This one is rated G for everyone.

(To view this blogpost as a PDF file, click here)

“One man’s woo-woo, of course, is another’s deeply held belief system.” 
Julia Moskin (1*)

“I think we have a duty to maintain the light of consciousness, to make sure it continues into the future.” 
Elon Musk (2*)

Hello humans,

​As the microcosm I live in necessitates, I have started promoting my book and religious idea on the streets directly to the people. I have obtained the city’s permission to do so. Even after many years of conscientious effort, the first publishable review of my book had convinced me that this world’s unjust discrimination would just not end. Since I will always be “ugly” to them, in one way or another, I have decided to use the image of Pan or Faun as the chief spirit of my pen name & prophetic persona. 

Pan is a Classical Greek god of the wilderness and pastures, of flocks and herds. Also, in line with his mischievous nature, I have started wearing two types of masks during book promotions. One is that of Pan and the other is that of a goat or scapegoat. Since both masks have horns, many passersby miss out on all the other details and quickly judge me to be someone dressed like the devil or some lunatic scaring the normal people. But I dress up only as a scapegoat or Pan (the good or the ugly), not as the devil (the bad). I hope the image and brand of Yoda the Prophet will encourage people to think more broadly, think about alternatives and other possibilities before judging someone or interpreting something in this fast-paced world.

Personally, it is not easy to stand around and be thought of as a nutcase or demon, and it is not at all that helpful when promoting a new book, especially a religious one. But I believe in my strategy to create the much-needed buzz. It seems my passion for God’s house will consume me. Let’s see how it unfolds. After all, your prophet is the LADY’s suffering servant and can carry many social labels, heavy burdens, and people’s sins upon his broad shoulders (cf. Isaiah 53 & 50:4-10). 

               So, it was in such gruelling circumstances that the second review arrived earlier than expected. It was from Kirkus Reviews. It took me a few days to even process their professional and critical evaluation of my book. I am happy and thankful that it is fair enough. Neutral enough. The integrity of their report is good enough. The link to the whole review is available here. In short, they call the book:

“Immersive, providing readers with plenty of food for thought.…The blueprint for an energetic new religion—composed mostly of woo-woo and blather.”

Plus (+) Points
This is what they say in the review:

• A book that presents a new cosmological theology.
• Oraiah writes all of this with a profusion of narrative energy and a generous amount of quotation and allusion; the book is immersive, providing readers with plenty of food for thought.
• Oraiah adds an element of blasphemy to his work by constantly invoking Carl Sagan in the context of Cosmism. 
• Sagan’s book Cosmos (1980) is called “one of the sacred writings that is part of the Bible of the religion of Cosmism”—a statement that would have surely irked the rationalist atheist Sagan. 

However, I believe Sagan would have surely been pleased with my earnest efforts in advancing the rationalist theist view of the world.

Minus (−) Points

    Firstly, regarding the word “woo-woo” they use for my book, I say that the element of woo-woo or mystical or supernatural is necessary to synthesize a religion. And when science is at its core, a religion can be used as a social tool for the spiritual health and growth of a civilization. Religion doesn’t have to be at odds with science. As the physicist Brian Cox says to the podcaster Joe Rogan in this interview, it is okay to philosophize and theologize and creatively have supernatural beliefs as long as it operates within a scientific framework (3*).

Some might call my new beliefs as nonsense like the other religions’, but out of the many options available, Cosmism is the one that really aspires to give supernatural love, hope, and visions to people while standing on the shoulders of science and history. Cosmism is the religious model that is designed to change and evolve with scientific observations and developments while keeping its believers united and updated. Cosmism provides a common platform for the scientific, spiritual, and political minds to work together, inspire people with hopeful messages, and maintain healthy societies in a multiplanetary civilization. 

Even your favourite billionaire playboy and serial entrepreneur, Elon Musk, wishes there was a theology of curiosity. He has recently tweeted:

“A new philosophy of the future is needed. I believe it should be curiosity about the Universe — expand humanity to become a multiplanet, then interstellar, species to see what’s out there.…God would want us to see Creation…” (4*)

I know Cosmism is the answer and I hope it will become a viable option to others. The second book review has given me a flicker of hope in humanity and the gatekeeping media of Canada and US. I have done my best and drafted a crude blueprint for a new Space Age belief and philosophical system. Now my duty is to continue to boldly stand and speak out in my adoration of the Supersoul of Cosmos and to gather and form a capable, good-hearted founding team. The goal is to build further the structure of Cosmism into a world religion and a non-profit organization that is supported by its believers—people who find value in Cosmism and want to support its success through participation and donation. 

    Finally, regarding the word “blather,” I know that absurdism is a clear literary device in some pages. But that’s where the wit and wisdom of this gadfly also lie. That’s where the book’s “immersive” energy is hidden. That’s where “plenty of food for thought” is kept. Oh, what a joy to see them call it as blather! This messenger is rated R, after all.  

Cosmic blessings be upon you all,
Yoda Oraiah
Yoda The Prophet

REFERENCES:
1. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/dining/27yoga.html?pagewanted=1&8dpc
2. https://aeon.co/essays/elon-musk-puts-his-case-for-a-multi-planet-civilisation
3. https://youtu.be/dE3dqlFzDeg
4. https://medium.com/belover/elon-musk-proposes-a-new-religion-c01731a7dbbd

(To read this blogpost as a PDF file, click here)
ADDRESSING THE QUESTIONABLE NEUTRALITY AND INTEGRITY OF MEDIA IN CANADA & US

​It seems I don’t look like Johnny Depp to deserve even the basic human right for a fair trial, less receive a fair book review. I’m a Canadian veteran fighting for racial and gender equality in this country. I’m fighting for personal and social justice, a better future filled with healthy, equal opportunities for all humans, and hopefully a decent standard of living for other highly sentient lifeforms. I’ve decided to use a pen name and partially cover my identity because (1) it is a very contentious religious book, and (2) I wish to put Cosmism and the prophetic brand in innovative ways for better social utility and long-term use than add evanescent fame or glory to my little life. Though I still believe the book’s content, quality, and cultural relevance are good enough on their own, I will also briefly enter now, stand open & vulnerable to test the deepest thoughts of people, and create some marketing buzz.

