Skeletons in Rationalistst Cupboard
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CONTROVERSY SKELETONS IN RATIONALISTS’ CUPBOARD BY GEORGE PLATHOTTAM SDB few days ago a journalist There obviously are a lot of ghosts friend called me up with and skeletons in the Rationalists’ A a request to speak to a cupboard. The rationalist medicine Bishop in Mumbai on behalf of a rationalist, against whom they are prescribing is deadlier than a group of Christians there had filed a defamation case. the dangers of superstition. It is akin Curiosity got the better of me to to the pot calling the kettle black >>> understand to learn more about the issue. I was surprised to learn that a small incident was blown out of proportion, and colleagues chose a minor invite pilgrims to come and visit in the process lies, deception incident in suburban Mumbai the place; neither were there any and misinformation were being to whip up publicity for his requests to people to contribute freely used. rationalist movement and for money. The issue relates to an incident himself, and even to make Sanal proclaimed that the of ‘miracle’ in a Mumbai church money out of the incident -- the water dripping from the Cross and the charges against Sanal very thing which he accuses the in the Our Lady of Velankanni Edamaruku, a Delhi-based self- priests in Mumbai of doing. Church in Irla was not miracle, proclaimed rationalist. Sanal The incident relates to a but it was caused by a leak in the is the son of veteran rationalist church in Irla close to Vile Parle sewage system. He blamed the leader and author late Joseph in Mumbai where some people Church authorities and priests Edamaruku. Sanal is a proponent witnessed water dripping from a alleging that the whole issue of rationalism and is known for Cross and claimed it is a miracle. was concocted to make money. his efforts to bust myths and They began to collect the water, On a TV-9 debate in Mumbai miracles. But I discovered that and pray there. Soon word he claimed that the miracle was besides this he also indulges in got around that miraculously false, and that the priest of the opposing religious beliefs and water was dripping from the Church was distributing the dirty poking fun at and denigrating Cross. The Church authorities, drainage water dripping from religious leaders like Mother however, did not proclaim it as a the Cross to hundreds of gullible Teresa. Sanal and his rationalist miracle or make any publicity or people. He demanded that the INDIAN CURRENTS • 21 - 27 MAY 2012 11 CONTROVERSY Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay, Sanal and his ra- Bishop Agnelo Gracias, was on the TV-9 show, categorically tionalist colleagues stating that the Church has chose a minor in- not declared the incident as a miracle and that the Church is cident in suburban cautious and goes through a careful process before declaring Mumbai to whip up a phenomenon miracle. He publicity for his ra- denied other allegations of Sanal as unfounded. The Bishop also tionalist movement issued a written clarification: and for himself, “The official church has always been slow to attribute and even to make supernatural causes to money out of the ‘extraordinary’ phenomena Church authorities apologize we observe in life. As far as incident -- the very for advertising a natural possible, the Church tries to phenomenon as a “miracle” to see if such phenomena can be thing which he ac- attract devotees and promoting explained by natural causes. cuses the priests in them to drink unchecked dirty She does not pay too much water claiming it had curative attention to these extraordinary Mumbai of doing. properties. He also accused the phenomena, even though she >>> Catholics of promoting worship accepts the possibility that God of images and stated that the may intervene in human life in The Bishop also said there is Pope is against science. an extraordinary way – what we absolutely no point in bringing often term a ‘miraculous’ way.” in the Pope into such events. Sanal’s statements infuriated Regarding the Irla incident, he The Pope has certainly more a Mumbai-based lay Christian said, one can doubt if this water matters to attend to than a group called the Association of dripping has a supernatural dripping Cross! The Bishop Concerned Catholics (AOCC). cause. The church has NOT expressed surprise at the It demanded that Sanal publicly made any pronouncement on it. irrationality of the claims and apologize for his offensive One should not be in a hurry to allegations made by Sanal. He remarks hurting the religious make a pronouncement unless wrote: “What is amazing is that sentiments of the Catholics. one has investigated the matter. such loose statements are made They objected to his assertions It is quite possible that the by a member of the Rationalist that the Irla incident was created happening may have a totally Association. It