More on the Hard hitting column

June 11, 2006

i am really happy that we finally have some life back on the group as i do want all of yu to constantly send in opinions, news and views as that i awhat the 300 members on this group are for!!! __________ A response from Swami Anandakapila The ” A hard hitting column” that has so much commentary from other Rishiculture members has accomplished it’s purpose in stimulating interest – and hopefully ‘thoughtfulness’.The author of the Cleaves Article is a personal friend of mine and he has every right to express his viewpoints, and I agree with him – I also

consider him to be the best political commentator in Australia. He is justly acerbic~ Those of you writing as ‘Christian Apologists’ need to be reminded that no difference exists between the aims of Fundamentalist Christians and radical Islam – they both seek World Domination and as such are equally corrupt and deluded. Yes we should be focusing on good fellowship and World harmony but it is also necessary to take your head

out of the sand and see the most powerful base you are trusting (if you are a Christian) is not at all interested in World peace but rather world conquest! The very antithesis of “Love thy Neighbor”! As unpalatable as the truth may be see if you can digest and assimilate the implications of the following two links. God’s Next Army – American

Fundamentalist Organization http://greylodge.org/gpc/?p=489 OPUS DEI Vatican Sponsored http://www.odan.org/what_is_opus_dei.htm PREM Swami Anandakapila Saraswati “You are one and the same”In happiness and sorrowfulness,”-Ashtavakra Gita 5:4 Dr Jonn Mumforddrjonnm(Swami Anandakapila Saraswati) Consultations: Distance Learning Programshttp://www.jonnmumfordconsult.com/ Swami Anandakapila's OM Kara Kriya ® Graduate Teachershttp://www.geocities.com/anandakapila/ Swami Anandakapila's Ashram Linkshttp://www.geocities.com/ashramlinks/ “You are one and the sameIn happiness and sorrowfulness,Desire and despair,Life and death.You are already overflowing divinely.Let yourself melt.”-Ashtavakra Gita 5:4

June 12, 2006

Namaste, Swami Anandakapila, Thank you for a succinct analysis substantiated by evidence rather than anectodal narrative. Sangeet "Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Bhavanani" <yognat2001 wrote: i am really happy that we finally have some life back on the group as i do want all of yu to constantly send in opinions, news and views as that i awhat the 300 members on this group are for!!! __________ A response from Swami Anandakapila The ” A hard hitting column” that has so much commentary from other Rishiculture members has accomplished it’s purpose in stimulating interest – and hopefully ‘thoughtfulness’.The author of the Cleaves Article is a personal friend of mine and he has every right to express his viewpoints, and I agree with him – I also consider him to be the best political commentator in Australia. He is justly acerbic~ Those of you writing as ‘Christian Apologists’ need to be reminded that no difference exists between the aims of Fundamentalist Christians

and radical Islam – they both seek World Domination and as such are equally corrupt and deluded. Yes we should be focusing on good fellowship and World harmony but it is also necessary to take your head out of the sand and see the most powerful base you are trusting (if you are a Christian) is not at all interested in World peace but rather world conquest! The very antithesis of “Love thy Neighbor”! As unpalatable as the truth may be see if you can digest and

assimilate the implications of the following two links. God’s Next Army – American Fundamentalist Organization http://greylodge.org/gpc/?p=489 OPUS DEI

Vatican Sponsored http://www.odan.org/what_is_opus_dei.htm PREM Swami Anandakapila Saraswati “You are one and the same”In happiness and sorrowfulness,”-Ashtavakra Gita 5:4 Dr Jonn Mumforddrjonnm(Swami Anandakapila Saraswati) Consultations: Distance Learning Programshttp://www.jonnmumfordconsult.com/ Swami Anandakapila's OM Kara Kriya ® Graduate Teachershttp://www.geocities.com/anandakapila/ Swami Anandakapila's Ashram Linkshttp://www.geocities.com/ashramlinks/ “You are one and the sameIn happiness and sorrowfulness,Desire and despair,Life and death.You are already overflowing divinely.Let yourself melt.”-Ashtavakra Gita 5:4 Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

