Guest guest Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 advaitin , Frank Morales <drfmrls> wrote: > > Greetings & Namaste, Everyone, > > I've just completed a major paper on the question of whether or not Hinduism actually teaches that all religions are the same, an idea that I call Radical Universalism. This issue has become the most paralyzing and crucial philosophical issue that Hinduism has faced in the last 200 years. > > The on-line version of the paper is located here: > > http://www.dharmacentral.com/universalism.htm > > > > The paper takes an in-depth philosophical approach to the issue, delving into the historical origins of the idea, as well as the immediate impact that it has had on Hinduism for the last two centuries. While the paper is certainly meant to be read by each and every concerned Hindu, it has been especially created with Hindu leaders, Hindu intellectuals and Hindu activists as its main audience. The hope is that this paper will quickly become the definitive statement on this important issue. Namaste, It is really a Western paper by a Westerner that really doesn't seem to grasp the essences of Hinduism. He is very much an outsider looking in. His first mistep is considering Hinduism as a Religion in the Western sense, when in fact it is an umbrella. He talks about not persecuting Jews or Parsees without understanding that Hinduism or Sanathana Dharma predates Religion. It is only in the last few thousand years of human history that organised religion became a fact. More particularly in the last two thousand years with especially Judaism, Islam and Christianity. One cannot measure this as a template against Hinduism for Hinduism is a spiritual more than a religious base. He obviously doesn't understand what Hindus mean when they say all religions are equal. He has no idea of who and what Ramakrishna was or even Vivekananda. He even misreads the idea of Jesus who became the Christ. He misunderstands the attitude of the British Colonialists during this time as well. Some of the more evangelical types no doubt considered any non Christian religion, or their version anyway, as idolatry. However many of the Colonialists understood well the situation, learned the languages and Sanskrit, and even participated in the establishment of pre-independence movements. I haven't finished going over it but so far it seems more suitable to the academic rather than the practitioner. Not that this is wrong but it is just apples and oranges. From an academic point of view it is no doubt a good paper. However if one wants to understand Hinduism one has to do it from the inside and live it for a while then comment.......ONS...........Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2004 Report Share Posted December 10, 2004 advaitajnana , " Tony OClery " <aoclery> wrote: > > advaitin , Frank Morales <drfmrls> wrote: > > > > Greetings & Namaste, Everyone, > > > > I've just completed a major paper on the question of whether or > not Hinduism actually teaches that all religions are the same, an > idea that I call Radical Universalism. This issue has become the > most paralyzing and crucial philosophical issue that Hinduism has > faced in the last 200 years. > > > > The on-line version of the paper is located here: > > > > http://www.dharmacentral.com/universalism.htm > > > > > > > > The paper takes an in-depth philosophical approach to the issue, > delving into the historical origins of the idea, as well as the > immediate impact that it has had on Hinduism for the last two > centuries. While the paper is certainly meant to be read by each > and every concerned Hindu, it has been especially created with Hindu > leaders, Hindu intellectuals and Hindu activists as its main > audience. The hope is that this paper will quickly become the > definitive statement on this important issue. > > Namaste, > > It is really a Western paper by a Westerner that really doesn't seem > to grasp the essences of Hinduism. He is very much an outsider > looking in. His first mistep is considering Hinduism as a Religion > in the Western sense, when in fact it is an umbrella. He talks about > not persecuting Jews or Parsees without understanding that Hinduism > or Sanathana Dharma predates Religion. > > It is only in the last few thousand years of human history that > organised religion became a fact. More particularly in the last two > thousand years with especially Judaism, Islam and Christianity. One > cannot measure this as a template against Hinduism for Hinduism is a > spiritual more than a religious base. > > He obviously doesn't understand what Hindus mean when they say all > religions are equal. He has no idea of who and what Ramakrishna was > or even Vivekananda. He even misreads the idea of Jesus who became > the Christ. > > He misunderstands the attitude of the British Colonialists during > this time as well. Some of the more evangelical types no doubt > considered any non Christian religion, or their version anyway, as > idolatry. However many of the Colonialists understood well the > situation, learned the languages and Sanskrit, and even participated > in the establishment of pre-independence movements. > > I haven't finished going over it but so far it seems more suitable > to the academic rather than the practitioner. Not that this is wrong > but it is just apples and oranges. From an academic point of view it > is no doubt a good paper. However if one wants to understand > Hinduism one has to do it from the inside and live it for a while > then comment.......ONS...........Tony. Namaste, Frank also omits the millions killed in communal riots in the 1940s, but he does mention the RSS. The RSS, Bal Thackery's Siva Sena and the BJP, who were the last government, have many members who espouse the Hindtva or Hindu Fundamentalism combined with Nationalism. This is against the all inclusiveness of Sanathana Dharma, and has resulted in the last ten years,in the sacking of the Mosque at, Ayodhya, the buring of Mosques and massacre of Muslims in W.India and the burning of Churches and massacre of Christians, particularly in South India. I remember an entire Australian family were massacred and they had been doing charity work for many, many years. This fundamentalist tva is putting the Sudras/Vaisyas in the chair, which is of course the norm in the West anyway.It goes against all the traditions of Sanathana Dharma really. Frank goes on about the only true Hindu is a follower of the Veda. Well that'll cause a lot of trouble for many sects that haven't read them. Also Siva probably predates the Vedas as written down. Although the Upanishads reveal the truth. I don't know what he thinks of Buddha being regarded as one of the Dasa-avatars either. So I may be giving him too much credit saying he is an illinformed Westerner, for he may really be a follower of Hindutva and be a Fundamentalist...........On his website at the bottom is probably his most important message----book him for talks and bring your wallet...............ONS....Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 , " saktidasa " <saktidasa> wrote: , " Harsha " wrote: > Namaste H, I forwarded it to a couple of lists, interested in Hinduism. As he is advertising himself to come and speak, at a fee no doubt; I thought it needed an answer. I see they censored my answer at advaitin, I don't know why. Frank seems to be much in the Hindutva camp and as such IMO is missing the essence of Sanathana Dharma. As you know this type of thinking, Bal Thackery etc, has brought nothing but sectarian riots and killings in India, particularly in the last ten years or so, beginning with the Mosque at Ayodhya. I found it rather non representative of Hinduism. In fact anything that creates fundamentalism and exclusiveness where there was none before is unhealthy.......I really don't think he has penetrated the Dharma for meaning notwithstanding the fact he does pujas.............ONS..Tony. --- End forwarded message --- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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