Chemical attack - Where is the Ethics or Dharma?
Hello all,
Before proceeding with this post, I just want to mention that every single soul taken birth in this physical realm is judged by Spiritual laws, what we can and should not do. I have given Bashar Al-Assad as an example for actions we absolutely should not take. Every single one of us can put ourselves in that position and think and take the most virtuous action necessary. Now to the post.
Namaste! Last week we delved into the matter of chemical attack from a perspective of Mythology with Ashwathama as the model for Bashar Al-Assad. This week let us tear apart the same chemical attack from the perspective of Ethics or Dharma.
What is Ethics? According to Wikipedia, Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. So it is a moral issue where a particular activity from a perspective of morality is defined as whether right or wrong. Now, what is Dharma? According to Wikipedia, Dharma, "In Hinduism, dharma signifies behaviors that are considered to be in accord with rta, the order or principle that makes life and universe possible, and includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and "right way of living". So Ethics is for our societal living, while Dharma is the law of Universal/Spiritual living, even one level above Ethics. So every single human being is first tied to the rule of Ethics and then to the rule of Dharma. Period!
Is the perspective of Ethics/Dharma from a point of view of an individual, community or a society? Let us take an example. There is a teenage kid who is great at drums. He loves drumming his heart out and he loves it totally. Now the practice he would like to do is from 11pm-2am when he is really in the mood. From his individual or teenager perspective, it looks cool, he is doing what he loves to do at a time when he can really concentrate on his rhythms and beats. But is it okay from a community or society's perspective?There may be a commuter who has to catch a very early train to work, another single mother who has to go to work after dropping her toddler at daycare the next day and there may be other school kids who are having the exams the very next day. The drumming our teenager does at midnight is going to interrupt and interfere every single person's sleep we mentioned above. So an individual perspective on Ethics is different from a society's perspective.
Dharma is one of the most important tenets of the pillars of Philosophy called Purusharthas. In Mahabharata, every elder or the older person of the clan keeps on repeating that the 'working of Dharma is subtle'. So many times actions we take even though looks ethical, when you analyze it microscopically can bring out a different outcome. Now let us take the case of the chemical attack in Syria. Before going into the current events, we may have to delve into some history of Syria.
Syria: Syria had always had a history of conflict with sectarian wars and Syrian military occupation of Lebanon. The previous President Hafez Al-Assad died in 2000 and his son Bashar Al-Assad took office as President in 2000. Even though he was an Ophthalmologist by career, the accident and death of his older brother who was the apparent heir, pushed Bashar Al-Assad into military training, spotlight, and politics. The power at present in Syria is in the hands of a minority sect called Alawites, that is part of the Shia Islam and Bashar Al-Assad is a very prominent member of the Alawite community. Now the problem is that Syria has a majority of Sunni Islam following people and the ruling by a minority over the majority brings out the sectarian thought process, divide, civil war and violence. This is being helped by countries, which have their own agenda and Syria has become a hot political mess. Wikipedia has beautifully presented the history and sects of Syria; anyone interested can read more there.
Bashar Al-Assad: 1, Last week we discussed a bit about how as a President, King or a leader, a person has to heed to the hearts of his people.This week let us elaborate more. First of all, Bashar Al-Assad is an Ophthalmologist by trade, which is a career in medicine. What is the first rule in medicine? The Hippocratic Oath, 'First do no harm'. Every single doctor, whether Allopathic, Homeopathic or Ayurvedic is supposed to keep this central tenet or oath in mind and heart. Also what is the first emotion a doctor is supposed to have? Compassion. While studying medicine is it taught that one has to be compassionate only to one's own people? Can't it be expanded to have all other castes, creed, religion, sect or class?
Let us think about a patient at a hospital for a very critical surgery. Should the doctor do the operation on the patient only checking what caste, creed, sect or religion he is? So Bashar Al-Assad is a doctor who has to be compassionate towards his people as well as the larger majority because as a doctor should not differentiate between people. So that is his first Dharma or Ethics.
2, Second, he went through military training as part of being an apparent heir to the country. Can't one be compassionate even after having a military training? Can't a leader be compassionate towards his people as well as be good in strategic thinking, leadership, and vision? Are all these qualities exclusive of being compassionate? No! Compassion, as well as all the above qualities, can coexist in a person. So being compassionate towards his people even after his military training was his second Dharma or Ethics.
