After the father is dead, it is the son’s duty to get a priest; and normally, they sit at the riverside performing the ceremony. It’s called ceremony, that’s in Sanskrit; and, of course, all type of mumbo‑jumbo and chanting takes place.
You know, talking of chanting,
I was attending a Hindu wedding once, and the priest did not know, you know, what chants there should be, you know, for a marriage ceremony. So half of the chants were of a death ceremony. [Laughter] I recognized them. I recognized them and then after the ceremony was over I called the priest aside and said, «What the hell were you doing there? Do you know what this means or what that means or that means?» You know, apart from these priests, the whole theories behind this: that to the priest you must give, as a gift, a calf as a donation. Fine. And then with every, with every, you got to put, you know, coins in the west and a coin in the east, and a coin in the south and the north. So you put coins there, which after the ceremony the priest collects up.
Now, we normally believe in the four directions, east, west, north and south. But they have come up with something else, that there is a direction between north and east, another spoke there so you got to put another coin there. And another spoke between the south and the west. Another spoke, another coin, and mumbo jumbo is said, and he points to you and you got to get the bag for the money.
And the whole purpose of this practice, all this ritual, is this: that you come when you die, you come to a river which you have to cross to reach heaven. And this cow, this calf, that you have donated to the priest, which he, of course, takes home, this calf or cow will come there at the riverside, and you grab its tail and the cow would swim across the river and you, holding its tail, he’ll take you over to the other land, the other shore of Paradise.
In the name of religion and theology, so many things have been done which are totally, totally wrong. So many belief systems have been perpetrated upon the ignorant mind. And then when you go deeper into the study of theology and anthropology, you’d find things that are so weird, absolutely nonsensical. But then, of course, the priests have to make a living, not like me, traveling around the world imparting wisdom, and healing and knowledge and things to get my piece of bread. No, they do it the easier way.So there is no truth whatsoever in anyone coming to help you. There’s no truth whatsoever in having a prayer meeting for the departed, because, firstly the minister that recites the prayer, he just does it because he has to get his salary and the collection box and whatever’s involved.
And the same thing happens in baptism, the sprinkling the child with water. What does it mean? What does it really mean to be baptized? That little child that has no understanding, by sprinkling water on him, is he going to become enlightened? It’s a belief system, you know, made up by the powers that be of the church to make you an adherent of the church, a supporter of the church. And the more people there are in the parish, the better the income.
Like this tithing system, for example. But look, nothing can run on love and fresh air, so there should be some contributions. But I do not believe in enforced contributions. If you are very wealthy, why just give 10 percent. You can give more. But if you are not, you give less. And then classic story how much more effective was the widow’s mite rather than the rich man’s millions. Jesus said that, as you would know.
Speak Your Mind