Creating Authenticity

        Why do individuals need an authentic source? Why must we have a real guru or supernatural force to legitimize our faith? In the film Kumaré, Kumaré’s followers were willing to listen to him because he seemed to be a real guru. However, as the film progressed, Kumaré provided the same amount of help and peace that one derives from a “real” religion. In a sense, the film demonstrated that authenticity is not necessary to give people what they need. This sentiment was echoed throughout the readings this week. If the power to attain inner peace has been ours along, then why do we need an authentic source to act as a conduit for us? Where does the need for authenticity come from? Why do we need the son of God or a mystical guru to help us? If Kumaré had presented himself as an average man, would anyone have listened to him? Probably not. Perhaps we crave this authenticity because the guidelines that we adopt from religion are so consuming. As Martyn Oliver argued in “10 Things Every College Student Needs to Know About Religion”, ritual can be more important than belief. So, if one is going to so strongly adopt a code to live by or if said code is already integral to their identity than it has to be extremely significant. If it is going to take or already holds such a prestigious position in one’s life, then it has to have a fair amount of meaning. Meaning that powerful can be found in an “authentic” source like God or an Indian guru. Their “realness” elevates the status of one’s belief and perhaps provides a sense of affirmation for its adoption.