In the 'Marketplace of Ideas,' Let the Buyer Beware

[Guest guest]

Like Kochu, I can't believe some of the stuff that is being posted

here as "fact." People are getting confused, for no good reason.

 

Kochu is right, of course: In Hinduism, where God (in whatever form)

is worshiped, so is Goddess. They are opposite sides of the same

coin. Creation requires both.

 

The "15 percent" figure may refer to Shaktas, i.e the sects

worshiping Shakti as Supreme Divinity; but in life, this is a very

difficult distinction to make with any clarity. There's an old saying

that says a Hindu is Vaishnava in public, Shaiva among friends, and

Shakta when alone.

 

Some are Shakta, but do not say so -- not out of embarassment, but

because it is an intimate part of themselves. Many follow Tantric

paths but publicly condemn -- again, not out of embarrassment, but

from an understanding that both Shakti and Tantra find those who are

ready to listen and hear and benefit. This is not snobbery, it is

just physics (and metaphysics) -- in a word, it is reality.

 

Shaktism is misunderstood by many -- feared by some, denigrated by

others. This Group is different in that we have invited public, open

discussion of Shaktism. The good thing is that this opens a dialogue,

helps remove misunderstanding, and prevents fake "Tantrics" from

profiting from and harming others with deliberate (or more often,

simply ignorant) misrepresentation.

 

What results is an exceedingly rare phenomenon in any religion -- a

true "marketplace of ideas," in the memorable phrase of Justice

Oliver Wendall Holmes. And as in any free market, the consumer must

beware -- some of the goods offered are worthless; some are

defective; some look good at first glance, but don't withstand close

scrutiny; some are true gems.

 

We do not censor very much here. Thus you have radical feminists

condemning women who aren't pissed off enough at the world;

misogynists holding their nose at nude depictions of Devi; sexists

saying that women want penises, or that men want vaginas; self-styled

Tantrics re-defining and misunderstanding traditional terminology;

the blind leading the blind. And yes, truth is in there too. Lots of

valuable truths.

 

How do you discern who's right? Sorry that's your job. Trust the mind

and gut instinct that Devi gave you. I cannot guide you -- sometimes

I am doubtless full of shit too. But in a marketplace of ideas,

chances are that someone will jump up and call me on it if I am.

Listen closely. Who knows? Maybe one of us is right.

 

DB

 

 

 

 

 

 

, sankara menon <kochu1tz>

wrote:

> This is not an irrelevant question but very relevant to the

shalllow posts giving nonsense as facts.

 

--- SophiasHeaven@a... wrote:In a message dated 10/6/2004 2:08:39 PM

Mountain Daylight Time,

> Why do they bother having an opposite shakti temple for Her if only

15%

> worship her? How can only 15% worship her if she is the

corresponding Goddess to

> Shiva? Please explain...

[Guest guest]

I will be away from my computer for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday,

communing with Nature and hanging out with Neo-Pagans in upstate New

York.

 

The idea of four days of unanswered E-mails from this fascinating (but

very busy) List is intimidating. Therefore I plan to leave this

Marketplace sometime tomorrow, and will re when I return.

 

As the song lyric goes, "Please don't talk about me when I'm gone."

 

Catch you later,

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma (or Black Lotus, as the Pagans and Witches know me)

 

 

On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 21:03:36 -0000 "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta

writes:

>

>

> Like Kochu, I can't believe some of the stuff that is being posted

> here as "fact." People are getting confused, for no good reason.

>

> Kochu is right, of course: In Hinduism, where God (in whatever form)

>

> is worshiped, so is Goddess. They are opposite sides of the same

> coin. Creation requires both.

>

> The "15 percent" figure may refer to Shaktas, i.e the sects

> worshiping Shakti as Supreme Divinity; but in life, this is a very

> difficult distinction to make with any clarity. There's an old

> saying

> that says a Hindu is Vaishnava in public, Shaiva among friends, and

> Shakta when alone.

>

> Some are Shakta, but do not say so -- not out of embarassment, but

> because it is an intimate part of themselves. Many follow Tantric

> paths but publicly condemn -- again, not out of embarrassment, but

> from an understanding that both Shakti and Tantra find those who are

>

> ready to listen and hear and benefit. This is not snobbery, it is

> just physics (and metaphysics) -- in a word, it is reality.

>

> Shaktism is misunderstood by many -- feared by some, denigrated by

> others. This Group is different in that we have invited public, open

>

> discussion of Shaktism. The good thing is that this opens a

> dialogue,

> helps remove misunderstanding, and prevents fake "Tantrics" from

> profiting from and harming others with deliberate (or more often,

> simply ignorant) misrepresentation.

>

> What results is an exceedingly rare phenomenon in any religion -- a

> true "marketplace of ideas," in the memorable phrase of Justice

> Oliver Wendall Holmes. And as in any free market, the consumer must

> beware -- some of the goods offered are worthless; some are

> defective; some look good at first glance, but don't withstand close

>

> scrutiny; some are true gems.

>

> We do not censor very much here. Thus you have radical feminists

> condemning women who aren't pissed off enough at the world;

> misogynists holding their nose at nude depictions of Devi; sexists

> saying that women want penises, or that men want vaginas;

> self-styled

> Tantrics re-defining and misunderstanding traditional terminology;

> the blind leading the blind. And yes, truth is in there too. Lots of

>

> valuable truths.

>

> How do you discern who's right? Sorry that's your job. Trust the

> mind

> and gut instinct that Devi gave you. I cannot guide you -- sometimes

>

> I am doubtless full of shit too. But in a marketplace of ideas,

> chances are that someone will jump up and call me on it if I am.

> Listen closely. Who knows? Maybe one of us is right.

>

> DB

, sankara menon <kochu1tz>

>

> wrote:

> > This is not an irrelevant question but very relevant to the

> shalllow posts giving nonsense as facts.

>

> --- SophiasHeaven@a... wrote:In a message dated 10/6/2004 2:08:39 PM

>

> Mountain Daylight Time,

>

> > Why do they bother having an opposite shakti temple for Her if

> only

> 15%

> > worship her? How can only 15% worship her if she is the

> corresponding Goddess to

> > Shiva? Please explain...

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>

>

>

>

 

 

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