1. Eternal Values in ChangingEternal Values in Changing
Times: Religious Morals inTimes: Religious Morals in
the 21st Centurythe 21st Century
A Hindu PerspectiveA Hindu Perspective

2. A Secular WorldA Secular World
 Religion in the west has been on theReligion in the west has been on the
retreat since Enlightenmentretreat since Enlightenment
 Rationalism as opposed to superstitionRationalism as opposed to superstition
 Empirical evidence as opposed to FaithEmpirical evidence as opposed to Faith
 Science as the Ultimate Answer: itScience as the Ultimate Answer: it
brings results e.g. Industrial Revolutionbrings results e.g. Industrial Revolution
 Declining church attendanceDeclining church attendance
 Idea of god as an irrelevant hypothesisIdea of god as an irrelevant hypothesis
 Live for the Present not artificial afterlifeLive for the Present not artificial afterlife
 Religion as force for divisionReligion as force for division
 Humanity as the focusHumanity as the focus
 Individual freedom as opposed to doingIndividual freedom as opposed to doing
what pleases any godwhat pleases any god

3. Failed AlternativesFailed Alternatives
 Twentieth centuries witnessed worstTwentieth centuries witnessed worst
crimes against humanitycrimes against humanity
 Class and Race replaced any god inClass and Race replaced any god in
human centred ideologieshuman centred ideologies
 Loyalty toLoyalty to
Proletariat/Nation/Volk/Race/ClassProletariat/Nation/Volk/Race/Class
 Non–existent or ambiguous moralityNon–existent or ambiguous morality
 Idealism and Sincerity severely warpedIdealism and Sincerity severely warped
 Communism and National SocialismCommunism and National Socialism
secular and anti-religious in creating thesecular and anti-religious in creating the
“New Man”“New Man”
 No god to restrain excessesNo god to restrain excesses
 Disillusionment with heaven on earthDisillusionment with heaven on earth
revolution meant retreat into lowestrevolution meant retreat into lowest
common denominator, that of race,common denominator, that of race,
ethnicity, and volkethnicity, and volk

4. Directionless YouthDirectionless Youth
CultureCulture
 Punk became the epitome ofPunk became the epitome of
rejectionrejection
 Anarchy, Revolution, No Future,Anarchy, Revolution, No Future,
DIY music created energy, impulseDIY music created energy, impulse
and driveand drive
 But rootlessness and rudderlessBut rootlessness and rudderless
philosophy left dangerous Vacuumphilosophy left dangerous Vacuum
 Filled by ultimate in tribal, racistFilled by ultimate in tribal, racist
and volkisch loyaltyand volkisch loyalty
 Punk led to skinheadPunk led to skinhead
 Anarchism, Naïve Idealism createdAnarchism, Naïve Idealism created
strict unbending yet appealingstrict unbending yet appealing
structures that gave directionstructures that gave direction

5. Infantocracy in the UKInfantocracy in the UK UK Society is bemoaned for being out ofUK Society is bemoaned for being out of
controlcontrol
 Children brought up by parents whoChildren brought up by parents who
themselves trapped in perpetual adolescencethemselves trapped in perpetual adolescence
 Family breakdown increaseFamily breakdown increase
 ““Am I bovvered” attitude dominatesAm I bovvered” attitude dominates
 Lack of any sense of responsibilityLack of any sense of responsibility
 Egotism rules in warped sense of human rightsEgotism rules in warped sense of human rights
 Bombardment with images of sex, needlessBombardment with images of sex, needless
consumer products, extra financeconsumer products, extra finance
 Fake Veneer more important than authenticity:Fake Veneer more important than authenticity:
credit not thrift, prefab hits not musicalcredit not thrift, prefab hits not musical
craftsmanship, immediate sexual gratificationcraftsmanship, immediate sexual gratification
not stable romantic commitment, envy notnot stable romantic commitment, envy not
aspiration, exploitation not friendshipaspiration, exploitation not friendship
 Emotion reduced to commodity like packet ofEmotion reduced to commodity like packet of
crispscrisps
 No sense of right and wrongNo sense of right and wrong
 Atomisation of societyAtomisation of society
 Lack of social structures and role modelsLack of social structures and role models
creates vacuumcreates vacuum
 Gang culture, MTV, voyeurism, Big Brother, XGang culture, MTV, voyeurism, Big Brother, X
Factor, addictions provide new structures forFactor, addictions provide new structures for
disillusioned Generation Xdisillusioned Generation X

