Environmental Ethics

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 79

experience and a person however great, saintly and erudite who have not experienced the challenges and learnt the art to cope with is certainly not competent to advise and guide the house holders. But the recluses and ascetics even though ignorant of experiences and without necessary cognitive competence have the audacity to preach and advise. Surprisingly a vast majority of people flock to them for advice. There are only a few exceptions who were saints as well as professionals in their respective jobs and earned their own livelihood. In between there are many shades of pseudo saints who adopt ascetism and put on the garb of a saint as a profession and amass wealth. In many religions there is customary practice of proscripting young and very young boys and girls as disciple ascetics. When these young ascetics grow up as adults they stray away from their model code of conduct under the impact of surging sex hormones and there are cases of sexual indulgence by monks and nuns within themselves and outside also. This brings a very bad name for the institutions for ascetics otherwise proclaimed to be pious and puritan. There are cases of sexual exploitation even by senior and aged saints. It is better to get married and lead a faithful married life by ascetics than to transgress the vow of celibacy. There are cases of other sensuous indulgence by saints and heads of rich religious institutions which then results in misappropriation of funds, cheating and other financial irregularities and also rivalry culminating in wars of words, fists and even murders forcing the state to take legal action. Some heads of rich religious institutions live such a opulant and ostentatious life that is envy of even autocratic royalties of past. They live two life-styles, one as a devoted saint, ritualist, worshiper and preacher and the other luxurious and licentious indulging secretly in all sorts of sensuous pleasures including, women and wine. In spite of their short comings having been disclosed, they are revered by gullible superstitious people who throng to them for seeking their blessings and instructions for good living.
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