We used to come across many news of offering gifts to God by people in the media. People mostly make gifts to God in the form of cash, gold, or silver. Many Indian temples grew because of the habit of people making gifts to God.

The question is raised, why do we offer gifts to God? It is normally found that Indians make a promise to God to offer gifts if their wishes or demands are fulfilled by God. So one makes a gift to God to show one’s gratitude as one’s wish or demand is fulfilled. Thus to some extent, we can say that we are bribing God to fulfill our wishes or desires.

But again a question is raised, why are we so habitual to offer gifts to God rather than focusing on our efforts to get things done? In the past, we had a strong belief in Karma Yoga. In karma Yoga, we are taught to focus on Karma or Action. But we are taught not to expect any fruits of our Karma or Action. This philosophy of Karma Yoga is against the present practice of offering something to God in exchange for getting things done.

The answer to this question is somewhat difficult to explain. But one explanation can be offered as follows.

India has been ruled by foreigners for the last 1000 years. In that foreign-ruled era, the Indians had to offer something to the foreign office to get things done. So, in the course of time, Indians get habitual to the practice of offering something in exchange for getting things done.

To conclude, as Indians forget the philosophy of Karma Yoga, we are becoming more and more fetishized.

Bribe To God