To Avinash on spiritual clash in tsunami relief efforts

[Guest guest]

Avinash wrote:

 

One official said there was "clear logic" in allotting the reconstruction

work to a local church organisation in a part of the island which has a church

and 110 Christian families.

 

....Swami Amrita Swaroopananda Puri of Mata Amritanandmayee Mutt prefers to

stay out of the controversy.

 

....The tsunami affected families are eager to get permanent homes.

 

But they are caught among different groups and interests that want to have a

stake in the entire reconstruction process.

 

Five months of claims and allegations have muddied the blue waters of the

Lakshadweep Sea, with tensions in Alappad threatening the social harmony of

Kerala.

 

For now there is an uneasy peace between the various groups and construction

work is finally underway.

 

 

 

Dear Avinash,

 

This is sad to me. One would think that religious organizations could work

together, thereby maximizing the assistance they can offer, rather than

fighting over wanting the whole pie. Unfortunately, that is an aspect of the

monkey

mind. I think Swami Amrita Swaroopananda Puri is very wise to stay out of the

fray, and I am sure it is at Amma's direction. Infighting would be the last

thing she would want to be part of.

 

I am weary of claims by Christian groups that they are not proseltyzing. I

remember a year or so ago, reading an article in "Hinduism Today" how Christian

groups were reaching out to poor Hindus and coverting many to Christianity.

On one island, it was so extreme, that local Hindus formed a group to reach

out to their own communities to reinforce Hindu ideals and culture.

 

If all religions followed their main directive ~ to Love and Serve ~ it

would all be very different. I do think that, given the cirumstances, dividing

up

the relief among various groups is maybe the best solution the government

could come up with. Jai Ma ~ Linda