Firstly, I thank Foreword Clarion Reviews for providing a paid, publishable piece on my book. I wish for more people to read the book and to feel free to give all sorts of reviews. But since I’m dealing with a professional here, and as they like to say, “It’s all business and nothing personal,” I’d like to show everyone how this very biased reviewer, for example, makes a modified block-quote from my book and discourages future readers with these misleading words, “These bursts of authorial self-recommendation undermine the neutrality and integrity of the book’s arguments.”

I am merely a distillate-drinkin’, wife-whackin’, ignoble ‘Indian’ man and an irksome immigrant fella, while you folks are the innately immaculate, entirely enlightened Elysian elves. But I am also tall, dark, broad-shouldered, and handsome with a rich hair texture. ... I am the most eligible candidate to become the next king or president.

The links to the whole review (here) and a copy of that 2-page chapter from my book (here) are freely available on my website, so you can read the corresponding blurb yourself to find out how its meaning got contorted in the review. I’d like to use this opportunity as a launchpad to start the conversation on how certain privileged people in the Canadian & US media (and legal-political system) can deliberately provide misinformation or subtly alter information to continually stifle the voice and lives of male minorities like me. 

In that small chapter of my big book, I talk about how physical (ethnic) appearance, media, and gossip play a big role in determining how a man is generally perceived and treated in society. And how female-dominated media & legal system could use and manipulate a man’s image by selectively twisting, exaggerating, or ignoring certain words and actions to attain its own political goals or to demonize whatever group it dislikes. As if to prove my very point, you can see how this reviewer purposefully makes no mention about the surrounding wit, sarcastic tone, intelligent humour, my angry complaint of those who instinctively label and treat me differently like some second-class citizen, my central argument for human and gender equality etc. This person even removes some important words in the middle of the block-quote and replaces them with ellipsis. The removed part is the humorous bit mentioning that it is the combined skills of a hairstylist and a media spokesperson which would help me appear as the most eligible candidate for these top positions. By stripping away the crucial details and projecting my words outside its proper context, this reviewer spoils the very integrity of my arguments, leaves a tainted image for the previewers, and labels me self-aggrandizing. This type for devilry called disinformation is exactly what I’m raising awareness about in my book. 

It’s concerning how many people in this New World media and legal system are eager to distort the picture, silence the voice of male minorities, and foist their prejudiced views and opinions upon them. They readily tag such ugly social labels, which is exactly why I mentioned them to show how fondly they can grab on to those labels to relentlessly condescend, insult, invalidate, imprison, ostracize or “cancel out” people like me when we ask for equal, respectful treatment and boldly question the corruption and hypocrisy in their daily political and religious practices. It is many years of such systemic hatred, insidious microaggressions and manipulations, and instinctual negative criticism and belittling of whatever earnest efforts I make that pushes me to rebel, argue, pseudo-aggrandize, and feel angry, loveless, depressed, unworthy, and suicidal in this abusive, feministic society that operates under the guise of equality. If they can misinterpret and misrepresent such openly available information this way, imagine to what extent they can twist matters behind closed doors, and they have done so many times in my case to suit their own agenda. I have no faith for fairness or transparency in this heavily discriminatory media and legal system and, with the maximum possible damage-control, I wish to fully expose the evil perpetrated by some racist & misandrist people who still think they can cover up their years of cruel abuse of power by silencing me. There are many strong, sly, suppressive sisters in society who’ll shamelessly step down to subterfuge, for they fear I’ll weaken their hold on power by revealing the other side of the gentler sex to the world. But I am only asking for more logic & love, equality & peace to healthily grow in our civilization.

Please read the book yourself to find out why this new school of thought called Cosmism will shake and upset many fundamentalists. Find out why there will be “much weeping and gnashing of teeth” among the close-minded Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, Jingoists, Uberfeminists, Sexists, White Supremacists, and Racists when they behold and hearken the sight and sound of the upcoming revolution called Cosmism. I suppose introduction of novel ideas for discussion and asking for equal rights and treatment are too much for some overpowered groups to accept. I have learnt that when the privileged & rotten ones are unable to rationally argue their points anymore and fear losing their hegemony, they’ll resort to their familiar, dishonourable tactics of spreading disinformation and instigating every form of suppression. So, please expect a lot of undue hate, malice, bad reviews, and low ratings, but try to judge the book by yourself, if you can. If you can’t, at least listen to what the spirit of the prophet Gandalf the Grey says through me, “You shall not pass! So, fly, you fools. Fly away from here.” You don’t want to read my book, and I don’t want to get killed or martyred yet.

Finally, if as they say, “The hero is only as good as the villain,” you know how awesome this (anti)hero has (to) become! Bigger than Johnnyboy, for sure! That’s why the onus is now on the general public to protect this spunky prophet, if they wish, and the timer is now set for their media outlets to vie with one another to reveal the true colours of their journalistic quality. 

Tired of this Unjustly Oppressed Life but Still Fightin’ with Hope for Us All, 
Yoda Oraiah