Social Issues and Hinduism

Karma and Legal System

- Why do we have criminal justice system in India even though the prevailing belief is that Karma is believed to give the ultimate consequence?

Is karma alone perfect? Can it create a reinforcing cycle that is difficult to get out of?

·         There are many similarities and differences between these two systems. Here are a few examples:

Repercussions

LS – third party sets and imposes consequences

K – nature of cause and effect

 Accountability

 LS – possibly escapable (must be proven guilty)

 K – inevitable reaction to cause, inescapable

“Laws”

 LS – indicate what is wrong

 K – no strict definition for right or wrong

 Focus

 LS – punishment, emphasis on action versus purpose

 K – punishment and reward, emphasis on purpose versus action

 Scope

 LS – inextricably tied to the act

 K – always independent of actions

·         How does the legal system reconcile with karma?

- Does this in essence provide a compounded punishment to the guilty?

- Does the one providing the punishment via the legal system get punished himself by placing the life of someone else in his hands?

Evolution of Sexuality

Sexuality has become so prevalent in media, but there is still little communication about this in the home environment.

Early India:

·        Shiv Lingum

·        Temple architecture

·        Gods viewed as sexual (for ex: Kunti and her sons, Radha-Krishna, Apsaras in heaven, Shiva-Parvati)

   

  Modern India:

·        Influence in Bollywood, especially during love songs

·        Conservative dress in temples

·        Discrepancy between conservative beliefs and practice

o   How did this shift occur?

·        Conservative Mughal and  British Empires influenced Indian beliefs

·        Early India: No contraception/birth control, later puberty, earlier marriages since no school -> people wanted to wait until marriage to have children so that they could have a stable support system

·        Modern India: Presence of contraception/birth control, earlier puberty, later marriage due to extensive schooling (high school –> college -> graduate school -> career) -> less people willing to wait until marriage to have sex

·         Why is there still a discrepancy between how our religion and society have evolved?