[Sri Ramakrishna] Experience of Portraying Hinduism in Schools in London

[Guest guest]

Dear Jay, I have similar feeling regarding our Youth. While they are very

young say up to 10 years of age they listen to the parents and learn every

thing including Geetha and other similar prayers and later they tend to

drift away. This tendency particulerly amongst American Born will have to be

watched and do What ??? Seshadri.

-

Vivekananda Centre <vivekananda

list <Ramakrishna >; Self Knowledge List

<selfknow-l

Monday, January 28, 2002 8:41 PM

[sri Ramakrishna] Experience of Portraying Hinduism in Schools in

London

 

 

> Again I share my experience of Portraying Hinduism in

> schools in London.

>

> This morning I was asked to make a presentation on

> 'Relevance of Religions' to the sixth formers (17-18 year olds)

> at Edgware School in North London. There were about 120 students

> from various religious backgrounds:- About 20 pct Hindus,

> 20 pct Muslims, 20 pct atheists and 40 percent Christians.

>

> By the grace of our mentor my presentations were well received.

> Some of the interesting things I observe I wish to share with the list :-

>

> (1) The greatest love (as I saw) for the subject matter was

> from the youngsters of the host nation. The Muslims youngsters

> were very quiet and very attentive. You can see that they are taken

> aback with what they hear. It was certainly not what they expected

> to hear! But they were reserved in their attitude.

> The Hindu youngsters laugh nervously -- they are so uneasy

> about their faith -- so worried that it may appear weak in the eyes

> of their peers -- so uncomfortable with religion!

>

> (2) The ones who were strongly atheistic came through the best.

> At the end of presentation, there were three or four who

> kept returning to the room where I was conducting the classes

> and shaking my hand. They were clearly touched.....magic of

> our mentor!! For me, this is very rewarding experience.

> Eyes sparkling in the name of spirituality!

>

> I risk upsetting some of my colleagues when I say this but

> I am relating to you truthfully what I have experienced.

> I have no reason to cast aspersions on the Hindu youth,

> and yet let me say again: The reaction I get from the

> youngsters of the host nation is very very touching and

> makes me very excited about the future of Vedanta in the West.

> The teachings of Vivekananda will flourish here in no

> minor manner.

>

> jay

> Vivekananda Centre London

>

>

>

>

>

> Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> Vivekananda Centre London

> http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

>

>

[Guest guest]

What a spectacle, Jay !! Glory to Thakur and Godspeed to your efforts!!

 

Best regards,

Debajit

 

--

 

On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 15:11:55

Vivekananda Centre wrote:

>Again I share my experience of Portraying Hinduism in

>schools in London.

>

>This morning I was asked to make a presentation on

>'Relevance of Religions' to the sixth formers (17-18 year olds)

>at Edgware School in North London. There were about 120 students

>from various religious backgrounds:- About 20 pct Hindus,

>20 pct Muslims, 20 pct atheists and 40 percent Christians.

>

>By the grace of our mentor my presentations were well received.

>Some of the interesting things I observe I wish to share with the list :-

>

>(1) The greatest love (as I saw) for the subject matter was

>from the youngsters of the host nation. The Muslims youngsters

>were very quiet and very attentive. You can see that they are taken

>aback with what they hear. It was certainly not what they expected

>to hear! But they were reserved in their attitude.

>The Hindu youngsters laugh nervously -- they are so uneasy

>about their faith -- so worried that it may appear weak in the eyes

>of their peers -- so uncomfortable with religion!

>

>(2) The ones who were strongly atheistic came through the best.

>At the end of presentation, there were three or four who

>kept returning to the room where I was conducting the classes

>and shaking my hand. They were clearly touched.....magic of

>our mentor!! For me, this is very rewarding experience.

>Eyes sparkling in the name of spirituality!

>

>I risk upsetting some of my colleagues when I say this but

>I am relating to you truthfully what I have experienced.

>I have no reason to cast aspersions on the Hindu youth,

>and yet let me say again: The reaction I get from the

>youngsters of the host nation is very very touching and

>makes me very excited about the future of Vedanta in the West.

>The teachings of Vivekananda will flourish here in no

>minor manner.

>

>jay

>Vivekananda Centre London

>

>

>

>

>

>Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

>Vivekananda Centre London

>http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Jay;

I have shared similar experience. I was called to give a talk on Hindu

religion by the religion teacher of my daughter in grade 11th. I do not

claim to be an authority on Hinduism but told the class what an average

HINDU UNDERSTANDS as religion. It was well received by most. Most of the

christian students said it made more sense to them then what they understood

of Christianity. I think many of us Indians have an inferiority complex and

are self concious about ourselves, very much like teenagers . That is why we

look for approval from others and are not sure of our own greatness.

 

Anup

-

" Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda

" list " <Ramakrishna >; " Self Knowledge List "

<selfknow-l

Monday, January 28, 2002 10:11 AM

[sri Ramakrishna] Experience of Portraying Hinduism in Schools in

London

 

 

> Again I share my experience of Portraying Hinduism in

> schools in London.

>

> This morning I was asked to make a presentation on

> 'Relevance of Religions' to the sixth formers (17-18 year olds)

> at Edgware School in North London. There were about 120 students

> from various religious backgrounds:- About 20 pct Hindus,

> 20 pct Muslims, 20 pct atheists and 40 percent Christians.

>

> By the grace of our mentor my presentations were well received.

> Some of the interesting things I observe I wish to share with the list :-

>

> (1) The greatest love (as I saw) for the subject matter was

> from the youngsters of the host nation. The Muslims youngsters

> were very quiet and very attentive. You can see that they are taken

> aback with what they hear. It was certainly not what they expected

> to hear! But they were reserved in their attitude.

