Anti Corruption Movement; A Spiritual Approach

Rev. Fr.Dr. Bijesh Philip

St Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary Nagpur- Indian Orthodox Church
1/9/2011

(The Principal addresses the seminarians regarding the current discussion in India triggered by
the Satyagraha of Anna Hazare)

Last week in our Satsangh, we had a meaningful discussion on corruption under the leadership
of H.G. Mar Milithios. Let us continue to reflect on the same theme in a slightly different
perspective today.

There were many who used to watch/participate in Anna Hazare’s anti corruption movement
with a tensed mind. At the end of the Satyagraha everybody feels relaxed. It seems that
India won the match. There were a few who called it ‘Annarchy’. There were many who
feared whether this kind of movement will weaken the democracy and constitution of the
country. While applauding the ardent desire for a corruption free India, they tried to uphold
the constitution and parliamentary process. Anna’s fight against corruption also exposed a
genuine feeling of millions of common people against this social evil which is suffocating them
in their day to day life.

Making use of this momentum there should be a constant and vigilant movement against
corruption, the tyrant who suppresses masses and plunders the nation. A multi dimensional
approach is essential to defeat this enemy of mankind. Legal, Political, and Religious
approaches are necessary to conquer this menace.

Human greed is at the root of corruption. Corruption means action prompted by the desire
to have more than what a person deserves. Corruption refers to the craze to maximize one’s
own pleasures and comforts by taking money from others unlawfully. So Corruption is theft.
Corruption refers to those insensitive approaches which increase the misery of the people.
Corruption also refers to those actions of a few which plunder the money or wealth of the
nation meant for the welfare of many.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s award winning 1969 Hindi film, Satyakam presents an ideal
protagonist Satyapriya played effectively by actor Dharmendra who is a pinnacle of honesty in
his office. His corrupt colleagues find his presence disturbing because he refuses to join them.
India is of course looking for such disturbing presences in all offices. When asked to make some
compromise, he retorts back, “Compromise is the other name of corruption”. Many who
make small and big compromises for their material gains are spreading the virus of corruption.

St. Basil the great is one of the early Christian fathers who has written a lot for social justice.
This fourth century father in his homily I will Tear Down My Barns based on the Gospel passage
St. Luke 12: 16-21 writes: “The animals use in common the plants that grow naturally from the
earth. Flocks of sheep graze together upon one and the same hillside, herds of horses feed
upon the same plain, and all living creatures permit each other to satisfy their need for food.
But we hoard what is common, and keep for ourselves what belongs to many others.” In the

same homily he puts the same theme in a different way thus: “If we all took only what was
necessary to satisfy our own needs, giving the rest to those who lack, no one would be rich, no
one would be poor, and no one would be in need.”

So in a wider perspective corruption is not merely the anti social practice of politicians and
officers only. Can we consider those business men who try to have excessive profits for their
products and services, those who seek sexual gratification outside marriage, those individuals
who own luxurious vehicles, houses/flats, ornaments, and other items, those churches which
make gold plated flag posts, spend huge amounts to extend the height of cross towers and
frontages of the churches as free from this evil? This is a time for a thorough self examination
for individuals, Churches , parishes and institutions.

What are the means to cut the roots of corruption? Let us focus on a spiritual approach to
address this issue.

Formulating powerful laws (Lokpal Bill) and implementing them is one approach. Fear of
the punishment associated with the laws of the country can discourage many from corrupt
practices. State and its various machines can be considered as Divine means to ensure order,
peace and justice in society. It is noticeable that Orthodox Churches pray for its rulers even in
their most precious Holy Qurbana also. So the encouragement for a strong law and the process
of making it and implementing can be considered as a spiritual activity.

