Sunday, August 3, 2008

Case study: Haj (Islam) Hindu shrine worship

Being a Catholic I don't have a horse in this race. But I cannot help but be struck by difference in attitude toward pilgrims. The Haj was troubled by stampedes and unsafe conditions so the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques ordered great infrastructure improvements to keep the millions of pilgrims safe. He recognizes that he is the host of God's guests.

In India you have many women and children sent in packed crowds up dangerous paths among people prone to rumor and panic, and hence you have frequent stampedes. And do you see any changes take place for safety year after year after year after year after year after? Um, no. It's the caste system and mindset, like it or not, still at work. Why invest in keeping pilgrims safe when you can worship at high tech altars instead? And then the victims feel that God has let them down. Um, no, the same government and society that has the lowest caste handle raw sewage from the street since they don't build sanitation facilities at all for a billion people or whatever continues to let them down.