Worship in Brave New World

Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is an epoch-making novel in the people of the World State worship 'Ford' instead of 'God'. The World State society has replaced "God" with "Ford". The worshipping of "Ford" instead of "God" in the society is very significant in this novel. There are many reasons behind the worshiping of "Ford" instead of "God" in the society in Brave New World. Why the people worship

'Ford' instead of 'God' is mentioned by the World Controllers. Now we will discuss in detail.

Henry Ford was a remarkable figure in American industrialist who developed the assembly line in American automobile production. His innovation revolutionized American life. Ford's innovation of assembly line allowed standard production methods which required a high level of capital investment. They improved productivity levels to a great extent and for that reason the workers got high wages. As a result, the workers were able to purchase cars. Huxley has taken Ford's assembly line as the starting point for all later technology.

In Brave New World, everything is found to be new. In this new world, family, love and marriage are considered as indecent. The new world is fully secular. God is replaced by Ford. They have several reasons behind their worshipping of Ford. We come to know the facts through the logic and dialogue between the World Controller Mustafa Mond and John the Savage. Mond says that people used to worship God before the Nine Years' War. To support this argument, he wants to say that much destruction was caused to the people of the world. Many people died. The rest of the people suffered. But God did not take any measure and did not save the people from suffering. So, after Nine Years' War people started to worship Ford rejecting God. Now the people are happy. The people consider Ford as their hero for their happiness. People are now always happy because they have no poverty, no war and no sorrow in this new society.

In other arguments Mustafa says that God manifests himself in modern times as an absence; as though he weren't there at all. At one point, John the Savage argues that "it is natural to believe in God when you're alone-- quite alone, in the night, thinking about death.......". Mond confidently replies that people in the World State are never alone. They are so perfectly conditioned that they cannot feel any kind of loneliness. That is why they do not think about death and lead a carefree life.

In chapter-17, John the Savage asks Mustafa Mond that "apart from art and science, what else they have forsaken for happiness." Mond replies, besides art and science, they have abolished the entire God and religion related books. Meanwhile, Mond shows him the banned religious and philosophical books such as- "The Holy Bible", "The Imitation of Christ", and "The Varieties of Religious Experience". John the Savage asks him why he has looked up these books in the safe. Mond replies that God is incompatible with machinery and scientific medicine and universal happiness. He says: "You must make your choice. Our civilization has chosen machinery and medicine and happiness. That is why I have to keep these books looked up in the safe." Mond shows arguments after arguments in favour of Ford and against God. He explains to John that in this world a man grows old, he feels the sense of

weakness and discomfort and their troubles and suffering the people very close to the God. But in the World State there is no need for religion and God because there is no weakness and discomfort. So the people worship 'Ford' instead of 'God'.

In his argument John the Savage says that men love nobility and heroism for the sake of God. They expect reward from God in return for their nobility and heroism. So, God is the reason for nobility and heroism of mankind. Mond reputes John's argument saying- civilization has no need of nobility and heroism. In our society nobody has any opportunity for being noble or heroic. In previous time, there were wars but now-a-days there is no war. The greatest care is taken to prevent you from loving anyone very much. There is always Soma to give you a holiday from the facts, to calm your anger, and to reconcile you to your enemies etc.

Mustafa Mond wants to say that the people in the World State are always happy because there is no danger, no poverty, and no losses. So, they do not need God. Their happiness is the result of mass-consumption and mass-production. They get here what they want. They are never afraid of death. Ford is the man who invented assembly line and revolutionized production. That is why all the credit goes to Ford. So the people of Brave New World worship 'Ford' instead of 'God'.