True Superior Intelligence--Love Of God

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>"Raghunata \(John\) Anudasa"

>

>True Superior Intelligence--Love Of God >Sun, 10 Feb 2002

22:31:12 -1000 > >Man: 'Are women less intelligent then men?' >God: 'Why do you

ask?' >Man: 'My wife told me to.' > >".what if there is a man who is 'smarter.'

A freak-of-nature indeed, but >possible. Is the woman suddenly no longer his

equal? Is she now >'inferior,' because she is literally: 'less intelligent?' I

would hope >not. Equality won by the measure of intelligence can also be taken

away >by it. This is true of every material measure, therefore, all of them

>are ultimately, frivolous.' A women's equality, much like mans, is >founded

upon something more profound then intelligence. It goes back to >our true

measure-the spiritual one. It is from this perspective that >spiritual life

demonstrates its importance to us as a culture. Qualities >most favorable to

spiritual life will then take precedence. Love, >humility, wisdom, intuition

and the other angelic powers will then be >the passion of our lives and the

measure of our status. That will be the >day. I thought this was what the Hare

Krishna movement was all about? >What happened?" > > >True "Superior"

Intelligence-Love Of God > > >Raghunatha Anudasa > >Are women 'less

intelligent' then men? The issue is as much a man's >debate as it is a trivial

one. This was the point of my essay: "Capt. >Kirk was less intelligent than Dr.

Spock .and was better for it." Women >working to prove they are

'as-intelligent-as-a-man' are lending >credibility to a discussion that

otherwise misses the real point: >1) what offers true value to the human

(spiritual) potential and >2) are (a women's and man's) other strengths more

advantageous for >it then intelligence? > >Spiritual traditions give a

resounding YES!!! This is especially true of >Bhakti-yoga, the Yoga of Love.

Prabhupada stated as much, just as he >repeatedly spoke of his devotees

equality. > >Intelligence as measured by modern man is clumsy-at best: AST

scores, >math and verbal skills, etc. It's often more computer-like then human

>and therefore misses much of what makes up the human experience in life >and

happiness. Today's definitions of intelligence have been taken from >a

mechanistic worldview versus a Divine One and applied to an industrial >age

versus a harmonious one with nature. Reversing this theme would >change the

context of 'true intelligence.' This would also change the >importance of its

role in our lives. You would think devotees would be >an example of this.

Hhhmmmmmm. > >The problem with today's debate is that it EXCLUDES these

considerations >in defining what is 'superior.' These 'other' aspects

(qualities) are >often more important in defining us then intelligence. It

stands to >reason then that this debate can only be 'won' by changing the

context >of what is truly 'superior.' I attempted to do this with my essay,

>Captain Kirt was Less Intelligent then Spock and was 'better' for it. >Some

responded by restating women's intelligence. Others said that >emotion and

intelligence ARE NOT mutually exclusive. They missed the >point of the essay. >

>The discussion begins from the same premise: Proving a women's >intelligence is

to prove her equality to man. The problem: what if there >is a man who is

'smarter.' A freak-of-nature indeed, but possible. Is >the woman suddenly no

longer his equal? Here's the flip side of this >argument. Is she now

'inferior,' because she is literally: 'less >intelligent?' I would hope not.

Equality won by the measure of >intelligence can also be taken away by it. This

is true of every >material measure; therefore, all of them are ultimately,

frivolous-much >like this debate. > >A women's equality, much like a man's, is

founded upon something more >profound then intelligence. It goes back to our

true measure-the >spiritual one. It is from this perspective that spiritual

life >demonstrates its importance to us as a culture. Qualities most favorable

>to spiritual life will then take precedence. Love, humility, wisdom,

>intuition and the other angelic powers will then be the passion of our >lives

and the measure of our status. That will be the day. I thought >this was what

the Hare Krishna movement was all about? What happened? > >In a genuine

'spiritual' culture, the most loving and devotional folks >are recognized as

truly 'superior.' Whether they are a women or a man, >they are honored as

senior-even if you happen to be 'more intelligent.' >In this setting, women are

often 'superior' for they have a unique grasp >of devotion. Again, Prabhupada

stated as much about women. Who's >stronger, better looking, 'more

intelligent,' wealthier or funnier >becomes secondary. > >This is quite the

opposite of the West, which holds these measures of >prowess supreme.

Therefore, they are forever searching for ways to >measure one's 'material

prowess' thru sports, academic accomplishments, >financial success and social

achievement. In doing so, they add an ever >greater array of inequality, class

polarization and conflict of >interests. This is the price of material

measurement. It is only to the >degree that we overlook these material measures

via our spiritual one >that we can successfully overcome these problems. This

summarizes the >critical role of spiritual life to civilization. Here too, lies

the >demarcation between the East and West, the spiritual versus the

>materialistic. One is founded in the passing qualities of mind, body and

>social status; the other, the awakening of the soul. ISKCON lapses >between

these too value systems as best personified by this debate. > >This debate

shows the drama (trauma) of clashing values from two world >values coming

together in one social body. Explosive. It's like marrying >alien species from

Mars and Venus. Welcome to the Hare Krishna >movement--the marriage of the East

and West. Hopefully, the offspring of >this marriage will be 'spiritual wisdom'

harnessed with 'material >prowess.' This is to be the legacy of the Hare

Krishna movement. The >best of both worlds. Still waiting and waiting and

waiting... 'Just now >coming.' The good news, things seem to be progressing in

that direction >or so I feel as I see each new generation of devotees appearing

in our >movement and changing the hearts and hopes of us all. Hopefully, this

>discussion has also taken us a step further in this march to our true

>'superior' intelligence-Love of God. > >PS. This is Part I of a four part

series. These essays are in response >to letters sent in from my essay: Captain

Kirk Was Less Intelligent Then >Spock and Was Better For It. A host of computer

problems left me unable >to send these responses out. I am using a friends for

now. Hopefully, I >can get a new computer soon. Chat with friends online, try

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