How Religions Whip Up Mass Hysteria
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
26 April
2023
One Pastor
Paul Mackenzie, who runs the Good News International Church in Shakahola,
Malindi, Kenya, made the news after a massacre took place in the Shakahola
forest. People were left shocked after Kenyan police found dozens of bodies in
the eastern part of the country. Soon after this, Paul Mackenzie was arrested
as he allegedly asked people to starve themselves so they could meet Jesus and
attain heaven. He reportedly converted people to his beliefs and engaged them
in fasting. This has shocked the whole world.
Believers
from affluent countries might argue that since this happened in Kenya, a rather
poor African country where tribal superstitions and shenanigans overwhelm
religious beliefs, this is a rare and isolated incident that has nothing to do
with mainstream Christianity. They're mistaken.
Go to the
US. According to the ' Christianity Today, ' " There're more than 1450
known as well as obscure cults of Christianity in the States that indulge in
Doomsday Prophecies, Wandering Jew Myth ( plagiarised from the Accursed
Ashwatthama Legend in Mahabharata; who was condemned by Krishna to live till
the end of the world....all bogus), Apocalypse, Armageddon and what not. Often
the heads of such cults convince the credulous believers to commit suicide or
go on hunger strike (an alternative form of suicide) to attain heaven where
they would be hobnobbing with Jesus, the man who never existed. Scores of
moronic believers take the words of these charismatic Pastors, Fathers and
evangelists as Gospel Truths and commit suicide or starve themselves just to
meet Jesus or attain heaven.
Muslims are
often criticised that suicide bombers blow themselves off to get 72 Houries
and 28 Gulmas ('Beresh Launde' in Urdu) in heaven. But this
stupidity is more or less prevalent in all faiths.
Out of 18
Puranas in Hinduism, four Puranas clearly and categorically state that
celibates (Brahmachari) will be making love to ever-youthful Apsaras (
Hindu Houries!) all the time! Quite possible because heaven of all faiths is a
place for idlers and lewd people having no worries to earn and run a family.
So, keep indulging in perpetual orgies and debaucheries.
By the way,
have you ever thought how come what is condemnable or illegitimate in this
world becomes perfectly legitimate in heaven? Don't drink here. You'll get
rivers of wine flowing in paradise. Don't have sex on earth. There'll be
damsels up in the heaven to give you earth-shattering orgasms sans refraction
intervals in between! What nonsense! But legions of believers think that
they'll get all this if they lead an unexciting life on the planet earth!
A recent convert
in Punjab's Kapurthala (he was a Sikh who embraced Christianity) wrote in a
Christian magazine that now Jesus accompanies and guides him wherever he goes.
He has got a personal god whereas all the Gurus in his erstwhile faith never
guided him personally. Obviously, this neo-convert to Christianity is a deluded
man who was brainwashed by unscrupulous missionaries. These unethical
missionaries go to the extent of making the bovine brains believe that after
accepting Jesus as their saviour, he'll protect them 24 x 7 ! What a great
marketing gimmick!
It's time
to think rationally and apply the prudence nature has endowed us with.
Whichever religion it may be, at the end of the day, you're going to be
disillusioned with all esoteric mumbo-jumbo of all faiths. But then, to be
disenchanted, one has to have a semblance of reason and sanity. Alas, we don't
seem to have that. So, from the cradle to the grave, we remain yoked to a
plethora of irrational religious beliefs and obfuscated customs.
-----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul
is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He
has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several
languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/religions-whip-hysteria/d/129644