When people have problems they pray to god and also perform rituals, pooja etc for propitiating God so that the problem could be solved. This is a common and laid down practice as per the scriptures.
The other method is that they take a vow that they will perform some action or offer some money if the wish is granted or the problem solved. The action offered (like shaving off one's head etc) or the amount depends on the benefit gained or the nature of the problem. Like some one says he will offer 108 coconuts or Rs. 1000 to god if he gets a promotion in his job. This is a very common practice.
Being Omniscient and Omnipotent I do not think God is in need of or influenced by our offers of Gifts. Some of the prayers in Hindi in fact talk of offering what is his to God. I remember a rationalist friend of mine remarking how GOD can take care of us when he could not take of his jewels. This was when we were discussing a case of jewel theft in a temple. My answer was very simple. Just because we value jewels, it does not mean that GOD values the jewels. Why should GOD who is the owner of the Universe bother about some trinkets offered by us?
My question is, in what way is this different from offering money to a person in an organization for getting something done? When you offer money to a person for showing you a favour you call it a bribe. A person who takes a bribe does a person a favour, which he does not do to others who do not bribe him. By offering money to God we ask him to do us a favour over others. Bribe is given on the condition that the job gets done. The offer to God is also fulfilled only when the job is done not otherwise.
Many a time even the vow is never fulfilled because after all God cannot come and remind anyone of his vow. Only when the person is faced with another problem or wants another favour, does he remember his earlier vow. I remember one instance when a person had offered 1008 sweetmeats to god for fulfillment of a wish. The wish was fulfilled, but the person never completed his vow. After about 10 years he remembered the vow. The cost of the sweet meat had gone up during this period. So while it would have taken Rs.1000 then it would cost Rs.5000 now. The person was arguing that more than the number of sweetmeats it is the amount that matters and the vow will be fulfilled if he offers Rs.1000 worth sweet meats now.
It boils down to bargaining with God. The pity is that this attitude of offering something to God in return for a favour is cultivated from childhood. So when the child grows up he does not think it is wrong to offer an amount to another person for getting a favour. This encourages corruption.
You may say that this is stretching this too far. I do not know. In India people of all religions do this. I believe that this practice should stop. We can pray, beseech God for favours or solutions to our problems. Once the problem is solved we can thank God by offering anything. But no conditional offer or vow. That will be tantamount to trying to bribe God.
The question is are we trying to please God. Is he pleased with this kind of offering? Very often I was asked a question by many of my colleagues. Is this kind of offering better than regular prayers?
The people who believe they succeed with this kind of offering continue to indulge in this practice, and are often contemptuous of the people who pray regularly. People do pray regularly to God for material benefits. Whenever we visit a temple someone asks us whether it is in fulfillment of a vow. When we reply that it is not you should see the look on their face.
Again how does this fit in with the transfer of merit (karma) theory? We ask for the fruits of our action even before the action. This practice does not seem to fit in with the philosophy of Hinduism and does not seem to have any scriptural sanction. This has also led to businessmen making God a silent partner who shares in all the profits as well as the bad deeds committed. In Tamil Nadu we have a God known as 75% God. It is believed that you offer 25% in advance and the God will return 100%.
It also brings out the point about knowing what is good for us. What may be good in the short term may not be good in the long run. When we progress in our religious practice we reach a stage where you pray without Sankalpa (expectations). All that you want is God's blessings. But since most of us are still part of the world, results like humiliation, insults, loss etc. does hurt us.
If we teach our children about such practices (by word and example) they will also believe that it is necessary only to make a vow to God when you are in trouble or want something done. I remember my son remarking once that some of his friends ring the bell in the school temple only on the day the results are announced. In Malayalam ringing a bell (maniyatikkal) means trying to please others.
I request the members to respond.
The other method is that they take a vow that they will perform some action or offer some money if the wish is granted or the problem solved. The action offered (like shaving off one's head etc) or the amount depends on the benefit gained or the nature of the problem. Like some one says he will offer 108 coconuts or Rs. 1000 to god if he gets a promotion in his job. This is a very common practice.
Being Omniscient and Omnipotent I do not think God is in need of or influenced by our offers of Gifts. Some of the prayers in Hindi in fact talk of offering what is his to God. I remember a rationalist friend of mine remarking how GOD can take care of us when he could not take of his jewels. This was when we were discussing a case of jewel theft in a temple. My answer was very simple. Just because we value jewels, it does not mean that GOD values the jewels. Why should GOD who is the owner of the Universe bother about some trinkets offered by us?
My question is, in what way is this different from offering money to a person in an organization for getting something done? When you offer money to a person for showing you a favour you call it a bribe. A person who takes a bribe does a person a favour, which he does not do to others who do not bribe him. By offering money to God we ask him to do us a favour over others. Bribe is given on the condition that the job gets done. The offer to God is also fulfilled only when the job is done not otherwise.
Many a time even the vow is never fulfilled because after all God cannot come and remind anyone of his vow. Only when the person is faced with another problem or wants another favour, does he remember his earlier vow. I remember one instance when a person had offered 1008 sweetmeats to god for fulfillment of a wish. The wish was fulfilled, but the person never completed his vow. After about 10 years he remembered the vow. The cost of the sweet meat had gone up during this period. So while it would have taken Rs.1000 then it would cost Rs.5000 now. The person was arguing that more than the number of sweetmeats it is the amount that matters and the vow will be fulfilled if he offers Rs.1000 worth sweet meats now.
It boils down to bargaining with God. The pity is that this attitude of offering something to God in return for a favour is cultivated from childhood. So when the child grows up he does not think it is wrong to offer an amount to another person for getting a favour. This encourages corruption.
You may say that this is stretching this too far. I do not know. In India people of all religions do this. I believe that this practice should stop. We can pray, beseech God for favours or solutions to our problems. Once the problem is solved we can thank God by offering anything. But no conditional offer or vow. That will be tantamount to trying to bribe God.
The question is are we trying to please God. Is he pleased with this kind of offering? Very often I was asked a question by many of my colleagues. Is this kind of offering better than regular prayers?
The people who believe they succeed with this kind of offering continue to indulge in this practice, and are often contemptuous of the people who pray regularly. People do pray regularly to God for material benefits. Whenever we visit a temple someone asks us whether it is in fulfillment of a vow. When we reply that it is not you should see the look on their face.
Again how does this fit in with the transfer of merit (karma) theory? We ask for the fruits of our action even before the action. This practice does not seem to fit in with the philosophy of Hinduism and does not seem to have any scriptural sanction. This has also led to businessmen making God a silent partner who shares in all the profits as well as the bad deeds committed. In Tamil Nadu we have a God known as 75% God. It is believed that you offer 25% in advance and the God will return 100%.
It also brings out the point about knowing what is good for us. What may be good in the short term may not be good in the long run. When we progress in our religious practice we reach a stage where you pray without Sankalpa (expectations). All that you want is God's blessings. But since most of us are still part of the world, results like humiliation, insults, loss etc. does hurt us.
If we teach our children about such practices (by word and example) they will also believe that it is necessary only to make a vow to God when you are in trouble or want something done. I remember my son remarking once that some of his friends ring the bell in the school temple only on the day the results are announced. In Malayalam ringing a bell (maniyatikkal) means trying to please others.
I request the members to respond.