Saying What One Likes

Saying What One Likes

1987 1 January 19-20 Saying What One Likes (669) In November 1985 Acharya Rajneesh – the self-styled Guru of the rich – was expelled from the U.S.A. He had been living in the American state of Oregon since leaving India in 1981. In Oregon, he had developed a town of his own: Rajneeshpuram, which he sought to make his capital of the world and the first city of the 21st century. But conservative America in which Rajneesh had fashioned his Utopia did not take kindly to the Bhagwan’s activities. After a spell languishing in an American jail, he returned to India, then went on to Nepal. From there he left suddenly for Athens, where he was declared a public menace by the Greek Orthodox Church. His disciples were accused of indulging in sex orgies. There was even talk of him and his entourage being stoned to death if they did not leave Greece.

The authorities followed up the Church’s demands, and on March 5, 1986 Rajneesh was expelled from Greece. Along with a group of his wealthy followers, the Bhagwan boarded a special plane for Spain. Talking to the press at Athens airport, he said that the Greeks had learned nothing since Socrates was executed in 399 BC for corrupting youth and preaching false gods.

In referring to Socrates, Rajneesh was making out that his case was the same as that of the great Greek philosopher. This was no more than arrogance on Rajneesh’s part. In actual fact there is no comparison between his case and that of Socrates.

As far as Rajneesh is concerned, a major reason for his popularity among western youth is the attractive theoretical sanction he provides for free sex. Not only does he preach the virtues of free sex; he also practices it in his own life. In an interview with the Illustrated Weekly of India (September 25, 1985), he admitted to a lack of innocence as regards his relationship with women. He also suggested that the reason for his beard becoming grey so quickly was that he had “lived so intensely... I have compressed into 50 years almost 200 years.”

The Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399BC) was of an entirely different nature. Though condemned to death by an Athenian court, he was absolutely innocent of the charges brought against him. These were that he “was guilty of riot worshipping the gods the State worshipped... introducing other new divinities, and further that he was guilty of corrupting the young by teaching them accordingly.” (Russell, A History of Western Philosophy, p. 103). But in fact his only crime was to take steps to eradicate the evils of the Athenian society of his day. The authorities decided “that it was easier to silence him by means of the hemlock than to cure the evils of which he complained” (ibid. p. 102).

Two of Socrates’ pupils, Xenophon and Plato, wrote voluminously on Socrates. Both are agreed on his pious and upright moral character. According to Xenophon “Socrates was eminently pious and had a thoroughly wholesome effect upon those who came under his influence” (ibid. p. 101). Plato called him the most upright and selfless man of his day. He was not punished because of any fault in himself; rather he fell foul of those in power for pointing out their faults.

How vastly different the cases of Socrates and Rajneesh. Socrates sought to reform Greek youth, while Rajneesh has aimed his efforts at accustoming young people to unrestrained gratification of their sensual desires. Socrates was hounded by society for pointing out its faults, whereas with Rajneesh it is he himself who is at fault. Yet Rajneesh was able, convincingly enough, to equate his own case with that of Socrates. That is the way things are in this world. Here, people are free to say what they like and win other over to their line of argument, be it true or false. But they should never lose sight of the fact that will all come to an end when God’s justice comes to pass, and nothing but truth will prevail.