3, Third, as discussed previously he is the President of his whole country, whether a particular person is an Alawite, Shiite or Sunni Islam. Once a person becomes President, King, Prime minister or a leader of a country, he/she is the leader of the whole country. So one would have run as a candidate for a particular party, class or creed, but once the person becomes assigned to that particular position, he/she has to take care of the whole population.(This comes true for even other leaders of this world. A President/Prime Minister for a country is just that, President/Prime minister for the whole country and not for bits and pieces of the country.). So this was Bashar Al-Assad's third Dharma.
4, Fourth, being a human being, should we not be kind and compassionate to another human being? As mentioned in the last post, the divine is not showing partiality by having only 4 months of nourishment for an African American fetus, 9 months for a Caucasian fetus and 6 months for an Indian fetus. The full term for every baby is from 36-40 weeks. But of course, other criteria like the health of the mother, poverty, access to healthcare all do come into the picture. But as a rule, the gestation for a baby in the womb is 36-40 months. The divine is not showing partiality in that. So how can we humans being the same principle as made of divine show partiality towards just our own people? The fourth Dharma.
5, Now for the last one. As mentioned in the last post, the treasure of life or Prana is given utmost importance in Spirituality or Vedic Wisdom. Not just the human life, but even a cat, dog, cow, bird, a worm or even an insect's life is important and has its own Dharma (duty) in this World. (One thing, I have not understood is the duty of a mosquito or why it was made? Maybe it's Dharma is to spread diseases, who knows?). But due to our superior brain capability we humans think we have an entitlement over Earth compared to other species. The other species also have the same right as us. Anyway, if the Prana has been given so much importance, isn't every Prana or life important? Is Bashar Al-Assad's Prana more important than the victims of the gas or chemical attack? Have they been created less compared to the people with power, prestige, money, and influence? Shouldn't Bashar Al-Assad, protect every single Prana, whether of a child, woman or man of his country as the pupil of his eyes? That too being a leader and a President?
So now the question, has Bashar Al-Assad, taken care of any of his Dharma or Ethics? (There can be other points, which I may have missed.) This criterion is in the personal or individual level. The same way each one of us has Dharma or Ethics as a Soul/Self, in relation to another soul, and to the greater society. All of us should contemplate very thoroughly, are we taking care of our Dharma totally? The cause and effect (Karma) theory are always very much at play, always. Now let us analyze in the country, society or the chemical attack level. That is another layer of Dharma or Ethics.
In the group level: Now let us analyze at the level of the country, Syrian society or the group level. The group level Dharma or Ethics can be different compared to the individual or personal level. This we will discuss from the level of Dharma, Spirituality, and Ethics. Not from a political, cultural or sectarian level. Too many political parties and organizations are in the World to discuss that, so let us give that opportunity to them. This discussion will be a level higher from the Spiritual or the ethical perspective.
1, In this world, if any person has been born, they have a right to live. So take the case of a family in Syria and let us think there are four members of the family. Parents and two kids. All of them have been born in Syria. So as they were born in that land, they have a right to live there. (Always the Palestinian and Kurd problem comes in the back of our mind. A population without country, name or any benefits.Very sad. Hope they will get a solution for their problems soon.). Now consider they are not Alawites but the Sunni Islam. They are being ruled by a minority Alawite. Now because the President is an Alawite, should a Sunni Islam have lesser rights compared to Alawites? The Sunni Islam should have the same rights as the Alawites.
As for being the government of the whole country, the government should treat a Sunni Muslim the same way as an Alawite. Every type of group or sect in the country should get equal participation in the government. Most of the times, a section of people do uprising to get the rights they deserve. If they are treated equally, respectfully, why should they ever do an uprising? A true leader should keep this in mind and there has been treatises and Dharma texts written on Rajya Tantra (Strategies to rule a country or society) and how to keep the people and their desires at the forefront when a leader is ruling the country or Kingdom. We can see leaders upon leaders who only think about their own people and don't give a second thought to the others. So here the principle of Dharma where everyone being treated equally in a society is broken down.
2, Others: Why do we always treat people that are different from us as 'Others'? Alawites treating Sunni Islams as others, Sunni Muslims treating Alawites/Shiites as others, Hindus treating Muslims as others, Christians treating Hindus as others, straight treating gays/lesbians as others, fully functional people treating handicapped as others, mentally normal people treating mentally challenged as others, the list goes on and on and on. Now let us go further deep, shall we?
