The Origin of Holy Messages

Most religions require their female devotees to cover their heads during prayer. But in Hindu temples, covering one's head is considered inauspicious. Each faith offers an explanation for these rules. Who writes these rules? In the many writings and rewritings of their messages to humanity, the essence is lost in religious tomes.

Several religious texts can be dated back to periods of political and religious tumult where the name of god was used to spread beliefs which worked in favour of the men in power.Yesterday, in a shrine for Sai Baba, I came across this board with "Eleven Sayings of Sri Sai Baba". The very first of those sayings was enough for me to raise doubts.


 "Who ever visits Shirdi and steps the soil, their sufferings would come to an end."
Shirdi is the birth place of Sai Baba and thousands of devotees visit it everyday. Any shrine for Sai Baba would encourage the encourage the devotees to visit Shirdi. It is considered a holy land! However, we don't know if Sai Baba himself advised his followers to visit his hometown? Can we even be sure if these sayings are his own? Perhaps, a priest at the temple drew them as conclusions from texts he had read.
While a majority of the sayings offer solace to the people, I do not believe that any holy being ever asked his/her devotees to travel to their hometowns. If people do so, it is for their own peace, not because it solves all their problems.
To attribute one's private beliefs to a widely worshipped name is wrong. But is there a way to tell the real message apart from the manipulated ones?

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