While traveling in a train, I overheard the conversation of a few new converts to Christianity from Hinduism. These new converts were poor rural Indians. But they were educated. One man was talking about how the meeting with the preacher of the new sect helped him to get rid of alcoholism. They were also talking about the lack of a proper religious leader in Hinduism to guide them.
People are happy to become followers. They want someone to guide them. People want to see miracles. They need to improve their lifestyle with the help of the spiritual leader. They need to be a part of group or sect to satisfy their ego. They need it to debate that my sect is better than yours.
But this comes with a price – loss of individuality. All the thoughts of these people are borrowed from the spiritual leader. It is like dead people programmed to walk by another man.
Fortunately, Hinduism does not have a spiritual leader who can represent the entire community. And I see this as a great advantage. A spiritual leader who represents the entire community will do more harm than good. People will have to follow the dictates of the spiritual leader. This would have transformed Hinduism into a monolithic religion without any freedom.
But I respect the great work being done by great souls who have perceived the true essence of Hinduism.
Hinduism gave me the opportunity of self expression without any restraint. It gave me the freedom to think. It taught me to respect all the different school of thoughts. It taught me the futility of non-violence but at the same time taught me to defend my rights. It also taught me to empathize with all that lives. And much more…. All this would not have been possible under a spiritual leader.