Every single one of us has been born into this Earth. Except for a few Astronauts or Cosmonauts, nobody has ever gone out of this earth. Every single one of us has only known this one single planet as our home. So each one of us are born in the same place, how come people different from us become others? Every single one of us breathes the same air and drink the same water that occurs on this Earth. So more than we give credit for, we are very much connected by the air we breathe, the planet we live and the water we share. If something happens to the Earth tomorrow, then we or the others are all going to be done with.
Another thing if we remove the upper skin of every person on this Earth what do we get? We get the same blood, bone, muscles, ligaments, and organs. Can we differentiate the blood of us and the blood of 'Others', by merely looking at it? No! The skin at the maximum depth, which occurs in the heels is only 4mm thick. Due to a 4mm thick skin, we fight among ourselves for the race.
Now take the culture or religion. Every single culture or religion has been made for us humans to live with emotional and psychological happiness as a group or society. Culture and religion first formed to have a whole group living cordially, exchanging concepts and ideas. For us humans, if we think that there is a higher power watching over us or guiding us, then the physical existence in this plane becomes a bit easier. That is how many religions started from experiences that showed that there is a higher power or intelligent consciousness that is interwoven into our lives. Thus the religions started for humanity. But now what is happening? Many times we humans or the humanity itself become puppets in the hands of organized religion. Organized religion is good as long as it improves humans as a society and has tolerance. Not when it helps the thought of people different from us as 'Others'. So we humans definitely need to recapture our humanity.
So if we don't see someone different from us as 'Others', then what is the problem for an Alawite minority person to be in power over a majority Sunni Islam population? The problem comes because we see people different from us as 'Others'. Then we don't give them the respect or the recognition they need. Look at a dog or a cat. Even an animal will respond to a person that loves it. So think about us humans. If a leader shows true genuine concern and cares for his people, as a whole country not as bits and pieces, the country will genuinely love them back. Here this was not done, so the people chose to uprise. Now the majority of the people are against Assad. Even if he recaptures the rule, it is never going to be the same.
So here, the Dharma of treating people equally as a country was not done and the civil war is the after effect of it. Now the people are war wary and in a climate of political turmoil, and fear, there are no rules or regulations and chaos reigns.
3, Family: Let us come back to the family we mentioned before. The parents in that family, the main thing they want is the safety of the kids, a good education and later a fulfilling life. In a climate of war, how that is going to happen? Already the kids may be missing school, may be in the midst of shell attack or bombs. In that scenario how can they even think of safety or normal life?
Here the Dharma or ethics of the family to give safe and sound life to the kids is interrupted.The dad cannot do his Dharma of providing for the family, the Mom cannot do the Dharma of taking care of the kids. The kids cannot do the Dharma or duty as students and study. So every Dharma as a family is getting interrupted. This is one level. The next level, the family is not able to function properly as a unit to do their duty towards the community and greater society. When people are worried about their life, how can they ever think of their Dharma or Ethics?
4, Chemical attack: Already they are worried about their life. Above that, they are becoming victims of the chemical attack. (There are conflicting reports about this current chemical attack. If this didn't happen, then there were previous attacks. Any mass murder for that matter.). Here first the Dharma of Bashar Al-Assad as a leader, President, and human, everything is becoming negative. Above that already the Dharma or duty of the family, dad, mom, everything is gone. As the people are not allowed to do their personal, societal and relative Dharma, all the effect of that is going to come to the person or persons who are not allowing the people to live their life fully.
Even in the animal kingdom, a predator like a lion or a tiger only kills when it is hungry and has to have its food. It is extremely rare that an animal kills another animal for fun. Of course, they will kill if they feel threatened. But even among the animals, there is a code of Dharma. They don't kill indiscriminately, only if a need for food arises. When that is the case even with animals, how can we humans who have much more developed brains, do a chemical attack on innocent people and kill them deliberately? Where is or is there any Dharma in that?
Every single person died in that attack was born with a specific purpose or Dharma. Their life was suddenly cut short. How could they finish the Dharma or duty they were born to do? Is there any Dharma or Ethics in gassing people because they are against your regime?
1, Ethical view: Ethically it is very wrong. A person's 'right to live' is being taken out. A person's 'right to live safely' is being taken out. A person's 'duty to do Dharma' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a family' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a fulfilling and desired life' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a future' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a future generation' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a lineage' is being taken out. (If we think more we can come up with another 20 of the broken rights. This is the case with any mass murder, whether terrorist activities, school shooting, or even killing in the name of religion.). Now with an ethical perspective itself, if this is very wrong, think about the Spiritual law/Spiritual justice or Dharmic perspective.
