My country, India, claims to be a multi-cultural, multi-religious country. Though there is a sizeable Muslim and Christian population here, 80% of Indians are Hindu by faith. And unlike Christianity or Islam, the tenets of Hinduism are not put down in a book like the Bible or Q’oran. In fact, the Hindu religion has no specific tenets. Religious beliefs, customs, rites, and rituals, vary from region to region (and in some cases family to family). And unlike followers of other major religions of the world, Hindus do not worship any particular god. In India, it is very common for one Hindu to ask another, “Which God do you worship?” While Hinduism does have its mythology, there is no “official” version put down in Book X or Book Y. You simply believe that a certain god exists, and believe your community’s version of the life history of that particular god.
This mythic form of religion contrasts strongly to the rigid and institutionalized religions of the west. One could also say that Hindu beliefs are transmitted through a ‘mythic consciousness’, as opposed to western religions which rely on a consciousness that is linear in nature. While science requires tangible evidence to confirm an event or object to be true or ‘real’, western religions such as Christianity or Islam consider any mention of that event or object in their holy book to be evidence for truth or ‘existence’ of that event or object. Note that western religions still rely on the principle of evidence; it would not be fair to characterize western religions to be completely “illogical.” On the other hand, Hinduism gives its followers the freedom to take as many leaps of logic as they like, as long as they stay in its very hazy boundaries. This mythic form of religion gives its followers the freedom to choose what they believe is true, and what is not.
One would assume that such mythic religions make it difficult for scientific thinking to flourish, but that is not the case. In fact, such mythic religions are known to be some of the most tolerant in the world. Because there is no official version of the truth, Hindus have little problem absorbing alien beliefs into their mythology. Thus, you will find no particular objections to the concept of ‘evolution’ in this country. Facts established by science can be easily absorbed into the mythology of such religions. Similarly, Hinduism is open to the influences of other cultures and its own mythology is often influenced by the mythologies of other cultures.
There is a downside. The flexible nature of this mythology is sometimes exploited by unscrupulous individuals interested in making a quick buck. If you claim to be a god-incarnate, you are bound to get at least a few believers who incorporate you into their roster of gods. Also, in such cases, psuedo-science finds it extremely easy to sell itself in the garb of religion. One needs to only switch on the television here, to find a barrage of telemarketing scams which sell religion-related products. Last year, my mother wasted no time in buying a piece of glass crystal which a telemarketing capsule claimed would please the gods you worship, bringing good luck to you and your family. There is no religious authority to rubbish such nonsensical claims and con artists can have a free ride in creating and selling such myths. In fact, the success of these religion-related telemarketing scams has led to many more spurious products not directly related to the version of religion being advertised. These include herbal teas which claim to cure all ailments, from obesity to diabetes to cancer, and more infuriatingly, magnetic shoes which claim to increase your height!
So while these scamsters are laughing their way to the bank now, will the future see consumers who are enlightened enough to see through these scams? In my opinion, no. As the world gets more technologically advanced, most people are less likely to understand the world around them. As tasks become easy to the point of seeming magical, a mythic consciousness is likely to be further inculcated, sending logical scrutiny for a toss. To most people, the technological miracle has become an everyday phenomenon. They do not know how computers, television or radio works; most are not interested. Rather than understanding how these things work, they just know that they work. What is to stop such people from believing in miracle shoes or some other panacea then? If a way has been found to ‘miraculously’ transmit images across the world, they reason, surely a way to miraculously increase one’s height must exist!
Our schizophrenic existence, and impatience, also ensures that the makers of these products need not worry about accountability. The makers of miracle magnetic shoes only need to ask buyers to wear the shoes at all times for 6 months. Few people would be dedicated enough to wear these shoes for more than a month, after 6 months, they would have most likely forgotten they ever bought the shoes! In my opinion, scientists and skeptics striving to inculcate critical thinking skills in the masses have a tough challenge ahead of them. A heady consumer culture and rapid technological advances are encouraging less and less thinking.
As time goes by, more corporations and individuals are likely to milk the dangerous notion being held by an increasing number of consumers: “In today’s world, anything is possible.”
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