By K. Anaga –

Pastor Jeromy Fernando is alleged to have caused a ‘Quake’ with his recent utterances “….despite the Lord Buddha claiming to be enlightened, even lord Buddha was not indeed enlightened. Further, he mentioned, “that Buddhists needed Jesus, not Lord Buddha if they are to be enlightened”. (As stated in the ‘Morning’ newspaper.) These statements were apparently made in his church and not at the Galle Face Green or elsewhere. Of course, the press went to town with it. Fortunately, the quake was not that of a magnitude to cause a tsunami. Of course, there was a mild ‘thunder’ long after the lightning seized, which arose from the religious camps, particularly from the Buddhists and pseudo-Buddhist politicians, who use religion as a means to ‘enlighten’ them and their supporters to reach the winning post without legitimate efforts. 

Jerome Fernando

The late Mr. Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike brought the Buddhist religion into the ‘limelight’ via politics. His initials denoting English names took a back seat to enable him to swim against the tide. 

In 1956, Buddhism coupled with Sinhala only, resulted in intermittent ‘quakes’ of various magnitudes which continue unabated even now. 

SWRD had the apparent support of Talduwe Somawanse Thero and Mapitige Buddha Rakite Thero. In fact, some of the Buddhist priests and other undesirables dictated to SWRD how to carry on the government. Theros’ association with the government resulted in murder and communal disturbances. The rest is history.  The Trio is no longer in the world of the living.

Despite the terrible holocaust experienced by the nation, Sinhala politicians depended on the ‘enlightened’ power of the Buddhist priests. Today the light is focused on Rev. Gnasara Thero.

The Sambuddha Jayanthi was celebrated in a big way. SWRD ensured that the Sinhala only remains embedded in the minds of the Sinhalese and Buddhism given the foremost place. Numerous amendments were introduced to pacify the Tamils, in the constitution, with no practical approach to ease the waves of the Tsunami of Sinhala only & Buddhism the foremost place. 

Unfortunately, there were no proper measuring instruments in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the commencement of the ‘quakes’ in 1956 and thereafter in, 1958, 1961 1977, and 1983 to measure the same. 

However, the 1983 communal quake created by JR was measured by numerous deaths and destructions and the birth of LTTE, instead by the Richter scale. Thereafter tremors continued in the form of refugees leaving the country and the onslaught of LTTE. 

It is said Pastor Jeromy has caused violence in the minds of the Sinhala Buddhists by his ‘unenlightened’ talk resulting in Jesus’s light being focused on him to expose his activities.

Comparing religions with each other serves no purpose except to keep the ball of communal politics rolling. 

When Jeromy compared Buddha’s light with Jesus in ‘Twilight’ it is considered an insult to lord Buddha. But when the enlightened Buddhist priests Marched up to ‘Vedukku Nari Malai in Vavuniya, under the cover of darkness, with army searchlights to install Statues of Buddha in the North by destroying the Hindu god’s abode, it is considered a legitimate religious development activity to promote Buddhism. When in fact Buddhism is considered a philosophy. Isn’t this an insult to the Lord Buddha, heaped on him by his enlightened followers? Not only in Vedukku Nari Malai but in other Hindu places of worship in Chemmalai in Mullaitivu and Thayiddi close to Jaffna town. 

I am a little confused with regard to the identity of Jesus Christ. Is he a God or a son of God? If he is a son of God born to the Virgin Mary, why go to confront Lord Buddha? Lord Buddha was born into a royal family, not in a cattle shed like Jesus Christ but in the Royal palace. There is nothing wrong with being born anywhere in the world as long as the birth is legitimate, according to the then-prevailing laws/customs.  

Siddhartha married a beauty queen and had two children. It may be true that Lord Buddha left his family to focus on the truth of life in the Universe. Leaving a wife and children at lurch is not considered the right thing in today’s context. But it appears that he left the family to seek enlightenment but whether he achieved it is doubtful. Not because Jeromy said it but because the conduct of some of the Buddhist priests leaves much to be desired.

Jesus was nailed to the cross and was declared dead for three days. But fortunately, he came back to life with additional strength and vigor to thrill his followers with miracles. Though Jesus was Junior to Lord Buddha he had not referred to Lord Buddha anywhere in his prayers to my knowledge. Maybe he would have considered Lord Buddha insignificant, unlike Pastor Jeromy and the Hindus.

Hindus always have high regard and respect for Lord Buddha as a prophet, not as a God. But do the Buddhists in Sri Lanka has any regard for the numerous Hindu gods despite the fact that Siddhartha was born to Hindu parents? There are enough and more Hindu deities in the ‘Pansalas’. But do Buddhist respect the deities?

No! If they have, will they go and unseat the Gods in Vedukku Narai malai and other abodes of the Hindu Gods in the North and East of Sri Lanka as they did to lord Muruga in Kathirkamam? It appears that ‘Lord Murga’ in Kathirkamam has lost his power after being taken over by the Buddhists.

 In the past, I recollect that both the Murderers and the Kith and Kin of the murdered victims visit Kathirkamam immediately after the event. The murderers seek Lord Muruga’s blessings to escape from the gallows and the Victims Kith and Kin seek the assistance of Lord Muruga to punish the murderers.  

Thus, Lord Muruga was in a deep predicament.  

I am an agnostic. Hence, having said all this, I consider religion is not necessary for man to exist, but man is necessary for Religion to exist.  

Change of religion is going on unabated. If you refer to the Veerakesari Tamil daily, you can see a lot of Tamils changing their religion to Muslims with a name change to be consistence with Muslim names. Mostly in the Eastern province.  Is there a remedy for it?

The people living in the Democratic Socialist Republic should be free to analyze religions and ascertain whether the followers are Enlightened or not and to what extent. This should not hurt any religious followers to cause a Tsunami.

Oh God! Please forgive all your Children’s sins irrespective of their faith or lack of same.