Guest guest Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 jay: It is certainly glorious to read of all your activities and growth, but I was wondering about the name change (from Vivekananda Centre to Hindu Academy). If I may offer my long-distance perspective/questions - it appears you have 'given up' on the Westerner, and have now focused your mission on those with Indian backgrounds? Instead of 'Hindu Academy' why not 'Vedanta Academy'? As an American/Western devotee of Ramakrishna, I can certainly identify myself as a Vedantist, but not as a Hindu. I look forward to your comments. In His Holy Name, Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 - Brad Stephan Ramakrishna List Wednesday, July 30, 2008 5:03 PM [sri Ramakrishna] Re: Hindu Academy jay: It is certainly glorious to read of all your activities and growth, but I was wondering about the name change (from Vivekananda Centre to Hindu Academy). If I may offer my long-distance perspective/questions - it appears you have 'given up' on the Westerner, and have now focused your mission on those with Indian backgrounds? Instead of 'Hindu Academy' why not 'Vedanta Academy'? As an American/Western devotee of Ramakrishna, I can certainly identify myself as a Vedantist, but not as a Hindu. I look forward to your comments. In His Holy Name, Brad Dear Brad (copied to Sw Yogeshananda and Sister Gayatriprana) I am appreciative of all your observations and concerns. Let me tell you why Vivekananda Centre had to be renamed Hindu Academy. The reasons are quite the opposite to what one may think. I have to get Vivekananda plugged into the system. When I started no one had heard the name Vivekananda so my work was looked upon as 'one more unheard of Hindu cult'. Since the time of Vivekananda so many others have come and crowded the scene, and in the process Vivekananda has been sidelined. So the only way I could make in-roads was to go under the umbrella of Hinduism and to show that Vivekananda represents the comprehensive face of Hinduism. Using this umbrella I am now in a very strong position to influence the way Religious Education (not Hinduism but religious education in all religions) unfold in the UK. Again, using the umbrella of Hinduism I have become the established face of Hinduism at Eton and at other important venues in the UK. I do 10 times more work with Western youngsters than I do with Hindu youngsters. I could not do that if I brandish the name Vivekananda but I can do that in the guise of 'broad Hinduism' -- and that is what Hindu Academy is all about. There is no way I could enter so many universities, if I had said I am a teacher of Vedanta. I am bending over backwards to make sure Vivekananda's message gets in the system and steals the hearts and minds of the Englishmen & women. I am quite sure that it is the steady English who will take his message to heart, revigorate it and broadcast it to the rest of the world. My job is to catch the attention of the Englishman. He is the perfect carrier of this dynamic message. By the grace of our mentors, I am succeeding. The warmth with which western youth receive my talks is something to experience. I am having the best time of my life. I take one or two sentences of Vivekananda's teachings, turn them into a one hour lecture and like magic the hearts and minds of the audience are stolen. It is a thrilling experience. By the grace of our mentors, many doors are being flung open. Let us see what the future holds in store! jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2008 Report Share Posted August 1, 2008 Dear jay: I grock you! I wish us USA folk could witness the HA's activities via the web. Final question: What will you say (or have you said) to an Englishman/youth who says, " I want to be a Hindu. " ? Jai Ramakrishna, Brad On Thu, Jul 31, 2008 at 5:30 PM, Vivekananda <vivekananda wrote: - Brad Stephan Ramakrishna List Wednesday, July 30, 2008 5:03 PM [sri Ramakrishna] Re: Hindu Academy jay: It is certainly glorious to read of all your activities and growth, but I was wondering about the name change (from Vivekananda Centre to Hindu Academy). If I may offer my long-distance perspective/questions - it appears you have 'given up' on the Westerner, and have now focused your mission on those with Indian backgrounds? Instead of 'Hindu Academy' why not 'Vedanta Academy'? As an American/Western devotee of Ramakrishna, I can certainly identify myself as a Vedantist, but not as a Hindu. I look forward to your comments. In His Holy Name, Brad Dear Brad (copied to Sw Yogeshananda and Sister Gayatriprana) I am appreciative of all your observations and concerns. Let me tell you why Vivekananda Centre had to be renamed Hindu Academy. The reasons are quite the opposite to what one may think. I have to get Vivekananda plugged into the system. When I started no one had heard the name Vivekananda so my work was looked upon as 'one more unheard of Hindu cult'. Since the time of Vivekananda so many others have come and crowded the scene, and in the process Vivekananda has been sidelined. So the only way I could make in-roads was to go under the umbrella of Hinduism and to show that Vivekananda