June 12, 2006

Hello Everyone again!I guess we should all be thanking you, Ananda, for posting the "Hard Hitting" article since it has raised an ongoing dialogue. I am replying again even though I feel that I don't really have time for this. It is early in the morning and typing this is usurping part of my hatha yoga and meditation time! This time, I am replying primarily to Swami Anandakapila's message below. I just want to state that the main concept not grasped by many Christians (as well as those of other faiths as well) and that many, sadly, have never even heard of is that of the Universal Christ as opposed to only that of the historical figure of Jesus Christ alone. Once this concept is embraced, it is easily seen that the Universal Christ Spirit, Divine Spirit or call it what you prefer, is everywhere and potentially manifest in and through every person. Therefore, Buddha, Krishna and other masters can also be accepted as avatars manifesting the same universal spirit. This concept is central to my practice of both Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga as taught at Ananda Ashram and Quakerism, which is Christian at its basis and has been compared to the form of Christianity practiced in the early church, but which in general does not seek to evangelize or proselytize.Partly for that reason, our group is very small, numbering only about 30 official members and perhaps another time that many other active attenders. We have community outreach, but it is usually in the form of hosting concerts or other events. People of many different faiths enjoy worshipping with us since our worship is silent and meditation based. Quakers are also the group which perhaps most consistently promotes and practices peace in the world, preferring to minister to those in need both locally and across the globe instead of waging war. The historic Quaker Meeting House where I am active in Amesbury, Massachusetts, U.S.A., is the one which was built in the early 1850s while the famous poet and abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier was chairman of the building committee and where he worshipped throughout his adult life. As a result of the fact that most Christians do not accept or do not know about the concept of the Universal Christ, they feel compelled to "save your soul" in the only way they know how since they believe otherwise that they are neglecting their duty to fully love you, their neighbor and will have failed in a most important task, since they believe that you (and probably I also) will be lost forever! When you think about that, it is a most sad and weighty responsibility to carry through life! I do not believe this is the way that was intended by Jesus, the Christ. I can say, however, that most clergy that I have spoken with on the subject of the Universal Christ have heard of it, but they do not seem to know what to do with it since it would suggest that much of their exceedingly immense strain and effort is unwarranted. Surprisingly, a fairly large percentage of people in the Christian churches believe in concepts such as reincarnation (I have heard that this is as high as 33% in the Lutheran Church alone and even higher in the Catholic!) and many admit that when it comes to other religions, they just do not know what their stance should be. Perhaps side-by-side with the upsurge of Christian fundamentalism, there is also a less radical and open minded undercurrent. I may not be into "Kentucky Fried Religion," but I am very glad to be living in a time and place where freedom of expression is the norm instead of the exception.I have not yet read the web link articles below in their entirety (will do so at a later date), but just from reading the first three words, "Conservative evangelical Christians," of the first one, I already have some idea of what they contain - the same fundamentalist dogma that I have heard many times and which I also find personally objectionable. I can only reply that the vast majority of Christians are not nearly so conservative, dogmatic and extreme in their approach.I also would like to remind everyone reading this email that the main point of the original article by "sadhu" was that the practice of Christianity and the practice of yoga are so totally opposed as to be mutually exclusive. I assert that this is only true if you are shallow in the practice of either and do not recognize and appreciate the universal aspects of both.Sending Love and Light to All,Marina Dutzmann KirschOn Jun 11, 2006, at 1:28 PM, Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Bhavanani wrote: i am really happy that we finally have some life back on the group as i do want all of yu to constantly send in opinions, news and views as that i awhat the 300 members on this group are for!!! __________ A response from Swami Anandakapila The ” A hard hitting column” that has so much commentary from other Rishiculture members has accomplished it’s purpose in stimulating interest – and hopefully ‘thoughtfulness’.The author of the Cleaves Article is a personal friend of mine and he has every right to express his viewpoints, and I agree with him – I also consider him to be the best political commentator in Australia. He is justly acerbic~ Those of you writing as ‘Christian Apologists’ need to be reminded that no difference exists between the aims of Fundamentalist Christians and radical Islam – they both seek World Domination and as such are equally corrupt and deluded. Yes we should be focusing on good fellowship and World harmony but it is also necessary to take your head out of the sand and see the most powerful base you are trusting (if you are a Christian) is not at all interested in World peace but rather world conquest! The very antithesis of “Love thy Neighbor”! As unpalatable as the truth may be see if you can digest and assimilate the implications of the following two links. God’s Next Army – American Fundamentalist Organization http://greylodge.org/gpc/?p=489 OPUS DEI Vatican Sponsored http://www.odan.org/what_is_opus_dei.htm PREM Swami Anandakapila Saraswati “You are one and the same”In happiness and sorrowfulness,”-Ashtavakra Gita 5:4 Dr Jonn Mumforddrjonnm(Swami Anandakapila Saraswati) Consultations: Distance Learning Programshttp://www.jonnmumfordconsult.com/ Swami Anandakapila's OM Kara Kriya ® Graduate Teachershttp://www.geocities.com/anandakapila/ Swami Anandakapila's Ashram Linkshttp://www.geocities.com/ashramlinks/ “You are one and the sameIn happiness and sorrowfulness,Desire and despair,Life and death.You are already overflowing divinely.Let yourself melt.”-Ashtavakra Gita 5:4