would be good by priests to make money; that natural explanation. if the Rationalist Association Catholics worship images; and He, however, objected to the would look into the matter and that the Pope is against science. statements made by ‘the so- see whether a man who makes AOCC asked Sanal to withdraw called member of the Rationalist such “irrational” statements these three statements, failing Association’. He strongly should continue as a member of which it would file a case against denied the allegation that this such a respectable body!” him. He challenged them to do phenomenon has been created Then began a publicity so. He even threatened that he by priests who are out to make campaign and efforts to win would take the Bishops to the money. The Cross, the Bishop sympathy and even collect court. He not only refused to clarified, is not on Church funds for Sanal Edamaruku and apologize but hurled abuses and property and the one who is the Rationalist International threatened the Bishop, priests reported to have first noticed of which he is the founder and lay leaders. The AOCC the dripping water was not even president. Anyone who cares to went ahead and filed an FIR for a Catholic. No money has been look deeper into the issue will hurting religious sentiments and collected by any priest. And note that the small Irla incident causing disharmony. Sanal was surely, we do not build churches was used to trump up support for issued an arrest warrant. with such money, as is claimed. him, have him declared a hero, a 12 INDIAN CURRENTS • 21 - 27 MAY 2012 CONTROVERSY sanctify their homes and heal “The official church their beloved.” According to the article, “It took him (Sanal) less has always been than half an hour to discover slow to attribute the source of the divine tears: a filthy puddle formed by a s u p e r n a t u r a l blocked drain, from where water causes to was being pushed up through a phenomenon all high-school ‘extraordinar y ’ physics students are familiar with, called capillary action.” phenomena we victim, and the Church a villain and an intolerant organization. observe in life. As The issue was made out to show The bias in Swami’s article was far as possible, the that the Church was dragging further obvious when he called him to court on the basis of some Sanal Edamaruku, “the eminent Church tries to see archaic blasphemy law. rationalist thinker”. Little did if such phenomena Unfortunately, several the senior journalist writing newspapers and magazines in a reputed newspaper do to can be explained as well as the internet blindly apply his journalistic instincts followed this line without and discretion to verify the facts by natural causes. verifying the contents of the FIR, before writing these words: “For >>> which included Sanal ridiculing his discovery, Mr. Edamaruku hold dear.” the Pope, challenging the now faces the prospect of three To indulge in unlawful acts Bishops and insulting the tenets years in prison -- and the absolute that can affect the welfare of of the Catholic faith and making certainty that he will spend others is not a right. The laws false allegations. He castigated several more years hopping are to safeguard the individuals the Church as intolerant. His between lawyers’ offices and and society from wanton and language was arrogant and courtrooms. In the wake of Mr. indiscriminate acts which affect provocative. In short, the case Edamaruku’s miracle-busting law and order. There are too filed against Sanal was not Mumbai visit three police many people hurling abuse, for challenging a miracle, but stations in the Capital received ridiculing and insulting others. insulting religious leaders, complaints against him for What kind of right is Swami provoking hatred and ridiculing inciting religious hatred. First demanding? Where are the the believers and their religious Information Reports were filed, boundaries of such wanton faith. and investigations initiated with exemplary -- if unusual -- rights? I wish the author One of India’s most reputed alacrity.” devotes his attention to promote newspapers The Hindu, carried I invite Swami as well as the tolerance and respect rather an article by Praveen Swami than demand the right to insult. on May 7, on its editorial page: editors of The Hindu to re- examine the charge against Sanal The Hindu in its opinion page “India’s god laws fail the test Edamaruku before crying wolf. stated, “Police investigation of of reason”. The sarcasm in Though Swami has propounded Sanal Edamaraku for debunking Swami’s article was evident in many valid arguments about the a ‘miracle’ at a church is a the opening paragraph itself: need to avoid fanaticism, and crime against the Indian “Early in March, little drops of the importance of reviewing Constitution.” Again, the case water began to drip from the archaic laws that might lead to is not for ‘debunking’ a miracle.