6. Religious Revival inReligious Revival in
WestWest
 Secularisation led to interest in NewSecularisation led to interest in New
Age, Oriental spirituality, andAge, Oriental spirituality, and
“indigenous” beliefs“indigenous” beliefs
 Last 20 years have seen religiousLast 20 years have seen religious
revival especially in Americarevival especially in America
 Churches playing greater role inChurches playing greater role in
community cohesioncommunity cohesion
 Faith schools, youth groups, remainFaith schools, youth groups, remain
popular and increasing presencepopular and increasing presence
even among secular or those ofeven among secular or those of
another faithanother faith
 Provide structure in world andProvide structure in world and
generation that lacks onegeneration that lacks one
 Important work recognised byImportant work recognised by
governmentgovernment
 But is this irrational leap of faith?But is this irrational leap of faith?

7. Ethnic Minorities andEthnic Minorities and
ReligionReligion
 UK Black Churches buck the trend ofUK Black Churches buck the trend of
declinedecline
 Black Churches recognised forBlack Churches recognised for
important role Inner City regeneration,important role Inner City regeneration,
crime prevention, rehab and cohesioncrime prevention, rehab and cohesion
 Church growth among ChineseChurch growth among Chinese
 Islam most practised faith in UK andIslam most practised faith in UK and
expanding among indigenousexpanding among indigenous
populationpopulation
 Minority religions recognised forMinority religions recognised for
continuing to emphasise family values,continuing to emphasise family values,
dignity and a morality which has beendignity and a morality which has been
ditched as “uncool” by the Infantocracyditched as “uncool” by the Infantocracy

8. MulticulturalistMulticulturalist
NightmareNightmare
 Oppressive, claustrophobic and blatantlyOppressive, claustrophobic and blatantly
illegal social norms excused in name of anti-illegal social norms excused in name of anti-
racism, cultural sensitivity and not wanting toracism, cultural sensitivity and not wanting to
offend any religionoffend any religion
 Forced marriage, honour killings, rape ofForced marriage, honour killings, rape of
minors, dehumanisation of the individual withminors, dehumanisation of the individual with
females as overwhelming victimsfemales as overwhelming victims
 Pseudo-Validation of religious bodies neededPseudo-Validation of religious bodies needed
before normal human rights can be enforcedbefore normal human rights can be enforced
 Fossilisation of religious/cultural elements inFossilisation of religious/cultural elements in
vain attempt to hold onto idealised purevain attempt to hold onto idealised pure
version that never actually existedversion that never actually existed
 Infantocracy plagues once seeminglyInfantocracy plagues once seemingly
cohesive minority groups causing thecohesive minority groups causing the
oppressive elements to be emphasised moreoppressive elements to be emphasised more
in vain attempt to defend religion, culture,in vain attempt to defend religion, culture,
community from falling apartcommunity from falling apart

