Western Culture Is Demonic

[Gauracandra]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/CSM/story?id=1500343

 

The West has many problems and India has many problems. I have no problem acknowledging that 1/3 of all pregnancies in the U.S. end in abortion. Its terrible. Its sinful. At the same time I don't see why someone would be up in arms that India has an abortion industry and that many people select to abort the female child. Would it be better if they aborted the male child? No. I don't see how one can view this as some sort of myth perpetrated by Westerners to make India look bad. You can count up the number of boys and the number of girls in an area and if it comes out significantly different from 51% girls and 49% boys then you have some sort of phenomenon for the missing gender.

[Guest guest]

It is not about perpetuating myths so much as it is about how we judge the accuracy of information. When a television program reports a crime in another country and concludes it to be a feature of that country's culture, people here are quick to believe it. This includes (sadly) many "devotees."

 

It is also about double standards in relating crimes to the cultural landscape. Abortions in America are not seen as an "American" problem or a "Christian" problem, but rather always as a problem related to socioeconomic issues. In India on the other hand, abortions are always reported as an "Indian problem" or a "Hindu problem."

 

It is no secret that India has suffered and continues to suffer from prejudiced and one-sided portrayals in popular media as well as in scholarship. This continues because people are complacent with what they hear and rarely scrutinize. In California for example, a move is underway to correct many biased and inaccurate portrayals of Hinduism in grade school textboxs. The premise of this is that the textbooks present only a brief overview of the religion, and they do not attempt to paint other religions in a negative light. Hence, there is no need to selectively denigrate Hinduism. Nevertheless, a team of scholars lead by a *Harvard* Indologist protested this initiative and insisted that the Hinduism curriculum include presentations on caste discrimination, wife-burning, and dowry deaths. And all this in a 6th grade textbook which teaches only an overview of Hindu culture to children.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

this is a very intersting thread to read...

[Guest guest]

 

In general there are some good qualities in the people of the west but unfortunately the demonic qualities are dominant. What is worse is that the whole world is copying the demonic western values and totally ignoring the good values of the west. What are the good values in the people of the west? Honesty, cleanliness, self-confidence, leadership, courage etc.

 

 

 

Killing of Unborn Children

 

 

Before the birth of a child, there is good chance of being killed within the womb of the mother, by the mother herself. The abortion rate is highest in the Western countries.

 

 

 

Sexual Relationships Start Early

 

 

For the children who make it out of the womb alive, at age 14, the boys and girls start their sexual relationships, what they call girl friend, boy friend.

 

 

 

Partying To Find Mates

 

 

The partying habit that starts from birth with birthday parties grows into partying for real at age 16. The main aim for partying is to find mating partners. In parties, suitable mates are found and utilized.

 

 

 

Drugs and Alcohol

 

 

While partying they pick-up the habit of intoxications, alcohol, and drugs.

 

 

 

Bellies are Graveyards for Animals

 

 

They are brainwashed into thinking that killing (meat eating) is needed for good health. Their nutritional knowledge is very limited they think that flesh is the only source of protein.

 

 

 

Sex With Multiple Mates Before Marriage

 

 

Most marriages are based on sex impulses only. Like a hunter who hunts in the forest for meat, they hunt for mates in parties. Most of the time, the catch turns out to be rotten, so they keep hunting.

 

 

 

Sex Outside Marriage

 

 

After a test drive with several mates, they think they have found a suitable mate for marriage. So then there is marriage, but the habit of hunting for mates is hard to get over. Some of them keep hunting after marriage. There are extra marital affairs in many marriages. After a few years of marriage, one or both of the couples find another mate, and then there is divorce. The Western countries have the highest divorce rate.

 

 

 

No Discrimination Between Sexual Partners

 

 

God made men and women for each other. But the West is very creative. Some think that men are made for men and women for women, gay and lesbian relationships. Thousands of gays and lesbians are officially married in America.

 

 

 

Parents Are Considered A Liability

 

 

As soon as they become young adults, earning money. They leave home and fend for themselves. The children visit their parents on annual occasions. This they call keeping in touch. When the parents are old and are unable to take care of them selves, they are sent to nursing homes. The children are unable to look after their own parents.

 

 

 

 

 

The Result of Western Culture

 

 

A westerner says “I am very happy partying, mating and living a very comfortable life to the full, I don’t need restrictions and rules to follow.”

 

 

 

What is the use of this so-called comfortable life, if after this life, you become an animal?

 

It is very difficult to stop yourself from being influenced by the demonic customs of the West. Even a man of discrimination can be captured by the satanic values.

 

"As a strong wind sweeps away a boat on the water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man's intelligence." (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 2.67)

 

"While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool." (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 2.62-63)

 

This is a very old post and topic, but you need some statistics to back up these claims.

 

Abortion in America is contested. In India it is not. You will not find any political party making it a major vote issue. Why? It was never an issue in India. As soon as the technology reared it's head, abortion was made legal and widely available. Statistics for India are hard to take. Plus not many people will be honest in interviews regarding sex has sexuality itself is a taboo topic, more or less.

 

I always wondered why Prabhupada addressed the western abortion issue but not the female infanticide abortion issue of his own country.

 

Uneducated children of 12 years and even younger are still married off by the 100s of thousands in India. Many times to young men of 20 or older and subsequently raped on their wedding nights, having no idea what happened to them. Maritial rape is still not recognized as a crime by law in India (though that will change real soon, women's rights groups are seeing to that).

 

All in all, western culture is a safer place for children, especially girls. And of course this is connected to education.

 

The majority of Indians are still uneducated due to poverty.

