Guest guest Posted June 26, 2002 Report Share Posted June 26, 2002 Dear List Members Over the last few years we have contributed at quite a few meetings & discussions on Interfaith. In the last week, I was invited at a series of such meetings. I notice a major shift in the way Interfaith is evolving. Let me share my thoughts. Last Thursday, one of the Synagogues in Surrey held a panel discussion on 'Relevance of Interfaith'. Most of the contributors were members of the World Congress of Faiths. I was taken aback at what I was hearing. The Muslim speaker was talking of 'anyone taking life in the name of religion will go straight to hell!' The Christian speaker was saying, 'those who participated in the Crusades were not Christians!' The Sikh speaker was saying the first martyr of Interfaith was a Sikh Guru who gave his life for a person of another faith. The mainly Jewish audience were prepared to tolerate and applaud me even though I was suggesting in no uncertain terms that, 'However grand your prophets, however grand your scriptures, they have only contextual value - never absolute. 'This has to become acceptable if you wish to invoke pluralism.' Such meetings and such language would be unthinkable a few years back. On Tuesday I participated at a seminar held at Chalfont Community College in Buckinghamshire for their sixth form ( 17 -18 year old students). The theme was: 'What is the relevance of my religion in today's world?' About 70 students attended. The speakers were Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Atheist. Again I was taken aback at what I was hearing. The contributors were dedicated, mainstream people from the different faiths. - The atheist too : ) I heard the Muslim speaker talk of 'How religion can only be understood in contextual terms, How does it relate to me? - What does it mean to me?' This from a Muslim speaker was quite unexpected. The Christian speaker - a local priest - talking of the importance of religion as it teaches one how to relate to other people - people from other faiths. What a wonderful way of invoking Christianity at Interfaith level? What amazes me is how the term 'pluralism' is becoming acceptable and dare I say 'fashionable' at interfaith meetings. This morning I was invited by a Catholic School in East London, to introduce Hinduism to 150 students. I was given 1 hour to make a presentation followed by question and answer session. The hour went very quickly. The students exhibited tremendous enthusiasm to learn about this foreign faith. At the end of the presentation they asked very relevant questions. We ran out of time far before we ran out of questions! A few years ago such things would be unimaginable - a Catholic School allowing access to their students for such a long session of detailed study of another faith! London has become the centre of innovation in many fields. What I see at the moment is that it is also becoming the centre for greater understanding between religions. I doubt if such liberal exchanges of religious ideas are taking place in any other part of the world today. jay Vivekananda Centre London Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 26, 2002 Report Share Posted June 26, 2002 Dear List, There was a discussion in another mailing list of which I'm a member which discussed whether all the lead to same/similar result/goal. The view of Christians on the list was that Jesus has said " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. " (John 14:5-6) According to them this precludes the possibility of other faiths being true (although they were not objecting to people practising it). I'd like to hear the opinion of the members of the list on this view. Regards, Girish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2002 Report Share Posted June 28, 2002 Dear Jay I would disagree that other parts of the world are not as vibrant as London is. North America is very active and where i am there are several forums that discuss interfaith matters openly and sincerely. Some of the Churches also take a very keen and active part in initiating these discussions. As you say, though this is progress.... I dont know whether you received my prev email about airing the topics that will be discussed in your tv program. if you do we all can contribute to your thoughts...you may (or may not!) find that helpful! pranaams >Dear List Members > >Over the last few years we have contributed at quite a few meetings > & discussions on Interfaith. In the last week, I was invited at a series >of such meetings. I notice a major shift in the way Interfaith is evolving. >Let me share my thoughts. > >Last Thursday, one of the Synagogues in Surrey held a panel discussion >on 'Relevance of Interfaith'. Most of the contributors were members of >the World Congress of Faiths. I was taken aback at what I was hearing. >The Muslim speaker was talking of 'anyone taking life in the name of >religion >will go straight to hell!' The Christian speaker was saying, 'those who >participated in the Crusades were not Christians!' The Sikh speaker >was saying the first martyr of Interfaith was a Sikh Guru who gave his >life for a person of another faith. The mainly Jewish audience were >prepared to tolerate and applaud me even though I was suggesting >in no uncertain terms that, 'However grand your prophets, however >grand your scriptures, they have only contextual value - never absolute. >'This has to become acceptable if you wish to invoke pluralism.' >Such meetings and such language would be unthinkable a few years back. > >On Tuesday I participated at a seminar held at Chalfont Community >College in Buckinghamshire for their sixth form ( 17 -18 year old >students). >The theme was: 'What is the relevance of my religion in today's world?' >About 70 students attended. The speakers were Christian, Hindu, Sikh, >Muslim and Atheist. Again I was taken aback at what I was hearing. >The contributors were dedicated, mainstream people from the different >faiths. - The atheist too : ) > >I heard the Muslim