Guest guest Posted September 12, 2001 Report Share Posted September 12, 2001 Dear Jay: Right on! But, as a Christian and a Vedantist, what I'm saying is that the teachings of Ramakrishna and Christ are identical. Therefore, Americans don't have to look to Hinduism for the appropriate response to this act of ignorance - only to a correct interpretation of their " own. " God Bless Us All, Brad - " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda <Ramakrishna >; " Self Knowledge List " <selfknow-l Wednesday, September 12, 2001 5:35 PM Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Re: 901 > > - > " Brad Stephan " <brad > " The Ramakrishna List " <ramakrishna > > > <snip> > > > My question to this list: Do you feel that if America focused on a global > > strategy of building dialogue, understanding and relationships with > " rogue " > > nations that it would provide more security to our shores than a strategy > of > > swift and severe military response? Can fanaticism be affected by > pro-active > > dialogue and a sincere desire to achieve mutual understanding and > > respect -or- do they live solely for their intolerant " cause? " > > > > Also, I would ask C. S. Shah why he characterizes this event as an > > " inevitable tragedy? " > > > > Last, to Laurent Claude - Thank You! > > > > God Bless Us All, > > Bradley Dean Stephan > > > > Dear Bradley > > Your concern is justified..... What we are hearing from USA is > 'eye for an eye' straight out of Abrahamic tradition. > > I participate in the interfaith dialogue in London and I have > maintained that the resolution of the conflict between the > Abrahamic faiths (Jews and Muslims) as well as > (Christians and Muslims) lie in the 'Pluralistic' teachings of Hinduism. > (Looking at the present state of India I cannot claim that the > Hindus themselves are really that good at translating this teachings > into practice). No one religion or one sectarian body has all the > answers or can ever claim to have even one percent of the answers. > The subject " spirituality " can be approached in infinitely varied > ways .... hence respect and not just tolerance for other pathways > (religions) has to be stressed. > > Swami Vivekananda did warn that the drawback with all > monotheist religions is that they all (have to) declare that they > alone are the guardians of the secret of ultimate reality. > This inevitably plays into the hands of the fanatic fringe > elements in all these religions. > > The American reaction should be as per the teachings of > Sri Ramakrishna " if you are under threat you > have to hiss but you must not bite " ...... very difficult > to carry out these instructions when feelings are running so high. > > jay > > > > > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.vivekananda.co.uk > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 12, 2001 Report Share Posted September 12, 2001 - " Brad Stephan " <brad " The Ramakrishna List " <ramakrishna > <snip> > My question to this list: Do you feel that if America focused on a global > strategy of building dialogue, understanding and relationships with " rogue " > nations that it would provide more security to our shores than a strategy of > swift and severe military response? Can fanaticism be affected by pro-active > dialogue and a sincere desire to achieve mutual understanding and > respect -or- do they live solely for their intolerant " cause? " > > Also, I would ask C. S. Shah why he characterizes this event as an > " inevitable tragedy? " > > Last, to Laurent Claude - Thank You! > > God Bless Us All, > Bradley Dean Stephan > Dear Bradley Your concern is justified..... What we are hearing from USA is 'eye for an eye' straight out of Abrahamic tradition. I participate in the interfaith dialogue in London and I have maintained that the resolution of the conflict between the Abrahamic faiths (Jews and Muslims) as well as (Christians and Muslims) lie in the 'Pluralistic' teachings of Hinduism. (Looking at the present state of India I cannot claim that the Hindus themselves are really that good at translating this teachings into practice). No one religion or one sectarian body has all the answers or can ever claim to have even one percent of the answers. The subject " spirituality " can be approached in infinitely varied ways .... hence respect and not just tolerance for other pathways (religions) has to be stressed. Swami Vivekananda did warn that the drawback with all monotheist religions is that they all (have to) declare that they alone are the guardians of the secret of ultimate reality. This inevitably plays into the hands of the fanatic fringe elements in all these religions. The American reaction should be as per the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna " if you are under threat you have to hiss but you must not bite " ...... very difficult to carry out these instructions when feelings are running so high. jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 13, 2001 Report Share Posted September 13, 2001 I must add a dimension to what Brad says about identical teachings of Christ and Ramakrishna and that Americans need not search elsewhere. The US is relatively the best example of giving a place to all religions and cultures. Not there there are no problems with the US but that is why my use of word relative. As regards Hinduism and India, is somebody trying to say that India is any less under the sway of materialism. While India has given birth to some of the tallest stalwarts of spirituality, we have our share of hypocrisy today in a big way. Pretence of being spiritual is the worst sin when you have a mind feeding seeped in materialism. Unfortunately we Hindus have it in big measure among many of our own brothers. At least the US does not pretend to be spiritual. --- Brad Stephan <brad wrote: > Dear Jay: > > Right on! But, as a Christian and a Vedantist, what > I'm saying is that the > teachings of Ramakrishna and Christ are identical. > Therefore, Americans > don't have to look to Hinduism for the appropriate > response to this act of > ignorance - only to a correct interpretation of > their " own. " > > God Bless Us All, > Brad > > - > " Vivekananda Centre " > <vivekananda > <Ramakrishna >; " Self Knowledge > List " > <selfknow-l > Wednesday, September 12, 2001 5:35 PM > Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Re: 901 > > > > > > - > > " Brad Stephan " <brad > > " The Ramakrishna List " > <ramakrishna > > > > > <snip> > > > > > My question to this list: Do you feel that if > America focused on a > global > > > strategy of building dialogue, understanding and > relationships with > > " rogue " > > > nations that it would provide more security to > our shores than a > strategy > > of > > > swift and severe military response? Can > fanaticism be affected by > > pro-active > > > dialogue and a sincere desire to achieve mutual > understanding and > > > respect -or- do they live solely for their > intolerant " cause? " > > > > > > Also, I would ask C. S. Shah why he > characterizes this event as an > > > " inevitable tragedy? " > > > > > > Last, to Laurent Claude - Thank You! > > > > > > God Bless Us All, > > > Bradley Dean Stephan > > > > > > > Dear Bradley > > > > Your concern is justified..... What we are hearing > from USA is > > 'eye for an eye' straight out of Abrahamic > tradition. > > > > I participate in the interfaith dialogue in London > and I have > > maintained that the resolution of the conflict > between the > > Abrahamic faiths (Jews and Muslims) as well as > > (Christians and Muslims) lie in the 'Pluralistic' > teachings of Hinduism. > > (Looking at the present state of India I cannot > claim that the > > Hindus themselves are really that good at > translating this teachings > > into practice). No one religion or one sectarian > body has all the > > answers or can ever claim to have even one percent > of the answers. > > The subject " spirituality " can be approached in > infinitely varied > > ways .... hence respect and not just tolerance for > other pathways > > (religions) has to be stressed. > > > > Swami Vivekananda did warn that the drawback with > all > > monotheist religions is that they all (have to) > declare that they > > alone are the guardians of the secret of ultimate > reality. > > This inevitably plays into the hands of the > fanatic fringe > > elements in all these religions. > > > > The American reaction should be as per the > teachings of > > Sri Ramakrishna " if you are under threat you > > have to hiss but you must not bite " ...... very > difficult > > to carry out these instructions when feelings are > running so high. > > > > jay > > > > > > > > > > > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > > Vivekananda Centre London > > http://www.vivekananda.co.uk > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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