2, Dharmic view: Every single soul in this World comes with a very specific or sacred purpose to do, whether we believe it or not. Have read souls even select parents so that they can have very specific experiences. (So for people who think their parents are better than other parents, each soul specifically chose their parents to be born, exactly in that specific family to do their exact purpose. So one's own parents are the very best one can have. No debates about that.) Now there can be an argument that a specific soul came into this world to die in a terror attack or a school shooting or to get such an experience. Maybe. But then the question is do we want to be the person killing the soul that wants to die in a mass murder? Here is where our 'true free will' comes into the picture.
If Bashar Al-Assad chooses, he can not do chemical attack and gas people to death. Every single person in this world is born with and given the gift of free will. But the free will also is entangled with the free will of others. So this gift of free will we have been given, should we use it for the betterment of ourselves, family, society, country, and the world at large? Or use it to bring people whom we think as 'Others' or enemies down, whether it is another religion, caste, class, sect, skin color, sexual orientation or what not?
The free will given as a divine gift does not come free to do whatever we want. It comes with specific cause and effect caveat. If we do good to others, we get good. If we do bad to others, whether, by thought, action, words or even intention, that is what would be returned to us. The 'Great Law of Karma'. Now the question, should we be on the right side of Dharma or on the wrong side?
Let us finish with the Golden Rule, given by every sacred text and also by Jesus of Nazareth, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
Meaning: Only do things to others that you want others to do to you.
I wish you a good weekend and I'll see you next Friday! 😉
Next week: Divine feminine - Where are you?
Note: Images from Wikimedia Commons.
Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, "There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance ; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better for worse as his portion that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried".
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Before proceeding with this post, I just want to mention that every single soul taken birth in this physical realm is judged by Spiritual laws, what we can and should not do. I have given Bashar Al-Assad as an example for actions we absolutely should not take. Every single one of us can put ourselves in that position and think and take the most virtuous action necessary. Now to the post.
Namaste! Last week we delved into the matter of chemical attack from a perspective of Mythology with Ashwathama as the model for Bashar Al-Assad. This week let us tear apart the same chemical attack from the perspective of Ethics or Dharma.
What is Ethics? According to Wikipedia, Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. So it is a moral issue where a particular activity from a perspective of morality is defined as whether right or wrong. Now, what is Dharma? According to Wikipedia, Dharma, "In Hinduism, dharma signifies behaviors that are considered to be in accord with rta, the order or principle that makes life and universe possible, and includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and "right way of living". So Ethics is for our societal living, while Dharma is the law of Universal/Spiritual living, even one level above Ethics. So every single human being is first tied to the rule of Ethics and then to the rule of Dharma. Period!
Is the perspective of Ethics/Dharma from a point of view of an individual, community or a society? Let us take an example. There is a teenage kid who is great at drums. He loves drumming his heart out and he loves it totally. Now the practice he would like to do is from 11pm-2am when he is really in the mood. From his individual or teenager perspective, it looks cool, he is doing what he loves to do at a time when he can really concentrate on his rhythms and beats. But is it okay from a community or society's perspective?There may be a commuter who has to catch a very early train to work, another single mother who has to go to work after dropping her toddler at daycare the next day and there may be other school kids who are having the exams the very next day. The drumming our teenager does at midnight is going to interrupt and interfere every single person's sleep we mentioned above. So an individual perspective on Ethics is different from a society's perspective.
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| Lady Justice with the balance in one hand and 'Golden rule' in the book in the other By Bernard d'Agesci, painter, [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons |
Dharma is one of the most important tenets of the pillars of Philosophy called Purusharthas. In Mahabharata, every elder or the older person of the clan keeps on repeating that the 'working of Dharma is subtle'. So many times actions we take even though looks ethical, when you analyze it microscopically can bring out a different outcome. Now let us take the case of the chemical attack in Syria. Before going into the current events, we may have to delve into some history of Syria.
