Guest guest Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Dear Janardana Dasa: You wrote: *** The media seems to always concentrate on the absurd in the Hindu religion. One does not normally see this kind of bias against ISLAM, JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, or even BUDDHISM. *** With all due respect, I don't buy it. A few times a week, I search the various news services for articles relevant to Shakti Sadhana, and find many respectful, interesting, accurate and even inspiring stories related to Hinduism. Sure there are a few oddball pieces like this but, as Nora noted, why not use them as a opportunity to discuss and educate others (and ourselves) on the hows and whys, clearing the misconceptions and exploring the deeper meanings? I live in the United States, an overwhelmingly Christian-majority nation, but with the parallel and vocal presence of almost every other world religion freely practiced as well. But you know what? The Christian fundamentalists -- who wield a truly scary amount of social and political influence these days; and have even managed to intall their man in the White House for a second term -- never stop complaining about how beleagered they are, how the mainstream media attacks and marginalizes and makes fun of them. And look at the Muslims! The European cartoon controversy was the slightet spark that unleashed a conflagration. Once again, it's the fundamentalists who love nothing so much as an opportunity to claim some offense that must avenged for the sake of some imagined holy honor. As if the Supreme Divine can be insulted -- or avenged. And yes, now the so-called "fundamentalist" Hindus are jumping on the "Hey, you insulted me!" bandwagon as well. But there is a big difference. The Christian and Muslim religions are Exclusivist traditions -- they both believe they're right and everyone else is wrong. The great complex of spiritual traditions know as "Hinduism," by contrast, encompasses and embraces a vast array of possible variations, some of which may seem primitive and animistic to the outside observer, some of which involves some of the most profound philosophical speculation ever achieved by humanity -- not to mention just about every possible gradient between those two extremes. We can make room for the occasional snake-bride, can we not? She sounds happy enough; she seems to have rationalized her decision quite adequately. And she's not harming a soul -- she's not shooting up abortion clinics or crashing planes into office buildings. May Devi shower Her blessings upon the happy couple! *lol* Maybe I'll send them a DVD player or a silver set. :-D But seriously, let us not join the "Insulted Whining Fundamentalists" club. Hinduism itself is quite unscathed by all of these perceived insults. aim mAtangyai namaH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 LOL. ok, ok. DB. I feel you. Shall I toss you a bone, so u don't tear into my arse! I am a good sport. best, Janardana Dasa Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta > wrote: Dear Janardana Dasa: You wrote: *** The media seems to always concentrate on the absurd in the Hindu religion. One does not normally see this kind of bias against ISLAM, JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, or even BUDDHISM. *** With all due respect, I don't buy it. A few times a week, I search the various news services for articles relevant to Shakti Sadhana, and find many respectful, interesting, accurate and even inspiring stories related to Hinduism. Sure there are a few oddball pieces like this but, as Nora noted, why not use them as a opportunity to discuss and educate others (and ourselves) on the hows and whys, clearing the misconceptions and exploring the deeper meanings? I live in the United States, an overwhelmingly Christian-majority nation, but with the parallel and vocal presence of almost every other world religion freely practiced as well. But you know what? The Christian fundamentalists -- who wield a truly scary amount of social and political influence these days; and have even managed to intall their man in the White House for a second term -- never stop complaining about how beleagered they are, how the mainstream media attacks and marginalizes and makes fun of them. And look at the Muslims! The European cartoon controversy was the slightet spark that unleashed a conflagration. Once again, it's the fundamentalists who love nothing so much as an opportunity to claim some offense that must avenged for the sake of some imagined holy honor. As if the Supreme Divine can be insulted -- or avenged. And yes, now the so-called "fundamentalist" Hindus are jumping on the "Hey, you insulted me!" bandwagon as well. But there is a big difference. The Christian and Muslim religions are Exclusivist traditions -- they both believe they're right and everyone else is wrong. The great complex of spiritual traditions know as "Hinduism," by contrast, encompasses and embraces a vast array of possible variations, some of which may seem primitive and animistic to the outside observer, some of which involves some of the most profound philosophical speculation ever achieved by humanity -- not to mention just about every possible gradient between those two extremes. We can make room for the occasional snake-bride, can we not? She sounds happy enough; she seems to have rationalized her decision quite adequately. And she's not harming a soul -- she's not shooting up abortion clinics or crashing planes into office buildings. May Devi shower Her blessings upon the happy couple! *lol* Maybe I'll send them a DVD player or a silver set. :-D But seriously, let us not join the "Insulted Whining Fundamentalists" club. Hinduism itself is quite unscathed by all of these perceived insults. aim mAtangyai namaH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Arf, arf! *wag! wag!* LOL , Janardana Dasa <lightdweller wrote: > > LOL. ok, ok. DB. I feel you. Shall I toss you a bone, so u don't tear into my arse! I am a good sport. > > best, > > Janardana Dasa > > Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: > Dear Janardana Dasa: > > You wrote: *** The media seems to always concentrate on the absurd > in the Hindu religion. One does not normally see this kind of bias > against ISLAM, JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, or even BUDDHISM. *** > > With all due respect, I don't buy it. A few times a week, I search > the various news services for articles relevant to Shakti Sadhana, > and find many respectful, interesting, accurate and even inspiring > stories related to Hinduism. > > Sure there are a few oddball pieces like this but, as Nora noted, > why not use them as a opportunity to discuss and educate others (and > ourselves) on the hows and whys, clearing the misconceptions and > exploring the deeper meanings? > > I live in the United States, an overwhelmingly Christian-majority > nation, but with the parallel and vocal presence of almost every > other world religion freely practiced as well. But you know what? > The Christian fundamentalists -- who wield a truly scary amount of > social and political influence these days; and have even managed to > intall their man in the White House for a second term -- never stop > complaining about how beleagered they are, how the mainstream media > attacks and marginalizes and makes fun of them. > > And look at the Muslims! The European cartoon controversy was the > slightet spark that unleashed a conflagration. Once again, it's the > fundamentalists who love nothing so much as an opportunity to claim > some offense that must avenged for the sake of some imagined holy > honor. As if the Supreme Divine can be insulted -- or avenged. > > And yes, now the so-called "fundamentalist" Hindus are jumping on > the "Hey, you insulted me!" bandwagon as well. But there is a big > difference. The Christian and Muslim religions are Exclusivist > traditions -- they both believe they're right and everyone else is > wrong. > > The great complex of spiritual traditions know as "Hinduism," by > contrast, encompasses and embraces a vast array of possible > variations, some of which may seem primitive and animistic to the > outside observer, some of which involves some of the most profound > philosophical speculation ever achieved by humanity -- not to > mention just about every possible gradient between those two > extremes. > > We can make room for the occasional snake-bride, can we not? She > sounds happy enough; she seems to have rationalized her decision > quite adequately. And she's not harming a soul -- she's not shooting > up abortion clinics or crashing planes into office buildings. May > Devi shower Her blessings upon the happy couple! *lol* Maybe I'll > send them a DVD player or a silver set. :-D > > But seriously, let us not join the "Insulted Whining > Fundamentalists" club. Hinduism itself is quite unscathed by all of > these perceived insults. > > aim mAtangyai namaH > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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