Sin and Salvation- putting good living in perspective

Recently, I had the good fortune to see a drama titled Heaven’ Gates and Hell’s Flames in Kochi directed by an audio-visual professional, Simplicio from Goa and ably assisted by Francesco. About 40 amateur artists from various walk of life participated.

Set amidst the backdrop of Christmas celebrations that recall the birth of Jesus Christ, in simple terms the theme pitted sinning against against doing good deeds and with remembrance of Lord Jesus. Whether it is youngsters indulging in drugs and intoxication, a rich businessman involved in Church activities but not a believer and indulging in sinful or illegal activities, all are destined to flames of Hell while a construction worker indulging in drinking and not looking after his large family suddenly changes his mind and puts full faith in the Lord just before his death in a building crash but the gates of heaven are opened to him.

The underlying theme was to lead a good life serving God and thereby open your pathway to Heaven while the sinners and non-believers are destined to the devils guarding the Hell’s Gates.

There are many interpretations on what constitutes a sin according to various religions.  International Society for Krisna Consciousness (ISKON) puts faith in Krishna or the Supreme as the path to perfection and to be reborn at a higher consciousness level. In ISKON’s teachings, it is said you can eat, drink, enjoy so long as you are fully devoted to Lord Krishna and chant the mantras. What I could understand was that devotion to God mattered irrespective of whether you commit vice or lead a good life.

What is a Sin?

The original sin is Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. There are several sins that could immediately come to mind stealing, adultery, bribing, telling lies, murder, rape, defamation…. Lord Jesus welcomed sinners in his fold and ushered in peace for the suffering and oppressed. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was worried that our jails were dumping yards for criminals but no effort was made to reform them.

Oscar Wilde became controversial in his statements in The Picture of Dorian Gray about sins and temptations. “Every impulse that we strive to strangle broods in the mind and poisons us. The body sins once, and has done with its sin, for action is a mode of purification. Nothing remains then but the recollection of a pleasure or the luxury of a regret. The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful. It has been said that the great events of the world take place in the brain. It is in the brain,and the brain only, that the great sins of the world take place also.”

Not giving respect is not a desirable behavior, so is gratefulness a desirable trait in humans. I believe the idea that sinners will be sent to Hell was just to make every one lead a good life. Or if the theory of transmigration of the soul is to be put in proper context, the thoughts we carry in this iife will be carried over to the next and it becomes the ‘ vasana’ for the body into which it comes back to life again. We have heard of several thieves and murderers turning to preaching or involving in social or charitable activities after serving their jail sentence.

Religion & Government or Judiciary- and their attitude to sins
Religions have stressed the single minded devotion to Lord as the way to salvation and sinners attain salvation when they surrender themselves to God. The Government and Judiciary sees activities as lawful and unlawful and deliver verdicts.

The religious scriptures enlighten us to lead a spiritual life free of guilt, shame, anger, pride and several negative emotions that lead us perhaps to the sins mentioned earier. At a psycho-analysis level more people should move to “ Iam Ok, You are Ok” position in life if they are to respect, love and have sympathy and empathy for fellow beings.

India has by and large been tolerant of religions although it has not created one itself as Hinduism cannot be considered a religion but a way of life. As Sreenarayana Guru, the social reformer of the South indian State of Kerala remarked- We don’t have any relation with any religion. We have not created a religion although we have set up temples as per the wishes of some people. Likewise we are happy to help with such requests if they come from Muslims and Christians. We have left behind caste and religion.