Syria: Syria had always had a history of conflict with sectarian wars and Syrian military occupation of Lebanon. The previous President Hafez Al-Assad died in 2000 and his son Bashar Al-Assad took office as President in 2000. Even though he was an Ophthalmologist by career, the accident and death of his older brother who was the apparent heir, pushed Bashar Al-Assad into military training, spotlight, and politics. The power at present in Syria is in the hands of a minority sect called Alawites, that is part of the Shia Islam and Bashar Al-Assad is a very prominent member of the Alawite community. Now the problem is that Syria has a majority of Sunni Islam following people and the ruling by a minority over the majority brings out the sectarian thought process, divide, civil war and violence. This is being helped by countries, which have their own agenda and Syria has become a hot political mess. Wikipedia has beautifully presented the history and sects of Syria; anyone interested can read more there.
Bashar Al-Assad: 1, Last week we discussed a bit about how as a President, King or a leader, a person has to heed to the hearts of his people.This week let us elaborate more. First of all, Bashar Al-Assad is an Ophthalmologist by trade, which is a career in medicine. What is the first rule in medicine? The Hippocratic Oath, 'First do no harm'. Every single doctor, whether Allopathic, Homeopathic or Ayurvedic is supposed to keep this central tenet or oath in mind and heart. Also what is the first emotion a doctor is supposed to have? Compassion. While studying medicine is it taught that one has to be compassionate only to one's own people? Can't it be expanded to have all other castes, creed, religion, sect or class?
Let us think about a patient at a hospital for a very critical surgery. Should the doctor do the operation on the patient only checking what caste, creed, sect or religion he is? So Bashar Al-Assad is a doctor who has to be compassionate towards his people as well as the larger majority because as a doctor should not differentiate between people. So that is his first Dharma or Ethics.
2, Second, he went through military training as part of being an apparent heir to the country. Can't one be compassionate even after having a military training? Can't a leader be compassionate towards his people as well as be good in strategic thinking, leadership, and vision? Are all these qualities exclusive of being compassionate? No! Compassion, as well as all the above qualities, can coexist in a person. So being compassionate towards his people even after his military training was his second Dharma or Ethics.
3, Third, as discussed previously he is the President of his whole country, whether a particular person is an Alawite, Shiite or Sunni Islam. Once a person becomes President, King, Prime minister or a leader of a country, he/she is the leader of the whole country. So one would have run as a candidate for a particular party, class or creed, but once the person becomes assigned to that particular position, he/she has to take care of the whole population.(This comes true for even other leaders of this world. A President/Prime Minister for a country is just that, President/Prime minister for the whole country and not for bits and pieces of the country.). So this was Bashar Al-Assad's third Dharma.
4, Fourth, being a human being, should we not be kind and compassionate to another human being? As mentioned in the last post, the divine is not showing partiality by having only 4 months of nourishment for an African American fetus, 9 months for a Caucasian fetus and 6 months for an Indian fetus. The full term for every baby is from 36-40 weeks. But of course, other criteria like the health of the mother, poverty, access to healthcare all do come into the picture. But as a rule, the gestation for a baby in the womb is 36-40 months. The divine is not showing partiality in that. So how can we humans being the same principle as made of divine show partiality towards just our own people? The fourth Dharma.
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| Bashar Al-Assad- President of Syria By Fabio Rodrigues Pozze [CC BY 3.0 ] via Wikimedia Commons |
5, Now for the last one. As mentioned in the last post, the treasure of life or Prana is given utmost importance in Spirituality or Vedic Wisdom. Not just the human life, but even a cat, dog, cow, bird, a worm or even an insect's life is important and has its own Dharma (duty) in this World. (One thing, I have not understood is the duty of a mosquito or why it was made? Maybe it's Dharma is to spread diseases, who knows?). But due to our superior brain capability we humans think we have an entitlement over Earth compared to other species. The other species also have the same right as us. Anyway, if the Prana has been given so much importance, isn't every Prana or life important? Is Bashar Al-Assad's Prana more important than the victims of the gas or chemical attack? Have they been created less compared to the people with power, prestige, money, and influence? Shouldn't Bashar Al-Assad, protect every single Prana, whether of a child, woman or man of his country as the pupil of his eyes? That too being a leader and a President?
So now the question, has Bashar Al-Assad, taken care of any of his Dharma or Ethics? (There can be other points, which I may have missed.) This criterion is in the personal or individual level. The same way each one of us has Dharma or Ethics as a Soul/Self, in relation to another soul, and to the greater society. All of us should contemplate very thoroughly, are we taking care of our Dharma totally? The cause and effect (Karma) theory are always very much at play, always. Now let us analyze in the country, society or the chemical attack level. That is another layer of Dharma or Ethics.
