't have sex with devotees. She does not
let people die in the tsunami she should have known was coming, and then claim after throwing a part of her dress into the raging waters, that she quelled a natural disaster.
They do not discriminate against those who prefer to believe in other established religions, then accept these 'others' once they accept them as God. That is a barrier created by man,after all, not God. A person who claims to be God, by logic, isn't. It's as simple as that. Wearing the clothes does not make you God, just as going to the zoo does not make you a penguin ( Quote sound familiar ? Guess. )

An argument which came up when I discussed this with friends was that these Godmen were helping a lot of people with schools, hospitals etc. Wasn't that the main thing, in the end ? I'm sorry, but no, it isn't even close. Because the very foundation is one of falsehood. In the last
decade, the Churches have taken a major beating with so many incidents of sexual abuse of young children by priests all over the world. It shook so many people's faith and required a lot of damage control and soul searching from within the Church. Those were priests, God's messengers who betrayed God for simpler pleasures. Yet, the faith of people was painted a murky hue of disillusionment. When this was the fate because of crimes committed by God's messengers, what about when the so called Gods themselves are proven to be frauds ? How big a crime is that ? Does a kindergarden admission or free pain killers make up for fooling people into trusting you with their most valuable of belongings - their religion, their belief ?

How much longer will this continue ? Oh, long after you and I are gone, rest assured of that: People's need to believe, the need to feel that they are just an arm's distance from God, that God has personally forgiven them for their sins, cash be damned ; that is something no science
can overcome. There isn't really enough proof in the world which could convince a believer that he's wrong : that his God is a living man who is as prone to diseases as you and I. That all my Orkut friends know more languages than these Gods is a moot point as are so many other visible flaws.. because of the Need to Believe.

As for me, well,I'm tired of watching these "made in Taiwan" duplis make a fool out of the public and a mockery of God. I'm tired of the "How dare you" looks and shrieks that accompany dealing with this topic and questioning Living Gods. I dare because I seek answers. Convince me that there is a reasoning behind the "proofs of falsehood", the "lack of scientific evidence in a controlled setting", the "court cases that never reach the court". Till then, gimme a David Blaine endurance episode anyday over these frauds. Atleast, he doesn't claim to be God, even after spending a week in a huge Aquarium or a couple of days frozen in ice. You know, I'd like to see our big 2 Godmen atleast replicate that, for a change. After all, it's not a miracle anymore, is it, now that a human has done it ?

Final thought :
She has been influencing people for over 2 decades. She too earns in billions. She too has her own institutions and magazines. She aims to bring happiness to the people and salvation to the bereaved. When a natural disaster struck her country, she too donated free houses and millions
to those who were left homeless. She too preaches unity and love for one another...so why is Oprah Winfrey not a God ?
Answer : Because she doesn't claim to be one.
Guess who's the smarter nation, after all ?