Talk:Gullibility
Bhaktiyoga does not require many pre-requisites, either in the form of wealth, knowledge or meditation. Due to this, it is a very suitable path for the masses. Unfortunately, many individuals in our society are gullible or prone to exploitation due to their own ignorance, or lack of understanding of true spirituality. And this is especially true of people who have chosen the path of Bhaktiyoga.
In the name of shraddhā and bhakti, unscrupulous people can easily dupe an innocent bhakta through ruses like, “These mūrtis are of divine origin and were found buried underground after I dreamt about their presence a few weeks back. Therefore, please donate money so that I can construct a temple to house these divine mūrtis.”
Unfortunately, many narratives in the texts of Bhakti and Bhakti Yoga depict their Sants as gullible characters who lack worldly wisdom but are saved by the Lord from being robbed or killed due to their own devotion to Him. While this may be true of perfected a rare Bhakti Yogī who has no worldly cares, most of us need to take care of our mundane needs along with spiritual needs. And we need to guard ourselves against people of evil intent out to rob or harm us lest we become their enablers. Some examples of gullibility include-
- E.g. Evangelists who ask their followers to give millions for his own luxurious lifestyles.
- Gurus and Babas who teach simplicity and honesty to their followers but loot their devotees.
The solution to this potential pitfall is to never follow a ‘Divine Agent’ whose character is questionable.