> The Hindu youngsters laugh nervously -- they are so uneasy

> about their faith -- so worried that it may appear weak in the eyes

> of their peers -- so uncomfortable with religion!

>

> (2) The ones who were strongly atheistic came through the best.

> At the end of presentation, there were three or four who

> kept returning to the room where I was conducting the classes

> and shaking my hand. They were clearly touched.....magic of

> our mentor!! For me, this is very rewarding experience.

> Eyes sparkling in the name of spirituality!

>

> I risk upsetting some of my colleagues when I say this but

> I am relating to you truthfully what I have experienced.

> I have no reason to cast aspersions on the Hindu youth,

> and yet let me say again: The reaction I get from the

> youngsters of the host nation is very very touching and

> makes me very excited about the future of Vedanta in the West.

> The teachings of Vivekananda will flourish here in no

> minor manner.

>

> jay

> Vivekananda Centre London

>

>

>

>

>

> Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> Vivekananda Centre London

> http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

It is surprising to see many of our friends are quite reactive to this issue.Is

this what we learn from hinduism.

Let us be silent.

Let us be in our natural state.

 

As Bhagvan Sri.Ramakrsihna says: Religion is a relationship between soul and

god;it is not in the society.

So why bother about this issue.Let the people who are ignorant speak.Just

consider them as more externalised minds.Whereas we are practising the opposite.

 

Leave everything to god and rest in peace.

 

Sincerely yours,

Karthikeyan

 

On Wed, 30 Jan 2002 Anup Lahiry wrote :

> Dear Jay;

> I have shared similar experience. I was called to give

> a talk on Hindu

> religion by the religion teacher of my daughter in

> grade 11th. I do not

> claim to be an authority on Hinduism but told the class

> what an average

> HINDU UNDERSTANDS as religion. It was well received by

> most. Most of the

> christian students said it made more sense to them then

> what they understood

> of Christianity. I think many of us Indians have an

> inferiority complex and

> are self concious about ourselves, very much like

> teenagers . That is why we

> look for approval from others and are not sure of our

> own greatness.

>

> Anup

> -

> " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda

> " list " <Ramakrishna >; " Self

> Knowledge List "

> <selfknow-l

> Monday, January 28, 2002 10:11 AM

> [sri Ramakrishna] Experience of Portraying

> Hinduism in Schools in

> London

>

>

> > Again I share my experience of Portraying Hinduism in

> > schools in London.

> >

> > This morning I was asked to make a presentation on

> > 'Relevance of Religions' to the sixth formers (17-18

> year olds)

> > at Edgware School in North London. There were about

> 120 students

> > from various religious backgrounds:- About 20 pct

> Hindus,

> > 20 pct Muslims, 20 pct atheists and 40 percent

> Christians.

> >

> > By the grace of our mentor my presentations were well

> received.

> > Some of the interesting things I observe I wish to

> share with the list :-

> >

> > (1) The greatest love (as I saw) for the subject

> matter was

> > from the youngsters of the host nation. The Muslims

> youngsters

> > were very quiet and very attentive. You can see that

> they are taken

> > aback with what they hear. It was certainly not what

> they expected

> > to hear! But they were reserved in their attitude.

> > The Hindu youngsters laugh nervously -- they are so

> uneasy

> > about their faith -- so worried that it may appear

> weak in the eyes

> > of their peers -- so uncomfortable with religion!

> >

> > (2) The ones who were strongly atheistic came through

> the best.

> > At the end of presentation, there were three or four

> who

> > kept returning to the room where I was conducting the

> classes

> > and shaking my hand. They were clearly

> touched.....magic of

> > our mentor!! For me, this is very rewarding

> experience.

> > Eyes sparkling in the name of spirituality!

> >

> > I risk upsetting some of my colleagues when I say

> this but

> > I am relating to you truthfully what I have

> experienced.

> > I have no reason to cast aspersions on the Hindu

> youth,

> > and yet let me say again: The reaction I get from the

> > youngsters of the host nation is very very touching

> and

> > makes me very excited about the future of Vedanta in

> the West.

> > The teachings of Vivekananda will flourish here in no

> > minor manner.

> >

> > jay

> > Vivekananda Centre London

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> > Vivekananda Centre London

> > http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Amen! to Sri Karthikeyan's thoughts.

 

We have to constantly remind ourselves of Ma Sarada's parting

advice about fault-finding.

 

Thakurji had some memorable metaphors that would

fit 'Interfaith' dialogue:

 

" The world is a mixture of sand and sugar; learn to pick the latter

only, like an ant.

 

Let us imitate the bee, and not the crow, when we need nourishment.

 

Let us aspire to soar high, but not keep our sight on carrion, like

the vulture.

 

A crow can think much of itself sitting and relieving itself on the

head of a statue of the most famous person; but not in the eyes of the

knowledgeable! "

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

 

 

Ramakrishna, " Karthikeyan C S " <metcsk@r...> wrote:

>

> Dear Friends,

> It is surprising to see many of our friends are quite reactive to

this issue.Is this what we learn from hinduism.

> Let us be silent.

> Let us be in our natural state.

>

> As Bhagvan Sri.Ramakrsihna says: Religion is a relationship between

soul and god;it is not in the society.

> So why bother about this issue.Let the people who are ignorant

speak.Just consider them as more externalised minds.Whereas we are

practising the opposite.

>

> Leave everything to god and rest in peace.

>

> Sincerely yours,

> Karthikeyan