by M.P. Bhattathiry

September 11^th changed our lives. People have seen cruelty in its original form, and some have not even recovered from the great mental depression. Let us express our feelings for the victims of this tragedy in New York, and share the difference it has made in our lives, individually and collectively.

Let us also recollect another historical event that happened in the USA on the same date – 11^th September. On this day Swami Vivekananda spoke at the Parliament of Religions of Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 where he preached the importance of love among all religions. Strangely the great Swami, in his very first lecture, spoke mainly on tolerance and universal acceptance. He said, 'we believe not only in universal tolerance but we accept all religions as true'. He quoted from a famous hymn to God Siva written by Pushpadanta several centuries ago which says, 'As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in to the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee'.

He then concluded with the following wonderful words: 'Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendent, fanaticism have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. O let us sincerely hope that the actions taken during the last one year may be the death knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the weapon or with the pen and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.'

Though we are yet to find out what ideas worked behind the tragedy of September 11, 2001, we can be sure that an extreme fanatic view that considers ideologies different from itself worthy of nothing. Further events have revealed that this fanatic view was planted into the receptive minds of young people who become the instruments of terror that revealed itself at the W.T.C. and elsewhere. Fanaticism drives away all reason and thus persons with fanatic ideas act like robots, rather, like animals. Fanaticism is the fuel by which the machine of terrorism works.

Fanaticism has been a part of human life whenever people have been deprived of their spiritual food. What is spiritual food? It is that values which lead people to realize their oneness with the universe and with God, and thus come to love humanity and God resulting in peace everywhere.

Vedas, the oldest available scriptures to humanity, the Bible, the Koran, and all other religious scriptures say that this creation is God’s alone and we should love each other. It implies that divinity is in every creature as its fundamental, inalienable nature. This is why Swami Vivekananda proclaimed the 'divinity of man' in his many lectures in America. He thundered, 'Ye, the divinities on earth, sinners? It is a libel to call a man so'.

When this idea of the divinity of man is widely taught, not only in our schools and colleges but also in all churches, mosques, pagodas, tabernacles, and temples where most innocent minds throng in millions, only then will people learn to respect each other and the idea of harming others, for whatever cause, will appear repulsive.

In spite of our access to advanced education, love and respect for fellow humans is lacking. It is in the absence of this loving concern that scientists and politicians prepare nuclear weapons, biological bombs, and other weapons of mass destruction. Is it any wonder if such people indulge in wholesale destruction of human life as in the 'program of Hitler' or the 'tragedy of September 11, 2001' in New York?

The events of September 11 awakened a sense of urgency to educate people to protect us from being 'brain-washing' by ideologies masked under various pretexts. In killing innocents there can be no religion. Men who join such fanatical 'training camps' generally belong to the poor and the deprived. They are made to believe that killing people, other than their own kind, will confer on them the gift of 'Heaven and its unending joys' as a reward for this 'religious and pious act'.

To stop the recurrence of similar tragedies we must strive to bring freedom and democratic rule wherever it does not exist, and push for spiritual values that will help us become better. Goodness can be summarized as truthfulness, a feeling of brotherhood, sympathy to serve the needy, and a firm conviction that all humanity is one family and by hurting others we bring unhappiness on ourselves. Let us conclude with a simple prayer: 'Oh God, bless us all with the will to spread love and brotherhood to all people irrespective of cast, creed, and religion '.

We remember the thousands who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 by servants of darkness and agents of terror, and the families of those victims left behind. May God give them, and all of us, strength to endure the onslaught of evil and malice.


Copyright©2004 M.P. Bhattathiry. About the author