Walk Your Talk

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE REDNECK HINDU

There is no shortage of leaders, many of them self-proclaimed, who take themselves quite seriously, and enjoy lording it over us all. Wouldn't it be fun to free ourselves of their oppression for this holiday season? We might even end up liking it. Wouldn't that be something? What do you think might happen if people discovered they enjoyed freedom? What if, in honor of the birth of Jesus, we tried, for just a couple of weeks, to live according to the spiritual principles Jesus taught? You all know that I am the Redneck Hindu. Even though the Hindu Scriptures predate all others on the planet, Hinduism, as a philosophy, is broad enough to include all spiritual masters. There are, of course, Hindu fundamentalists, however they are mostly political activists, just like the fundamentalist Christians in the West. If you go to an ordinary Hindu home, it would not be at all unusual to find a picture or statue of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin. Most Hindus would have no problem calling Jesus the Son of God, or God. They would just remind you that there are also other incarnations of God, as well, many of whom came before Jesus. The incomparable spiritual master Paramahansa Yogananda, had a deep, abiding love for, and devotion to Jesus. Hinduism allows for the present interaction with avatars, or incarnations of God, right here, and right now. It's not all in the past. There is one unifying thread running through all the various manifestations of God in Hinduism, and that is the Creator, in every generation, involves Itself in the world of men and women. Each individual gets to decide which aspect of God he/she wishes to connect with. It could be Krishna, which has always appealed to me, or it could be Shiva, Ganesha, or Lakshmi. In the jewel of the Hindu Scriptures, Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna releases humankind from the strictures of caste, race or sex. Lord Krishna says that anyone who makes an offering with love and devotion is dear to Him.

Jesus said the same thing. He told us that those who worship God, do so in spirit and in truth. He went out of His way to rebuke and dismiss the pretensions of the religious leaders of His community. That made Him a marked man, for they then became determined to kill Him. You will also find similar stories of evil forces attempting to poison, or otherwise kill Krishna. Many, many times Jesus warned us not to emulate the religious leaders. He saw their hypocrisy, and challenged them continuously. He called them sons of Satan, the father of lies. How could they have allowed Him to live after that? Jesus also cautioned His followers against being impressed by the temple in Jerusalem. He told them that the day was swiftly approaching when not one stone would be left on top of another. Within a generation, all of Jerusalem, including the magnificent temple, lay in ruins. This destruction was wrought by the Romans. They were the sole super-power of the world, and thought themselves invincible. They weren't. Their empire declined, and their city, Rome, was sacked and destroyed. What message do you think Jesus was giving us about kingdoms of this world, and puffed-up, self-important religious and political leaders?

I hear a lot of religious people today quoting the Bible, chapter and verse, to attack other people. It reminds me of Satan. The name "Satan" is not a personal name like Joe or Jane, but rather means "enemy". Why would quoting Scripture remind me of Satan? Well, I'm glad you asked. In the Christian Scriptures, every time that the enemy spiritually assaulted Jesus, he quoted the Bible as part of his attack. Jesus knew who Satan was, and countered the enemy with Scripture quotes of His own. If Jesus were around today, He would be appalled by what has been done in His name, and He would have a lot to say about it. I think He'd be shocked by how little religion has changed. He'd be dismayed at how similar the current religious leaders are to those of His lifetime. I think He'd point at the religious leaders and say something like this: "Even after two thousand years, you are still a tangled nest of poisonous snakes. You love to stand up in front of everybody and pray, impressing them with your holiness. You place heavy, heavy burdens on people, stealing their resources, while you live in luxury. You are not my followers. You are sons and daughters of Satan, the father of lies and deception. The truth is not in you." This is the Jesus I love. This is the Jesus who tells it like it is, and walks His talk, no matter what. This is the Jesus I try to imitate. This is the Jesus whose birth I celebrate. As a good Redneck Hindu, I believe Jesus was God in a human body, but I don't believe He was the only one. I believe God has manifested in human form many times in many, many cultures. It's always done out of love, not from anger or the desire to punish. Jesus gets blamed for the cruelty of some of His followers. That's not fair, is it?

Once, Jesus was asked, "Are you the Son of God?" Part of His answer was this question: "Who do you think I am?" I propose this as the perfect subject for a Christmas meditation. Whilst you're enjoying your vacation from this open-air insane asylum we live in, try to spend some time meditating on this: Who do you think Jesus is, and how does that affect the way you live?

I affirm that the New Year 2006 is filled with joy, abundance and blessings for all of us. I further affirm that we now choose peace, and the least violent alternative in every situation, and that we, as People of Power and Servants of the Light, support each other on our individual Walks with Spirit. All is in perfect, divine order.

Finally, I'll end this column with my traditional Redneck Hindu Christmas mantra: Happy Christmas, Happy Christmas, Christmas Christmas, Happy Happy. OM


To ask Robert a question, visit his website at www.RobertOdom.com, email desertrj@msn.com or send mail to PO Box 33, Santa Fe, NM 87504.

Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

We also welcome you to follow SFR on social media (on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and comment there. You can also email specific staff members from our contact page.