Do we bribe God?
How many of us have been lured by our parents to visit the temple just before exams or any other important result-oriented occasion? In an Indian family, it is not uncommon to come across people who regularly observe mannat, which generally is a wish made to God in return for prayers or offerings made in kind, cash or any other form. When one looks at the definition of mannat, one is not wrong in assuming any kind of prayer to be a transaction of a kind in which there is a clear give and take relationship. An important question thus surfaces -- do we bribe God?
Recently, as we were scanning through various opinion pieces and blogs on the anti-corruption crusade and the Jan Lokpal Bill, a very remarkable opinion piece written by Jug Suraiya intrigued us. Titled Godly Graft, Suraiya makes an interesting point by questioning the need to bring God within the purview of the Jan Lokpal Bill; he challenges the system of religion that prevails, and compels one to think if religion as a structure is any different from other systems with which people regularly interface.
In this context, a popular quote by Karl Marx can be explored, wherein he describes religion as the opium of people; a state of illusionary happiness. Apply this to corruption, and one can say that it is, to a great extent, a state of illusionary happiness as nowhere there is any contract that ensures that the services for which a bribe is given are rendered. Thus the question, do offerings in the form of prayers, fruits, flowers, shawls or ornaments to God guarantee fulfilment of one’s wishes?
Religious establishments are among the wealthiest institutions in India what with special services offered by most of them wherein paying extra bucks or so-called VIP charges grant you quicker and easier access to the Gods. Paying those extra bucks has become a pre-requisite to get quick access to what is otherwise every citizen’s right?
Given these circumstances, are we not offering bribe to get either access to, or favour, from God?
ipaidabribe.com, in its endeavour to explore various perspectives and to analyse corruption beyond the generic lens, asked citizens their views on offerings as a bribe? To know what our citizens feel, watch this video