In the group level: Now let us analyze at the level of the country, Syrian society or the group level. The group level Dharma or Ethics can be different compared to the individual or personal level. This we will discuss from the level of Dharma, Spirituality, and Ethics. Not from a political, cultural or sectarian level. Too many political parties and organizations are in the World to discuss that, so let us give that opportunity to them. This discussion will be a level higher from the Spiritual or the ethical perspective.
1, In this world, if any person has been born, they have a right to live. So take the case of a family in Syria and let us think there are four members of the family. Parents and two kids. All of them have been born in Syria. So as they were born in that land, they have a right to live there. (Always the Palestinian and Kurd problem comes in the back of our mind. A population without country, name or any benefits.Very sad. Hope they will get a solution for their problems soon.). Now consider they are not Alawites but the Sunni Islam. They are being ruled by a minority Alawite. Now because the President is an Alawite, should a Sunni Islam have lesser rights compared to Alawites? The Sunni Islam should have the same rights as the Alawites.
As for being the government of the whole country, the government should treat a Sunni Muslim the same way as an Alawite. Every type of group or sect in the country should get equal participation in the government. Most of the times, a section of people do uprising to get the rights they deserve. If they are treated equally, respectfully, why should they ever do an uprising? A true leader should keep this in mind and there has been treatises and Dharma texts written on Rajya Tantra (Strategies to rule a country or society) and how to keep the people and their desires at the forefront when a leader is ruling the country or Kingdom. We can see leaders upon leaders who only think about their own people and don't give a second thought to the others. So here the principle of Dharma where everyone being treated equally in a society is broken down.
2, Others: Why do we always treat people that are different from us as 'Others'? Alawites treating Sunni Islams as others, Sunni Muslims treating Alawites/Shiites as others, Hindus treating Muslims as others, Christians treating Hindus as others, straight treating gays/lesbians as others, fully functional people treating handicapped as others, mentally normal people treating mentally challenged as others, the list goes on and on and on. Now let us go further deep, shall we?
Every single one of us has been born into this Earth. Except for a few Astronauts or Cosmonauts, nobody has ever gone out of this earth. Every single one of us has only known this one single planet as our home. So each one of us are born in the same place, how come people different from us become others? Every single one of us breathes the same air and drink the same water that occurs on this Earth. So more than we give credit for, we are very much connected by the air we breathe, the planet we live and the water we share. If something happens to the Earth tomorrow, then we or the others are all going to be done with.
Another thing if we remove the upper skin of every person on this Earth what do we get? We get the same blood, bone, muscles, ligaments, and organs. Can we differentiate the blood of us and the blood of 'Others', by merely looking at it? No! The skin at the maximum depth, which occurs in the heels is only 4mm thick. Due to a 4mm thick skin, we fight among ourselves for the race.
Now take the culture or religion. Every single culture or religion has been made for us humans to live with emotional and psychological happiness as a group or society. Culture and religion first formed to have a whole group living cordially, exchanging concepts and ideas. For us humans, if we think that there is a higher power watching over us or guiding us, then the physical existence in this plane becomes a bit easier. That is how many religions started from experiences that showed that there is a higher power or intelligent consciousness that is interwoven into our lives. Thus the religions started for humanity. But now what is happening? Many times we humans or the humanity itself become puppets in the hands of organized religion. Organized religion is good as long as it improves humans as a society and has tolerance. Not when it helps the thought of people different from us as 'Others'. So we humans definitely need to recapture our humanity.
So if we don't see someone different from us as 'Others', then what is the problem for an Alawite minority person to be in power over a majority Sunni Islam population? The problem comes because we see people different from us as 'Others'. Then we don't give them the respect or the recognition they need. Look at a dog or a cat. Even an animal will respond to a person that loves it. So think about us humans. If a leader shows true genuine concern and cares for his people, as a whole country not as bits and pieces, the country will genuinely love them back. Here this was not done, so the people chose to uprise. Now the majority of the people are against Assad. Even if he recaptures the rule, it is never going to be the same.
So here, the Dharma of treating people equally as a country was not done and the civil war is the after effect of it. Now the people are war wary and in a climate of political turmoil, and fear, there are no rules or regulations and chaos reigns.
3, Family: Let us come back to the family we mentioned before. The parents in that family, the main thing they want is the safety of the kids, a good education and later a fulfilling life. In a climate of war, how that is going to happen? Already the kids may be missing school, may be in the midst of shell attack or bombs. In that scenario how can they even think of safety or normal life?
