Who is Shiva Baba? A Question of Faith

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Who is Shiva Baba? A Question of Faith

Post02 Jun 2008

Who is Shiva Baba? A Question of Faith - posted by gyaniwasi on April 1, 2004

A review of the postings on xbkchat indicates that we exist on a spectrum of Faith ranging from cynical doubt to passionate or naive faith. It is not always easy to recognize or acknowledge ourselves on this spectrum, especially when the atmosphere is sharply discerning and critical. When confronted with contradictions or inconsistencies in The Knowledge we tend to wear a blindfold, or shades that make us see those of a different view existing in ‘dark light.’

At such time we shelter under the umbrella of Faith even when that umbrella may obscure the greater light of an evolving intellect. Faith and surrender are the bedrock of religion but that bedrock can become the very shackle and stone by which we are imprisoned when that religion “fails us.” That is the dilemma of the Cult: to leave is to ‘break faith and fortune’; to surrender unconditionally is to deny oneself the basic right of freedom of choice. I remember that the character Claire, in the film Signs and Wonders, starring James Earl Jones, shown on Exxon’s Masterpiece Theatre a few years ago, beautifully portrayed that point. If you haven’t seen it then check it out

Reflecting on the submissions to this site though, many of us - especially the older heads - might as ourselves how could we have been so naïve and gullible for so many years? The answer, I think, lies in our first foundation of Faith. Indeed, the importance of Faith was made clear from the inception when that controversial ‘original Gita’ was first published (and withdrawn) in India by Brother Jagdish Chander. I was privileged to read a copy many years ago where the declaration was made that the whole basis of one’s success in this path depended on absolute faith in The Knowledge. Should that faith begin to crack or become sullied for whatever reason then it was said to be a sure sign that the soul belonged more to the Silver than the Golden Age.

I remember once, Kumarka Dadi †, when asked to describe the quality of faith needed for the path, remarked that if Baba asked her to go walk in the ocean she would do so without hesitation. This might remind some of us of Peter’s failing when he started then began to sink with doubt. I have no doubt that such lessons of Faith abound in all religions. The point is, though, that it could be fatal.

As surrendered Brahmins we earnestly sought to emulate Dadi’s example against any strains of our intellect. After all, we believed that this knowledge would only ‘fit into the intellect of Brahmins.’ Therefore, to doubt was to cast serious aspersions on one’s spiritual character and eternal fortune. It may sound ludicrous or cynical but some, caught in that angst of conflict, committed suicide.

The problem of Faith is that, like any power, it can be used for good or evil; it can be the key t Heaven or Hell depending on where we invest it. When, after Jonestown, we were admonished to “beware of strange cults” we firmly rejected such admonitions; we had found the real God and that made all the difference. All apparent contradictions, shortcomings or omissions were irrelevant and paled into insignificance when measured against that one fact. Such was our faith.

Now Time, that unfailing teller of truth, has led us to our inevitable fate. Some of us never dreamt that one day we would seriously question the contradictions or shortcomings of The Knowledge - the very points we strove to defend!

The salient ones have appeared on this site: the length of The Cycle; the absence of meaningful accounts of other ancient cultures; the contradictions between Gyani †† time and geological time; the real nature of God if He could be in Madhuban ††† and sustain the Universe at the same time; the contradiction of a population increasing beyond 6 billion souls when we were told in the seven days course that the population of the Soul World was 5.5 billion (would God miss the mark by half a billion?). Then there are the increasing questions of interventions in our world by aliens of remarkably superior ability when we were told clearly “you are My only children”.

Yet, the faithful tell us that these are irrelevant points since the main point is one’s purification - and we have miles and miles to go. I agree that is the main point, but it is also a point made by countles gurus and paths. It is not exclusive to the BKs. And if we find that the BKs share these noble goals and, like other religions, have their shortcomings then is theirs the only path to Perfection? And if it isn’t as we seem to see on sober reflection, then a salient question for all ex-bks is “Who, then, is Shiv Baba?

† This refers to Senior Sister Prakashmani, the Administrative head of the Brahma Kumaris organization. “Dadi” means “Senior Sister”. She is also known as Kumarka Dadi.

†† This word conveys the meaning of “relating to Brahma Kumaris spiritual knowledge”.

††† This name is used for the Brahma Kumaris Headquarters at Mount Abu in India. Taken from Hindu scripture, its literal meaning is “forest of honey”.

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