Conspiracy theories (video)
Aldous Huxley has described: The effects that follow the constant and intense concentration upon evil are always disastrous. Those who crusade not for God in themselves, but against the demons in others, never succeed in making the world better,. No man can concentrate his attention on evil, or even the idea of evil, and remain unaffected. To be more against the demon than for godliness is exceedingly dangerous. Every crusader is apt to go mad. He is haunted by the wickedness that he attributes to his enemies; it becomes sort of a part of him.
The title of this podcast is very interesting. Conspiracy theories generally refer to beliefs that particular unexplained events were caused by a covert group. The discussion in this video revolves around conspiracy theories created by our mind- in the form of blame game, derision or self-pity- while encountering failures in life.
Our society is geared up for success. Therefore failure brings about emotions of fear and insecurity in us. Theodore Roosevelt said, “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.” The simple reality is that failure is one of those ugly realities of life—a common experience to all of us to some degree. Thus, the ability to handle failure in its various forms and degrees is a vital part of the spiritual life and a sign of maturity.
As devotees, we often face difficulties in the sense of failures. When Spirituality is presented in a positive way, it makes people feel positive. That positivity assists people to face life’s challenges. But in our Bhakti tradition, quite often we don’t talk so much about the difficulties of life. In fact, we say that life is material , it is full of misery. We are somewhat dismissive of life’s trials and tribulations. Instead, we have our own spiritual practices, which can be quite demanding. Hence instead of Bhakti equipping a person to face life’s trials, it turns into an added challenge, in an already challenging life, thereby becoming an additional source of failure, and negativity.
It may appear that Bhakti seems to increase a person’s problems.
The podcast talks about misconception of Bhakti being negative and how conspiracy theories take us away from Krishna. Additionally, it discusses how to deal with failure and bounce back from any setbacks, without blaming others or beating oneself down, by being Krishna conscious.
This is a second podcast with HG M Madhavananda Prabhu who is a fount of wisdom, maturity and realisation. His consistent emphasis is on cultivating Krishna consciousness. Madhavananda Prabhu, joined ISKCON in Los Angeles in 1982. He moved to Bhubaneswar Orissa in 1993 where he has been living since. He was instructed by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj to edit his lectures into publications. For over ten years he has been serving as the director of ISKCON Gopal Jiu Publications, the editor of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Magazine, and the email magazine Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu.
Succinctly summarised by Chaitanya Charan Prabhu from 1.30.59:
So, we discussed today broadly on the topic of going beyond conspiracy theories. We may blame people individually when we face problems, either our own problems or problems in the society around us. When we expand that blaming mentality, we might blame someone , a particular agent, one particular cause, and that can become a conspiracy theory. And so the problem with that is, first of all, you know, we don’t know enough to say that one particular thing is the cause of all problems. And it’s more likely that the problem is more like ignorance or incompetence rather than malevolence. And even if it is, that there is some one cause of all problems, now, what are we going to do about it? Whether it is somebody spreading and spreading biochemical by doing biochemical warfare through pathogens or somebody trying to convert a whole country, how is it if we become more obsessed with evil, then focusing on godliness, then we will end up becoming agents of evil.
You mentioned two quotes of Bhakti Siddhanta Thakur about reformation, that criticizing others is actually very difficult work. And a Guru has to do that. He says, I’m forced to do that. But why are you going out of your way to do that?
So criticizing could also mean obsessing over the evil and other people. And that’s why we might criticize and that can bring out the evil within us. So, the real problem with conspiracy theories is that we become more conscious of the problem than of Krishna as the solution, which can distract us from Krishna consciousness.
Krishna consciousness is the primary solution and as the tool within that, there could be various things. There could be some managerial change, there could be some change in power, there could be bringing awareness of some problems, various things, but then there is a conspiracy theory mentality. The second thing that is too first becomes the primary and Krishna consciousness is like pushed or retired upstairs, and then then we end up often being a part of the problem rather than the solution. In essence reformation is required, but to think that we are the reformers, that is a problem.
And then you talk about how we focus more on the domain of ideas. So,at the transcendental level, we need to know that it is Krishna who is the solution. If we are part of the solution, it is because Krishna is acting through us and we need to stay connected with Krishna. So, there is more of a positive focus in trying to solve the problem, rather than criticizing things. Like Prabhupada did not criticize Gaudiya Matha so much as he focused on creating an alternative in the form of the Krishna consciousness movement.
And the problem with the conspiracy theories is that it creates a culture of distrust and we can question authority. But it is more important that we find like minded Association. Varnaashram is not so much about dividing people into society, but creating a like minded associate, having like minded Association, where we all can make the contribution that we are meant to do- like Arjuna fought, somebody writes ,different people may do different things, but it needs to be in the context of our connection with Krishna, devotion to Krishna.
You also gave the example of Gaura Kishore Das Baba Ji, how he did not see that these people were beating him when he saw that Krishna is doing this to me. So we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Krishna is acting.
And then I mentioned these three things that if you want to make a change , contribute to changing the world. So purity is to stay connected with ourselves, then humility is to know that it’s not that I have the full solution, but I have a small part of a bigger solution. And I can see a small problem which I’ll work on and then maturity is a way that we don’t disrupt what is working, but focus on creating something which is constructive. And while working on this inside out change, taking responsibility that we can avoid going into self-pity, beating ourselves up by knowing that our focus has to connect with Krishna ,not on beating ourselves down. When we get involved with conspiracy theories we turn away from Krishna and start dreading something else.
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=88782