City Upon a Hill: A Vision for Eelam
Ruben Nagesparan Chandrakumar, BS
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” This profound declaration from the Bible has had lasting impacts on spiritual, philosophical, and political discourse for over two thousand years. The essence of the excerpt can be understood through the way in which the eternal and benevolent spirit of Christ—or, in Dharmic terms, the Brahman—manifests within each of those who choose to forego their selfish, egotistic interests and submit to a greater purpose. Those who choose to follow the path of Christ, the path of righteousness and enlightenment, are bestowed with the duty—the dharma—to spread the light of their actions and beliefs to the darkness which pervades the world.
Originating from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, the idea was transformed to the historical and political environment of the Massachusetts colonists by the Puritan John Winthrop. Winthrop envisioned a society within Massachusetts that served as a testament to the purity, light, and goodness of God—and those who chose to follow Him. Winthrop cautioned the colonists that the eyes of the world would be watching and that, by failing to fulfill their sacred covenant, the mistakes, sins, and evils of their society would be exposed to the globe. However, this was not merely a warning to the colony; it was also a wellspring of inspiration—beckoning the highest spirits of the individuals to become embodied and represent the glory of Christ. Winthrop was conscious of the potential for both good and evil within humans and the free will which we were endowed with by our Creator. By inviting the colonists to choose the spirit of goodness and warning them of the dangers of breaking the covenant, he called for a civilization that would act as a beacon of guidance, hope, and wisdom to the world. The impact of this speech extends to the current day as it laid one of the foundations of American exceptionalism—the belief that the values, development, economy, and political system which encompass America make it unique among all countries, both historic and modern. Although there are several sins that the country must atone for, this underlying belief in historic greatness and the possibility to act this out as a leader of the world is what has driven America to be respected, admired, and cherished.
The philosophical axiom is one that must be considered and followed by Eelam if it is to transform itself from its past, and lingering, evils to become a model country—comprised of virtuous citizens that are exemplars of all that is good within the world. By doing so, Eelam can not only resurrect its rectitude by rediscovering and connecting with its core values but also inspire the region that surrounds it and the world at large. Eelam lost much of its religious worldview during the rise, reign, and fall of the LTTE; instead, it resorted to political ideologies—such as ultra-nationalism, ethnic identity, and revolutionary socialism—in an attempt to fill the yearning of the collective psyche to find meaning amidst suffering. This shift has suffocated the calling to recognize the sins of the nation and the offer from God—the covenant—to alter the course of its future. The model offered by the ideal of the “City on a Hill” is a profound concept which can catalyze the return to a religious framework. Furthermore, the wisdom of the “City on a Hill” is derived from the way in which utopia is avoided entirely; instead, the philosophy offers an insight into the nature of reality—one marked by the capacity for the divinity of Christ’s nature to be realized within each individual, the wickedness of Satan to deceive humanity, and the need for individuals to pick up their cross, bear the suffering of the world, and choose to fulfill the sacred covenant.
This harshly realistic picture of the world gives a sense of solace among the seemingly pointless and endless suffering which defines this world and each of our lives; it offers a pathway of acting in the world that does not fall prey to delusions. It does not offer a utopian outlook, rather explicitly denying such a possibility—as depicted within the story of the Tower of Babel. The beauty and prudence of such a philosophy come from its universality and its ability to be applicable to each individual—regardless of their circumstances. By adhering to this model, Eelam can once again find its spiritual center, its most noble principles, and revive the religiosity of its culture. By doing so, Eelam can become the closest thing to bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth; if not, it is worthwhile to know that “The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.”