speaker talk of 'How religion can only be understood in >contextual terms, How does it relate to me? - What does it mean to me?' >This from a Muslim speaker was quite unexpected. >The Christian speaker - a local priest - talking of the importance of >religion as it teaches one how to relate to other people - people from >other faiths. What a wonderful way of invoking Christianity at Interfaith >level? What amazes me is how the term 'pluralism' is becoming >acceptable and dare I say 'fashionable' at interfaith meetings. > >This morning I was invited by a Catholic School in East London, >to introduce Hinduism to 150 students. I was given 1 hour to make a >presentation followed by question and answer session. The hour went >very quickly. The students exhibited tremendous enthusiasm to learn about >this foreign faith. At the end of the presentation they asked very relevant >questions. We ran out of time far before we ran out of questions! >A few years ago such things would be unimaginable - a Catholic School >allowing access to their students for such a long session of detailed >study of another faith! > >London has become the centre of innovation in many fields. What I see at >the moment is that it is also becoming the centre for greater understanding >between religions. I doubt if such liberal exchanges of religious ideas >are taking place in any other part of the world today. > >jay >Vivekananda Centre London > _______________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2002 Report Share Posted June 28, 2002 Dear Girish Coincidence! The answer to your question seems hidden in this posting from VML which arrived shortly after your posting? Love and regards Sunil VML-6/27/02 In the religion of Christ there was little of crudeness; there is very little difference between the pure religion of Christ and that of the Vedanta. You find there the idea of oneness but Christ also preached dualistic ideas to the people in order to give them something tangible to take hold of, to lead them up to the highest ideal. The same Prophet who preached, " Our Father which art in heaven " , also preached, " I and my Father are one " , and the same prophet knew that through the " Father in heaven " lies the way to the " I and my Father are one " Ramakrishna, Girish <girishv@e...> wrote: > Dear List, > > There was a discussion in another mailing list of which I'm a member which discussed whether all > the lead to same/similar result/goal. > > The view of Christians on the list was that Jesus has said > " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. " > (John 14:5-6) > > According to them this precludes the possibility of other faiths being true (although they were > not objecting to people practising it). > > I'd like to hear the opinion of the members of the list on this view. > > Regards, > > Girish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2002 Report Share Posted June 29, 2002 Dear Girish, >The view of Christians on the list was that Jesus has said > " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except >through Me. " >(John 14:5-6) > >According to them this precludes the possibility of other faiths being >true (although they were >not objecting to people practising it). >I always tell Christians how I understand that in this way: Jesus speaks >here as the Logos, the Personal God, Isvara--not as the historical human >being, just as Sri Krishna speaks in the Gita. The latter should be no >more narrow than the former; otherwise it's just " my Savior against your >Savior " ! Swami Yogeshananda > > >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 June 29, 2002 Report Share Posted June 29, 2002 - " Jai~ Raam " <jai_raam <Ramakrishna > Friday, June 28, 2002 01:04 Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Changing face of Inter-faith > I dont know whether you received my prev email about airing the topics that > will be discussed in your tv program. if you do we all can contribute to > your thoughts...you may (or may not!) find that helpful! > pranaams ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Jai Ram I was told by Swami Yogeshananda that there is a lot of activity focused on Interfaith issues in Atlanta too! I was just pointing out that London seems to be the centre of many innovative ideas including interfaith and is taking a lead role in this field. The material that I needed for the TV series has already been provided by some of the list members. I will be interviewed on 2nd September. My job will be to turn the topic around and present the relevant material from the teachings of Sw Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna. They may edit me out : ) I am dealing with a top production team from the main-stream media. Let us see how it goes. I will certainly share my experience with the list. regards jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2002 Report Share Posted July 3, 2002 I am sure it will go so well and you will have only good news about how well Vedanta was received once it is aired! All the combined power of the List member's prayers will be with you and MORE from the Swamiji and Thakur! regards ++++++++++++ > >Dear Jai Ram > >I was told by Swami Yogeshananda that there is a lot of activity >focused on Interfaith issues in Atlanta too! I was just pointing out that >London seems to be the centre of many innovative ideas including >interfaith and is taking a lead role in this field. > >The material that I needed for the TV series has already >been provided by some of the list members. I will be interviewed on >2nd September. My job will be to turn the topic around and >present the relevant material from the teachings of Sw Vivekananda >and Sri Ramakrishna. They may edit me out : ) > >I am dealing with a top production team from the main-stream >media. > >Let us see how it goes. I will certainly share my experience with the list. > >regards >jay > > _______________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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