The Sequel - So Why Bother?

One might ask, so why should I bother about what was the link between caste and karma theory, if I am not confronted with it now in my life? 

My dear friend, one has to know the past, especially our cultural past, if we want to set things right and forge ahead in life. It is not sufficient to become a rich person or a rich country measurable by the GNP or the standard of living. In 18th century, when the foreigners, Britishers were trying to grab pieces of our country, or what was called then a Mughal Empire, we were at the heights of riches. Foreign traders had to pay in silver or gold for the goods they purchased in India or else they were not accepted during the Mughal time. Yet within a few decades we were surely going under foreign domination, because of internal strife, lack of unity and lack of character. Within 200 years, India had been reduced to a Third world country with poverty and illiteracy ruling the ruse. How did it happen? Why did we allow it to happen? Reasons may be many, but one thing is clear, our caste system kept us divided and impoverished within the hierarchy. How can 15 % of people keep all education to themselves and all power to themselves including the power for the souls to attain liberation? 85% of the population was kept under subjugation by the upper castes quoting karma theory and the result was fatalism and subjugation by not just the upper caste, but by any and every foreign power that set foot in India. 

Karma has no heart; it grinds on like a cruel machine, mechanically. There is no scope for forgiveness or a gracious God whose heart cries for human suffering and willing to sacrifice to bring the lost souls to the shore. Only when Hinduism and it's oppressive tenets were questioned and bombarded by the Western Christian Missionaries in the late 19th century and early 20th century, that the Hindu leaders awoke and reformed their religion. Then, Brahmin became any one who was educated and showed intellectual leanings and Kshatrya, any one who was brave and so on. Hinduism evolved and changed under the attack, to survive, to refurbish itself and to thrive. Still the then Hindu leaders like Dayananda Saraswati declared there is no need for a God, because Karma theory will operate regardless a God. There was no hope under it. A slum-dweller is born there because of his karma, so he has to suffer and pay his dues, and no one should or could help him - that was the mental make up of a Hindu orthodox believer, until followers of Christ came and taught otherwise and tried to help uplift these suffering people. 

Do you now see why caste and karma theory should be given a decent burial? India, if it is to really progress in the true sense of a nation, has to come out of these conflicting and oppressive cultural and religious moorings.

Jesus Christ came to earth and gave his life as a sacrifice so that the suffering masses can come to God and be saved from eternal punishment. It is not restricted to men alone or to particular higher caste alone. All are same before God. 

There is forgiveness offered by Jesus, if only we could accept him and come to him in repentance. No karma is strong enough that Jesus cannot forgive, wash away and restore the penitent seeker. Truth liberates human beings and Jesus is the Truth.  

Will that ever become clear to my beloved country? I wish and pray it will, one day, some day.