Cheering for a Stranger: The Blind Worship of Charisma
The Pope steps out onto the balcony. He hasn’t spoken a word. He waves. He smiles. And the crowd roars.
It’s a surreal moment. People cry. They cheer. Some even collapse in reverence. But what exactly are they responding to? Not his words—he hasn’t said any. Not his character—they don’t know it. Not his history—he’s just been revealed.
And that’s the point.
The majority of people in Saint Peter’s Square don’t know who the new Pope is. His name has just been announced. His past writings, decisions, even moral fiber—none of that matters. What they’re responding to is the costume. The crown. The office. The ritual.
But this is dangerous.
In the Nectar of Instruction, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī lays out the actual qualification of a spiritual leader:
vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt
"A sober person who can control the urges of speech, the mind, anger, the tongue, belly, and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world."
The real leader is one whose speech is under control, whose mind is steady, whose anger is checked, and who has mastery over the tongue and genitals. That’s the standard. Not popularity. Not robes. Not how nicely you wave.
So why do people cheer?
Because they’ve been conditioned to respond to symbols over substance. It’s not the person they’re welcoming—it’s the role. The brand. And in this media-driven age, that’s enough. It’s the idea of a Pope, not the man himself, that moves the crowd.
But this is precisely what the Vedic tradition warns against.
In Bhagavad-gītā 17.15, Krishna explains the austerity of speech: it must be truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others. Without hearing a person’s words, how can we know their intentions? Without seeing their conduct, how can we trust their leadership?
Yet somehow, we applaud. We revere. We follow.
This isn’t a personal attack on the Pope. It’s a cultural critique. A call to wake up. If the first response to a new global spiritual leader is cheering before he speaks, something is off. True spiritual authority is not conferred by applause—it must be earned.
Asking real questions—like "Who is this man?"—is not cynicism. It’s sobriety.
Otherwise, we’re just glorifying strangers in fancy robes and calling it faith.
P.S.
I just saw this post online, and it confirms the very thing I was pointing to: people don’t really know who the new Pope is—or what he's actually about. They’re reacting to the idea of a Pope, not the person. The language in the post sounds like someone endorsing a political candidate: “Apparently he’s a centrist… an advocate for minorities… pro-interfaith collaboration…”
It’s all speculation and optics. Not once is there a quote from him. Not once is his personal example referenced. He’s being received like a politician who’s just been elected, not a spiritual master who’s earned trust through realized conduct. This shows how shallow the process has become—based on branding, not bhakti.