Here the Dharma or ethics of the family to give safe and sound life to the kids is interrupted.The dad cannot do his Dharma of providing for the family, the Mom cannot do the Dharma of taking care of the kids. The kids cannot do the Dharma or duty as students and study. So every Dharma as a family is getting interrupted. This is one level. The next level, the family is not able to function properly as a unit to do their duty towards the community and greater society. When people are worried about their life, how can they ever think of their Dharma or Ethics?
4, Chemical attack: Already they are worried about their life. Above that, they are becoming victims of the chemical attack. (There are conflicting reports about this current chemical attack. If this didn't happen, then there were previous attacks. Any mass murder for that matter.). Here first the Dharma of Bashar Al-Assad as a leader, President, and human, everything is becoming negative. Above that already the Dharma or duty of the family, dad, mom, everything is gone. As the people are not allowed to do their personal, societal and relative Dharma, all the effect of that is going to come to the person or persons who are not allowing the people to live their life fully.
Even in the animal kingdom, a predator like a lion or a tiger only kills when it is hungry and has to have its food. It is extremely rare that an animal kills another animal for fun. Of course, they will kill if they feel threatened. But even among the animals, there is a code of Dharma. They don't kill indiscriminately, only if a need for food arises. When that is the case even with animals, how can we humans who have much more developed brains, do a chemical attack on innocent people and kill them deliberately? Where is or is there any Dharma in that?
Every single person died in that attack was born with a specific purpose or Dharma. Their life was suddenly cut short. How could they finish the Dharma or duty they were born to do? Is there any Dharma or Ethics in gassing people because they are against your regime?
1, Ethical view: Ethically it is very wrong. A person's 'right to live' is being taken out. A person's 'right to live safely' is being taken out. A person's 'duty to do Dharma' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a family' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a fulfilling and desired life' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a future' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a future generation' is being taken out. A person's 'right to have a lineage' is being taken out. (If we think more we can come up with another 20 of the broken rights. This is the case with any mass murder, whether terrorist activities, school shooting, or even killing in the name of religion.). Now with an ethical perspective itself, if this is very wrong, think about the Spiritual law/Spiritual justice or Dharmic perspective.
2, Dharmic view: Every single soul in this World comes with a very specific or sacred purpose to do, whether we believe it or not. Have read souls even select parents so that they can have very specific experiences. (So for people who think their parents are better than other parents, each soul specifically chose their parents to be born, exactly in that specific family to do their exact purpose. So one's own parents are the very best one can have. No debates about that.) Now there can be an argument that a specific soul came into this world to die in a terror attack or a school shooting or to get such an experience. Maybe. But then the question is do we want to be the person killing the soul that wants to die in a mass murder? Here is where our 'true free will' comes into the picture.
If Bashar Al-Assad chooses, he can not do chemical attack and gas people to death. Every single person in this world is born with and given the gift of free will. But the free will also is entangled with the free will of others. So this gift of free will we have been given, should we use it for the betterment of ourselves, family, society, country, and the world at large? Or use it to bring people whom we think as 'Others' or enemies down, whether it is another religion, caste, class, sect, skin color, sexual orientation or what not?
The free will given as a divine gift does not come free to do whatever we want. It comes with specific cause and effect caveat. If we do good to others, we get good. If we do bad to others, whether, by thought, action, words or even intention, that is what would be returned to us. The 'Great Law of Karma'. Now the question, should we be on the right side of Dharma or on the wrong side?
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| Sermon on the mount, where Jesus taught the 'Golden Rule" Eugène Burnand [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons |
Let us finish with the Golden Rule, given by every sacred text and also by Jesus of Nazareth, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
Meaning: Only do things to others that you want others to do to you.
I wish you a good weekend and I'll see you next Friday! 😉
Next week: Divine feminine - Where are you?
Note: Images from Wikimedia Commons.
Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, "There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance ; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better for worse as his portion that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried".
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©SwaroopaStargazer and Swaroopa, 2017- Eternity.
![By Bernard d'Agesci, painter, [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bernard_d%27Agesci_La_Justice.jpg){kind=link}
![By Fabio Rodrigues Pozze [CC BY 3.0 ] via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bashar_al-Assad_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}
![Eugène Burnand [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sermon_on_the_mount_window.jpg){kind=link}
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