What Does It Take To Have An "Authentic" Religion?

What does it take to have an "authentic" religion? In Kumare, Vikram Ghandi tries to explore this question by creating a "fake" religion to see whether people would actually follow it or not. To much of his surprise, the experiment worked as Kumare got at least 14 followers as the movie progressed. In the end, Kumare's teachings and practices were so powerful that even after the truth came out, ten people still stayed loyal to him.

So how did Kumare's "fake" religion become "authentic"? First of all, Ghandi created a series of myths (about his identity and origins), rituals ("the blue light"), and symbols (the staff) that formed the basis of his teachings. Originally "fake" and meaningless, these elements become "authentic" and meaningful as the practice of Kumare's teachings evolves into a transcending experience for the followers. The teachings are "fake" at first but turn to be "authentic" because they answer the people's needs and guide them through their lives. By becoming an experience rather than an experiment, Kumare's religion becomes "authentic" as well since it represents a way of life rather than a simple routine. Therefore, a religion is authentic as long as it is a guiding experience, based on certain myths, rituals and symbols, that creates a meaningful environment for its followers.