represents the comprehensive face of Hinduism. Using this umbrella I am now in a very strong position to influence the way Religious Education (not Hinduism but religious education in all religions) unfold in the UK. Again, using the umbrella of Hinduism I have become the established face of Hinduism at Eton and at other important venues in the UK. I do 10 times more work with Western youngsters than I do with Hindu youngsters. I could not do that if I brandish the name Vivekananda but I can do that in the guise of 'broad Hinduism' -- and that is what Hindu Academy is all about. There is no way I could enter so many universities, if I had said I am a teacher of Vedanta. I am bending over backwards to make sure Vivekananda's message gets in the system and steals the hearts and minds of the Englishmen & women. I am quite sure that it is the steady English who will take his message to heart, revigorate it and broadcast it to the rest of the world. My job is to catch the attention of the Englishman. He is the perfect carrier of this dynamic message. By the grace of our mentors, I am succeeding. The warmth with which western youth receive my talks is something to experience. I am having the best time of my life. I take one or two sentences of Vivekananda's teachings, turn them into a one hour lecture and like magic the hearts and minds of the audience are stolen. It is a thrilling experience. By the grace of our mentors, many doors are being flung open. Let us see what the future holds in store! jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2008 Report Share Posted August 1, 2008 I would tell him to stay away.. - Brad Stephan Vivekananda Cc: Ramakrishna ; Swami Yogeshananda ; gayatriprana Friday, August 01, 2008 12:15 AM Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Re: Hindu Academy Dear jay: I grock you! I wish us USA folk could witness the HA's activities via the web. Final question: What will you say (or have you said) to an Englishman/youth who says, "I want to be a Hindu."? Jai Ramakrishna, Brad On Thu, Jul 31, 2008 at 5:30 PM, Vivekananda <vivekananda wrote: - Brad Stephan Ramakrishna List Wednesday, July 30, 2008 5:03 PM [sri Ramakrishna] Re: Hindu Academy jay: It is certainly glorious to read of all your activities and growth, but I was wondering about the name change (from Vivekananda Centre to Hindu Academy). If I may offer my long-distance perspective/questions - it appears you have 'given up' on the Westerner, and have now focused your mission on those with Indian backgrounds? Instead of 'Hindu Academy' why not 'Vedanta Academy'? As an American/Western devotee of Ramakrishna, I can certainly identify myself as a Vedantist, but not as a Hindu. I look forward to your comments. In His Holy Name, Brad Dear Brad (copied to Sw Yogeshananda and Sister Gayatriprana) I am appreciative of all your observations and concerns. Let me tell you why Vivekananda Centre had to be renamed Hindu Academy. The reasons are quite the opposite to what one may think. I have to get Vivekananda plugged into the system. When I started no one had heard the name Vivekananda so my work was looked upon as 'one more unheard of Hindu cult'. Since the time of Vivekananda so many others have come and crowded the scene, and in the process Vivekananda has been sidelined. So the only way I could make in-roads was to go under the umbrella of Hinduism and to show that Vivekananda represents the comprehensive face of Hinduism. Using this umbrella I am now in a very strong position to influence the way Religious Education (not Hinduism but religious education in all religions) unfold in the UK. Again, using the umbrella of Hinduism I have become the established face of Hinduism at Eton and at other important venues in the UK. I do 10 times more work with Western youngsters than I do with Hindu youngsters. I could not do that if I brandish the name Vivekananda but I can do that in the guise of 'broad Hinduism' -- and that is what Hindu Academy is all about. There is no way I could enter so many universities, if I had said I am a teacher of Vedanta. I am bending over backwards to make sure Vivekananda's message gets in the system and steals the hearts and minds of the Englishmen & women. I am quite sure that it is the steady English who will take his message to heart, revigorate it and broadcast it to the rest of the world. My job is to catch the attention of the Englishman. He is the perfect carrier of this dynamic message. By the grace of our mentors, I am succeeding. The warmth with which western youth receive my talks is something to experience. I am having the best time of my life. I take one or two sentences of Vivekananda's teachings, turn them into a one hour lecture and like magic the hearts and minds of the audience are stolen. It is a thrilling experience. By the grace of our mentors, many doors are being flung open. Let us see what the future holds in store! jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Why Jay? Why won't you welcome him/her into the Hindu fold? Can you give me one reason why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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