9. Any Answers?Any Answers?
 Secularisation allowed freedom of thought uninhibited by theologicalSecularisation allowed freedom of thought uninhibited by theological
constraintsconstraints
 Individual freedom, liberty of conscience, idea of Progress in the FutureIndividual freedom, liberty of conscience, idea of Progress in the Future
 But no guarantee it would be progressive or positiveBut no guarantee it would be progressive or positive
 Nature abhors vacuum and will restore balanceNature abhors vacuum and will restore balance
 Gang culture but one aspect of Infantocracy creating own warpedGang culture but one aspect of Infantocracy creating own warped
morality as a result of nonemorality as a result of none
 Addictions of drugs, sex, alcohol, mind numbing media to escapeAddictions of drugs, sex, alcohol, mind numbing media to escape
hendonistic worldhendonistic world
 Clock cannot be turned backClock cannot be turned back
 Irrational leap of faith mere temporary respiteIrrational leap of faith mere temporary respite
 Scientific discoveries and rationalism cannot just be unlearntScientific discoveries and rationalism cannot just be unlearnt
 Despite secularisation and decline of “religion” the lure of spiritualityDespite secularisation and decline of “religion” the lure of spirituality
remains strongremains strong
 New Age phenomena flourished due to open mindedness created byNew Age phenomena flourished due to open mindedness created by
secularisationsecularisation
 Increasing adherence to ideas of vegetarianism, ecological responsibility,Increasing adherence to ideas of vegetarianism, ecological responsibility,
ethical business practices, astrology, reincarnationethical business practices, astrology, reincarnation

10. Divine Cosmic UniversalDivine Cosmic Universal
OrderOrder
 Hindus need to be asked what exactly are theyHindus need to be asked what exactly are they
defending in their own culture and how is itdefending in their own culture and how is it
applicableapplicable
 In applying Hindu perspective one needs to re-In applying Hindu perspective one needs to re-
examine terminologyexamine terminology
 Dharma has no western equivalentDharma has no western equivalent
 Colonialist era constructs of “religion” areColonialist era constructs of “religion” are
inapplicable in Indian contextinapplicable in Indian context
 Dharma needs to be felt and can be realised onceDharma needs to be felt and can be realised once
it is missingit is missing
 Dharma can be seen as that which sustainsDharma can be seen as that which sustains
societysociety
 Rta is in balance with cosmic orderRta is in balance with cosmic order
 Dharma and Rta provide reference points forDharma and Rta provide reference points for
morality now missingmorality now missing
 The divine is within each of usThe divine is within each of us

11. Dharma Relevance to 21Dharma Relevance to 21stst
CenturyCentury
 Emphasis on Behaviour and Conduct rather than just BeliefEmphasis on Behaviour and Conduct rather than just Belief
 Understand Consequences of actionsUnderstand Consequences of actions
 Act according to available and accurate informationAct according to available and accurate information
 God is not dictating to humanity but is humanity and lies within eachGod is not dictating to humanity but is humanity and lies within each
of us: Our Conscienceof us: Our Conscience
 Conscience has its foundation in humility, compassion and love for allConscience has its foundation in humility, compassion and love for all
 Dharma is context specific, so morality is not compromised, neither isDharma is context specific, so morality is not compromised, neither is
it made irrelevantit made irrelevant
 Brain is rationality, Heart is BhaktiBrain is rationality, Heart is Bhakti
 Sanatana Dharma is therefore eternal because rules, responsibilitiesSanatana Dharma is therefore eternal because rules, responsibilities
and living in harmony with others and nature can never be dispensedand living in harmony with others and nature can never be dispensed
withwith
 Idea of Samskaras make the Infantocracy an anathema andIdea of Samskaras make the Infantocracy an anathema and
irrelevantirrelevant

12. Understanding DharmaUnderstanding Dharma
Guru Nanak:Guru Nanak:
““Dharma is the son ofDharma is the son of
compassion”compassion”
Goswami Tulsidas:Goswami Tulsidas:
““Compassion is the root ofCompassion is the root of
Dharma, ego the root of sin”Dharma, ego the root of sin”

13. Final Words of WisdomFinal Words of Wisdom
from Confuciusfrom Confucius
Adept Kung asked:Adept Kung asked:
"Is there any one word that could"Is there any one word that could
guide a person throughout life?"guide a person throughout life?"
The Master replied: "How about 'shu':The Master replied: "How about 'shu':
never impose on others what younever impose on others what you
would not choose for yourself?“would not choose for yourself?“