Guest guest Posted September 1, 2002 Report Share Posted September 1, 2002 Dear Jay, Your offering, " Common Sense an Obituary " , may seem innocent -- amusing and/or insightful -- at face value, but it involves far too many politically hot issues in the U.S. Politics is not what your list about, and I am sure this was unintentinal, but thought it best to bring to your attention. Edith Ramakrishna wrote: > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.vivekananda.co.uk > ------ > > There are 4 messages in this issue. > > Topics in this digest: > > 1. Reply from David on " Important questions on Hinduism " > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda > 2. Common Sense an obituary > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda > 3. Bhagavat Gita - 28 > " Gokulmuthu N. " <gokulmuthu > 4. Inspiring verses from Srimad Bhagavatam > Udayashankar <dakshinesha > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > Message: 1 > Sat, 31 Aug 2002 00:08:08 +0100 > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda > Reply from David on " Important questions on Hinduism " > > Dear Jay > > Thank you so much for your prompt reply. Please thank all on my behaf who > contributed to answering my questions. I shall be expressing my views after > I have studied all the responses closely. Please do not expect an early > reply in this matter. > > God's blessings on you. > > regards > > David > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > Message: 2 > Fri, 30 Aug 2002 10:21:57 +0100 > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda > Common Sense an obituary > > An Obituary > > Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, > by the name of Common Sense. > Common Sense lived a long life but died in the United States > from heart failure on the beginning of the new millennium. > > He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons > as to know when to come in out of the rain, > why the early bird gets the worm > and that life isn't always fair. > > Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies > (don't spend more than you earn), > reliable parenting strategies (adults are in charge, not kids) > and it's okay to come in second. > > > But his health declined when he became infected with the > " If-it-only-helps-one-person-it's-worth-it " virus. > > In recent decades his waning strength proved no match for > the ravages of well intentioned, but overbearing regulations. > > He watched in pain as good people became ruled by > self seeking lawyers. > > His health rapidly deteriorated when schools endlessly > implemented zero-tolerance policies. > > Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual > harassment for kissing a classmate, > a teen suspended for using a swish of mouthwash after lunch > and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student > only worsened his condition. > > It declined even further when schools had to get > parental consent to administer aspirin to a student > but could not inform the parents when a > female student was pregnant and wanted an abortion. > > Finally, Common Sense lost his will to live as > the Ten Commandments became contraband, > Churches became businesses, > criminals received better treatment than their victims > and federal judges stuck their noses in everything from the > Boy Scouts to professional sports. > > Finally, when a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of > coffee was hot and was awarded a huge settlement, > Common Sense threw in the towel. > > As the end neared, Common Sense drifted in > and out of logic, but was kept informed of developments > regarding questionable regulations, > such as those for low flow toilets, > rocking chairs > and stepladders. > > Common Sense was preceded in death by > his parents, Truth and Trust; > his wife, Discretion; > his daughter, Responsibility > and his son, Reason. > > He is survived by two stepbrothers: > My Rights, and Ima Whiner. > > Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. > > -Author Unknown > > > Common Sense is not so common. > - Benjamin Franklin > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > Message: 3 > Thu, 29 Aug 2002 19:30:24 +0530 > " Gokulmuthu N. " <gokulmuthu > Bhagavat Gita - 28 > > Bhagavat Gita - 28 > > The One God forms the object of all worship (Chapter 7 verses 20-30) > > In whatever aspect devotees adore Me, I strengthen their faith in that > aspect and approach them in that form. To those who worship Me in the > form of various deities for attaining worldly fulfillments, I who indwell > these deities, strengthen their faith in their objects of worship and > grant them their prayer; but they attain to only those deities, and the > fruit they get is of short duration. Not understanding Me as the > Universal Being, indwelling even the deities, they adore particularised > and limited deities. Due to the obstruction of My Maya, men do not > understand Me as the unborn and the undecaying. I know all beings, present > past and future, but none knows Me. For their body-consciousness and > passions based on it, obstruct men's understanding from the very start. > It is only those whose sinful tendencies have been counteracted by good > works, that worship Me with steadfastness of mind. Those who thus > worship Me for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths, come to > know that I am the sole existence, as also the sole doer and the > sole enjoyer. > > ============================================================================ > Based on " Srimad Bhagavat Gita - The Scripture of Mankind " > a translation by Rev Swami Tapasyanandaji, published by > Sri Ramakrishna Math - Chennai. http://www.sriramakrishnamath.org/ > > -- > --------------- > Email: gokulmuthu > Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/gokulmuthu/ > --------------- > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > Message: 4 > Fri, 30 Aug 2002 22:25:19 -0700 (PDT) > Udayashankar <dakshinesha > Inspiring verses from Srimad Bhagavatam > > Lord in his incarnation as Kapila gave these spiritual > instructions to His mother Devahuti at her request. > (Srimad Bhagavatam - 3.29.21-27) > > " I am always present in all beings as their Self; > disregarding them, the mortal human being performs > elaborate worship of Me (only) in images. > > Forsaking Me, the supreme Lord, existing in all beings > as their Self, whoever worships Me in the image > through utter foolishness , their worship is like > offering sacrificial ghee into the ashes (and not into > fire). > > Hating Me, existing in another person's body, the > proud one who sees separateness (and not unity) and > who practices firm enmity towards other beings, will > never attain peace of mind. > > I am not pleased, O sinless one, with the extravagant > ritual worship of Me in an image by those who use very > costly and ordinary ritual materials, but who insult > Me in all beings. > > Let a person worship Me (the Lord existing in all > beings) in an image, discharging his or her family and > social duties and responsibilities, so long as he or > she does not realize Me existing in one's own heart. > > Whoever makes the slightest difference between oneself > and others, such a one, who entertains the wrong idea > of separateness, will experience great fear in the > form of death. > > Therefore worship Me in all beings - for I am the self > of all beings and have already made temples for Myself > in them - by dana (offering of money or goods to > remove their felt wants) and mana (showing due respect > to the recipient while doing so), and in an attitude > of friendliness and in a vision of non-separateness. " > > - Taken from the book, 'Practical Vedanta and the > Science of Values' by Srimat Swami Ranganathanandaji > Maharaj. > > > > Autos - Get free new car price quotes > http://autos. > > ______________________ > ______________________ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2002 Report Share Posted September 2, 2002 My dismay over reading Digest #1236, made me wonder about its purpose. A consciousness of the Sanatana Dharma is present in the US and most Americans are aware of religion and its power to create a positive future. In this we have a unity in diversity. Kanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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