"the best is yet to come"

[Guest guest]

Dear members,

 

Here are adiyen's stray thoughts on the eve of the new

millennium. Please give your valuable views:

 

As the world enters the 21st century, in every sphere

of human life it is being said that "the best is yet

to come". It is said the future portends better

conditions for human life than ever in the past or

present:

 

* They are saying that more and more numbers of

peoples in the world will enjoy political freedom than

they ever did in human history. Democracy is spreading

everywhere and peoples are becoming free to choose

their destinies and their rulers. Gone forever are the

days of monarchic or authoritarian oppression.

 

* They are saying that the world is becoming "one big

global market". This means people will be better fed

in the new century and they will have more and cheaper

goods to buy and consume... Children will have better

and more toys to play with. And so will adults who

will have more "smart" things like digital TVs, cars,

computers, CD-players, mobiles, etc. Also everyone

will have better health and better education and

better homes and better holiday-travel and better

pension-plans... better standards of living and better

quality of life.

 

* Sometime in the next century, it is said, man will

be able to better exploit planet Mars for human uses

such as satellite communication or space research,

regulation of weather systems etc. or even as small

space colonies.

 

* Sometime in the next century, they say, they will

have human genetic "clones" take up those difficult or

unpleasant tasks of life for which today robots or

immigrant-labour are employed. Man will thus be freed

to do more important things in life in his leisure.

 

Thus, on the eve of the new millennium all the world's

governments, scientists, economists, technologists and

businessmen seem to be full of hope for the future.

They are all saying, "THE BEST FOR MANKIND IS YET TO

COME!".

 

In stark contrast to the above, religious and

spiritual leaders everywhere are saying the exact

opposite. They are saying that the glorious days of

mankind were all in the distant past.

 

The Christians hearken back to the age of Christ as

the best in man's history.

 

The Muslims look back to the times when Muhammed

walked amongst them as being the golden age of man.

 

To the Buddhists the best that ever happened to

mankind happened when the Buddha lived amongst them.

 

To the adherents of the Vedic religion the best of

times was in the "krta" or "trEtayugA-s" of

pre-historic era and what lies ahead is only more and

more misery in the age of the "kali-yuga".

 

"Happiness lies in the road ahead", say Science,

Technology and Economics, "So look ahead with hope!".

"Happiness lies in the glorious past", says Religion,

"So look back and take heed".

 

There seems to be a serious schism in basic outlook

here, isn't it? Science seems essentially "forward

looking" while Religion seems forever

"backward-looking"?

 

To Religion the past is much more glorious than the

present. So, does religion have a future?

 

To Science & Technology, the present affords more hope

than the past. So, perhaps Science & Technology has a

glorious future?

 

What do members think?

 

(adiyen is putting down the above thoughts not to

provoke controversy but interesting/healthy debate

only.)

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place.

Shopping:

[Guest guest]

A few informal thoughts in response to:

 

-

sampath kumar <sampathkumar_2000

<bhakti

Saturday, December 04, 1999 2:17 AM

"the best is yet to come"

 

> Thus, on the eve of the new millennium all the world's

> governments, scientists, economists, technologists and

> businessmen seem to be full of hope for the future.

> They are all saying, "THE BEST FOR MANKIND IS YET TO

> COME!".

>

> In stark contrast to the above, religious and

> spiritual leaders everywhere are saying the exact

> opposite. They are saying that the glorious days of

> mankind were all in the distant past.

>

> There seems to be a serious schism in basic outlook

> here, isn't it? Science seems essentially "forward

> looking" while Religion seems forever

> "backward-looking"?

>

> To Religion the past is much more glorious than the

> present. So, does religion have a future?

>

> To Science & Technology, the present affords more hope

> than the past. So, perhaps Science & Technology has a

> glorious future?

>

> What do members think?

>

 

I cannot recall the exact words, or the poet who said them, but I

seem to recall reading something to the effect that man learns

about life by looking backward, but lives it looking forward. I

see religion, and particularly vEdic religion, as not so much a

pining for a past long gone, but a means of connection to time

tested empirical truths that were developed and perfected over

the ages; truths that are as true today as they were when they

were first formulated (or in the case of vEda, realized). So,

the goal of connecting to the past, at least when it comes to

religion, is to utilize the lessons and wisdom of the past to

determine ways to live properly in the present, and make strides

towards a good future.

>From this wisdom of the ages, the vEdas, another interesting

revelation about time can be brought out. For a bhAgavatha or

prapanna, time really should not have much meaning. This is

because he/she should be aware at all times of the sEshi-sEsha

Relationship between the jiva and Perumal, a relationship which

both Tamizh and Sanskrit vEdam emphatically state is Eternal and

Unchanging. So, it really doesn't matter what yugam we are

living in, what era it is, or even what millenium it is, because

no matter where we are, or when we are, Perumal is always with

us. I would like to think that in practice, such a truth is very

much in line with the optimism of Science and Technology

(although it really doesn't have to be to make me believe in it).

By connecting ourselves with the Lord, His Compassion for us, and

our subservience to Him, we should begin to look at the world

with a certain sense of Compassion, because, after all, it is one

His many gifts to us. And wouldn't we naturally want to cherish

such a gift, nurture it, and make it a better place for those who

share it with us?

 

 

dAsAnu dAsan,

 

Mohan