I was just reading Jivha’s post titled ‘Teresa the Merciless’. It seems people are saying that Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity weren’t so charitable after all. They allege that she hogged all the poor for herself, to serve her own purpose and benefit.

It's true that what starts off as the mission of doing good often ends up becoming the business of doing good. But then again, doing good is almost always ‘bad’ work, isn’t it?

I remember reading in the local papers some time back on how the men who clear garbage from the municipal bins every morning earn up to 10 grand a month. "Unbelievable!", I said. Here you have graduates who cannot earn half that much, and these guys get 10 grand!

But would we do it? Even if picking up garbage paid a lakh of rupees every month, would you and I do it?

Now I’ve never been to Calcutta, and so I haven’t seen first hand what the scene on the streets there is like, but all I can say is that people like us have no business questioning the ethics or the ulterior motives (if indeed there be any) of someone who has done, or attempted to do, those things that we, sitting comfortable on our backsides at home, would never ever think of.

And what people do with their money isn’t anybody’s concern either. Sourav Ganguly lives in Calcutta – so why isn’t he doing anything to help the destitute children of that city. Why do we need Steve Waugh to come down all the way from Sydney to start an institution like Udayan?

But this is not our question to ask; just as it is not for us to question what the Missionaries of Charity do with all the donations they get. I am a Roman Catholic and I know that the Catholic Church is very, very rich. They could do more for us - much more, but they couldn’t be bothered. So what do I do? Simple - I don’t give them my contribution. If you think the money is being misused, or deposited into Swiss bank accounts, then don’t give them any.

I’ve heard people say the same thing about the other so called Godmen like Satya Sai Baba, Osho Rajneesh, and that Art of Living chap - Sri Sri something. Well, other people - their devotees – may not be as intelligent as you and I are, to see that they're being taken for a ride (that is, if they are indeed being taken for a ride - who’s to know?). And so in the process, the Godman becomes very wealthy and lives a life of luxury. But, if he is providing a large number of people with what they are looking for in order to lead better, happier lives, then the money he earns is nothing but payment for services rendered. And I don't think anybody can object to, or deny him that.

In short, what I'm trying to say is this: while you may not always agree with the manner in which other people go about doing their 'good', the fact remains that there is really nothing you can do to stop them. Except maybe become a Godman yourself.

...so tell me, how does 'Sri Sri Saltwater' sound? :)