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The day was 9/11 but the contrast was sharp. Swami Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of Religions, in 1893, in the US. In 2001, on the same day, there were four terror attacks on the US. Ram Krishna reminds of the two 9/11, exclusively for Different Truths.
Acceptance of the validity of every great religion and rejection of all forms of intolerance, Swami Vivekananda prophetically said, can herald death-knell to fanaticism.
September 11 was the day a Sanyasi, from the most ancient order of monks in the world, unveiled a grand vision of religion before the world. The Sanyasi was Swami Vivekananda, the place, the city Chicago in the US, and the year was 1893.
That day the legendary saint, social reformer and spiritual master was at his best as an impeccable orator and fantastic communicator. The man extraordinaire was presenting the idea of India for the first time to an international audience at the Parliament of the World’s Religions through his speech…
That day the legendary saint, social reformer and spiritual master was at his best as an impeccable orator and fantastic communicator. The man extraordinaire was presenting the idea of India for the first time to an international audience at the Parliament of the World’s Religions through his speech, which has since been widely celebrated as the ‘Great Chicago Speech of the Hurricane Hindu’.
Introducing India and her spiritual culture to the western world, Swami Vivekananda presented a novel interpretation of religion as a universal experience of transcendent Reality, common to all humanity. Indeed, his speech was a turning point of the Parliament. Espousing the idea of toleration and universal acceptance as an antidote to bigotry and fanaticism, he spoke of the validity of every great religion and against all forms of faith-based intolerance.
It was an illuminating event for the cause of humanity! It was the day of light and hope!
Cut to another 9/11 Day. The place, the same great land, and the year, 2001.
It was the day the US faced four massive terror attacks with extreme shock, horror and numbness. The devastating fatalities, in terms of human lives and human values, were unprecedented. Nearly three thousand innocent lives were taken away by the cruel and savage act.
It was the day the US faced four massive terror attacks with extreme shock, horror and numbness. The devastating fatalities, in terms of human lives and human values, were unprecedented. Nearly three thousand innocent lives were taken away by the cruel and savage act. The scars of colossal loss, trauma and grief still run deep, particularly in the minds and hearts of the families and friends of the affected ones. The singular tragedy in a flash darkened the world leaving behind lingering paranoid, lifetimes of anguish and debris of hatred and distrust.
It was a cataclysmic event that shamed the cause of humanity! It was the day of darkness and despair!
“Fanaticism has long possessed this beautiful earth,” Swami Vivekananda had lamented on the 9/11 Day. “They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair”. Making a scathing attack on sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism, and indeed terming them as “horrible demons”, he maintained, “had it not been for these demons, human society would be more advanced than it is now.”
“Fanaticism has long possessed this beautiful earth,” Swami Vivekananda had lamented on the 9/11 Day. “They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair”. Making a scathing attack on sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism, and indeed terming them as “horrible demons”, he maintained, “had it not been for these demons, human society would be more advanced than it is now.”
How prophetic and visionary his words were!
Between 1893 and 2001, and thereafter as well, mankind has continued to witness diabolical acts of fanaticism of varying manifestations and severity. Alongside moral regression, the world is seemingly faced with an endless spectacle of violence and destruction.
Between 1893 and 2001, and thereafter as well, mankind has continued to witness diabolical acts of fanaticism of varying manifestations and severity. Alongside moral regression, the world is seemingly faced with an endless spectacle of violence and destruction.
Clearly, what all fanatics share is the obstinate refusal to even consider, let alone accept or embrace, any idea that is incompatible to their worldviews! The impulsive, irrational, overly-simplistic, zero-sum thinking that accompanies fanaticism leaves little scope for any nuanced, balanced or holistic solutions. Refusing to engage in productive discussions, they vitiate all goals to synthesise and create a more harmonious, complete whole.
The tale of the two sharply contrasting events teaches us a common lesson. And the inescapable lesson is that humanity can escape the scourge of fanaticism only by eliminating artificial contradictions, conflicts, divisions of “us versus them”. And the only way out, Swami Vivekananda repeatedly stressed cultivation of a spirit of harmony, tolerance, universal acceptance and oneness. This is the path we all, with a sense of togetherness and purpose, have to follow to herald “death-knell to fanaticism”, as the Swami put it.
Photo from the Internet
Outstandingly informative..Brilliant post indeed!
RK Da,
Very much informative and brilliant post.
Sir, very good to read. I found informative and educational.