Another purely religious approach is to have a deeper experience of and union with God.
Orthodox prayers presents love of God as more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. An
authentic worship is a response to this experience and also a continuation of this experience.
This most precious and the highest experience usually weakens human craze for accumulating
things and wealth. It is worthwhile to look at a unique experience of Peter as described in St.
Luke 5: 1-11. After a futile night, when this fisherman cast down the nets as per the instruction
of the Lord Jesus, he had a huge catch of fishes. When Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees
and admitted his sinfulness. Instead of worshipping prosperity, he worships the ultimate cause
of everything. At the end of this incident, he follows Jesus by leaving fishes and everything.
Unfortunately the popular secular ideology and the consequent materialism propagated by
the present Globalization blind many to see the glory of God. So it is the duty of the Church to
create an atmosphere to have an authentic experience of the Lord through various means.

Faith is another means. Faith is a strong trust in God and a confidence regarding the Divine
providence. Anxiety of the future is one of the reasons to accumulate uncontrollably. As Peter
left everything and followed the Lord, lakhs of people have left their riches and offered their
lives for the service of humanity. Inspiration for the heroic acts of many of them were their
strong faith. As they progress in faith, they lose their attachment to their wealth and become
capable enough to use it properly. Their trust is in God and not in money. So strengthening
faith is another method to cut greed, the most powerful root of corruption..

Experience of the pain and poverty of the world around us is another thing which controls
human greed and moves the hearts of many to overcome the craze of extravaganza and to
lead a simple life in the service of mankind. It was an experience of the agony of the poor and

the aged that turned prince Siddhartha to Buddha, the enlightened one. Buddhist monks are
famous for their extremely simple life. Gandhiji thought of using even a shirt or coat as luxury
when he saw a poor Indian woman who had no adequate dress. Mother Theresa adopted
a simple cotton white sari with blue lines used by the women scavengers in Calcutta as the
common dress of her and her sisters of charity. An openness to see the reality of the depth of
poverty around us in a consistent way is essential to cure the disease of greed.

Thus powerful law, experience of God leading to worship of Him, trust in His providence,
and exposure to the poor can equip human mind to oust the hidden virus of greed. Lack of
worship of God may lead to worship of money, lack of faith or trust in His providence may
enhance the tendency to put whole trust in the security of riches and insensitivity to the
realistic understanding of the pain and poverty of the society may force to accumulate money
only for one’s own security and pleasures. So corruption means lack of authentic experience
of God, faith in Him, and self-centeredness prompted by insensitivity to the disadvantaged.
So escalation of corruption in this country points to the erosion of spirituality and rise of
materialism. Freedom from corruption is associated with spiritual growth. Law alone will
never be able to curb this bane of the country.

Unfortunately there are many so called spiritual people like Gehazi, the servant of prophet
Elisha in Old Testament who consider application of spiritual wisdom as foolishness. Once a
King called Naaman came from a distant place to Elisha for the healing of his leprosy. When
he was cured, he offered many expensive items as a thanksgiving to the prophet. The prophet
refused to accept them by saying, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will receive none”(II
Kings, 5:16). But the servant thinks that what his Guru has done was a mistake and approaches
Naaman and takes money and luxurious garments secretly. At the end Gehazi becomes a
Leper and the curse falls on his descendants also. Why Gehazis are enjoying life without being
affected by leprosy today? Perhaps because of the absence of Elishas. The Church and society
are looking for authentic spiritual presences of Elishas or Annas to purify corrupt systems and
lifestyles.

The first mantra of Ishavasyaopanishad may be a fitting conclusion to this discussion. It
says “within this entire universe, all the animate and inanimate are pervaded by the Lord, are
the statement of the Lord and only by remembering the Lord, surrendering to Him, one can
enjoy all the gotten objects of pleasure without attachment and without coveting any body’s
wealth; know it, wealth and the objects of enjoyments, whose are these?” It must be noted
that this mantra was an integral part of Ganhiji’s and Vinobhaji’s prayers. Gospels are also filled
with powerful teachings against covetousness. Religious leaders need to be aware of their
urgent duty to make use of the rich spiritual wisdom and resources to address this issue. Hope
that spiritual resources will join hands with movements against corruption to build up a just
India and a peaceful world.

Source:
Stots Pro