Spiritual Wealth

Even among the most pious preachers and zealous crusaders, religious tolerance may occasionally have its place; especially where money is involved. Edward Longshanks refrained from deporting England's Jews until he had taken them for every penny, and modern Christendom's distaste for Islamic fundamentalism is noticeably diluted by proximity to the petroleum-powered moderation of the head-chopping House of Saud. In a similar spirit, the Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi has been waxing multicultural over the return to India of a jewellery collection interred with the Buddha's ashes some two and a half centuries after his death and subsequently dug up and pocketed by an enterprising Raj. "These sacred relics," Modi oozed, "highlight India’s close association with Bhagwan Buddha and his noble teachings," which have been famous over two and a half millennia for their emphasis on bling.