 

We look after our old people when they need it. But in the West, people are not as needy as in India. Old people in India generally become almost helpless while still young (in their 60s even) due to lack of technical know-how and all, since many of them grew up in rural villages or in towns with rural conditions. Also they fall sick sooner than western old people due to the conditions of India. So they need their kids to drive them here and there and do this and that for them, whereas many older western people do not. They stay active as long as their health allows. That's another positive aspect of western culture.

 

Nursing homes are for people who need special professional medical care that cannot be provided at home. I've seen many cases like that. But their close family still visits them daily. Where are the nursing homes in India for all the neglected old widows of Vrindavan, Varanasi, etc? Where are there families, if the family structure in India is so strong? I always wondered about that.

 

Anyway, for sadhu sanga India is great. But it has alot of social/cultural problems that I feel have been adequetly dealt with in the West. No place is perfect. Wherever we are we should focus on the positive and try to improve the negative, if we are able. If we are not able then we should remain neutral and go within ourselves, leaving the solutions to those better equipped than ourselves.

[Guest guest]

 

I think America had a wake-up call when the prisoners were abused in Iraq. The self-image of the saintly nation doing good is slowly crumblig under the prying eyes of instant multimedia news.

 

 

 

I was hoping 9/11 would have been a wake up call -- but unfortunately I'm not seeing it. At that time I was sick to death of everyone tailgating on the highways, so they could pick up their kids from daycare and be home in time to see Seinfeld, or whatever the hot-new-hip TV show is. A stock broker (a professional gambler, in other words) makes a huge salary; one who cares for the elderly, disabled, and children works for a pittance. We're all self-absorbed in the absolute worst way -- get while the gettin's good, look out for number one, I wanna be rich, and all these disgusting I-Me-Mine attitudes that, if anything, have gotten worse despite our knowing that we can be wiped out any time a terrorist decides now is a good day to drive a car bomb into the local Walmart.

 

I do agree, our Western values leave a lot to be desired. From what I'm seeing, though, it seems the whole world is going downhill. I'm so sorry to hear of all the unpleasantness going on in India.

 

This is why I'm grateful I discovered some of these Eastern values when I did. Not eating meat is healthy! Reserving sex for at least a committed and loving relatiohship is better than hopping into bed just for "booty call". Does anyone really need to get drunk to have a good time? And why spend that $5 or more a pack on cigarettes when the money you save can cover a car payment?

 

And consider, when you develop a relationship with God, it will last forever. No other relationship in your life will.

 

So, whatever wisdom survives, if more and more people take it seriously, maybe the entire world will gradually become a better place, even in this time of Kali. Even if it doesn't, some people will get better, the rest will get what they've earned, no matter what their native culture is.

[Guest guest]

As people who are supposedly trying to be spiritual, arguments over eastern and western cultures are useless.

 

Our time on this planet is very short and with it we should try to see the good wherever we go, extract it, use it to our betterment, and then move on.

 

We can list the horrible qualities of Indians and non-Indians all day long.

 

Better to just utilize that same time in trying to better ourselves.

 

As a sadhaka if one finds western countries more clean, quiet and condusive for their sadhana, then one should reside there, visiting India sometimes for sadhu-sanga.

 

On the other hand if one finds India to be more condusive for their sadhana, and they are able to face strongly the many hardships there, then one can reside there.

 

One keeps in mind what is more condusive for their spiritual life, first and foremost. This will differ from person to person.

[Guest guest]

 

Alot of people in India DON'T believe in the Bhag Gita for these very reasons.

Because it is a smriti, specifically a itihasa, meaning a history: a poem extracted from the Mahabharata epic.

 

Whereas the Vedas are sruti, not smriti. Some people in India call the Bhag Gita "the book of carnage" aka "kolai nul" because it gives Divine sanction to violence.

 

The Bible of the Abrahamic religions has alot of violence in it, too. So seems like there are some things about Indian culture that even Indians don't like.

There are 450 different ethnic groups and dialects in India and four main

branches of Hinduism.

 

Only the Smartas and some Vaishnavas use the Bhag Gita, yet other Indians aka Eastern culture people totally reject it. They don't want their kids growing up hearing about a womanizing god who goes to prostitutes and condones violence.

 

They feel a better example would have been set by God inventing the cell phone, attorneys, a court system, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights which guarantees freedom from intruders and being safe in your own home.

That might be a better solution than killing people "cuz you aren't the body, so feel free to do whatever".

 

All Vaishnavas follow the teachings of the Gita, SINCE it was spoken by God himself to his Arjuna.

 

Calling the Supreme Lord a womanizing god and the Gita a book of carnage, shows how little depth you have in your understanding.

 

The Gita is not for those who tamasic understanding, it will only be understood when you read it with spiritual awareness.

[Guest guest]

Vaishnava means the worship of Vishnu, does it not?

 

There are portions of the Vedas or srutis that deal only with the worship of Vishnu and not Krsna.

 

Therefore, some Vaishnavas focus solely on the worship of Vishnu. They use only the srutis and nor smriti as their revealed scriptures and not the Bhagavad Gita as a source of illumination.

 

Thus they are Vaisnavas and yet do not worship Krsna.

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

Vaishnava means the worship of Vishnu, does it not?

 

There are portions of the Vedas or srutis that deal only with the worship of Vishnu and not Krsna.

 

Therefore, some Vaishnavas focus solely on the worship of Vishnu. They use only the srutis and nor smriti as their revealed scriptures and not the Bhagavad Gita as a source of illumination.

 

Thus they are Vaisnavas and yet do not worship Krsna.

 

That's perfectly okay - why shouldn't it be okay?

[renuka]

This tread is simply making everyone offenders. Better to look into individual lives and behaviors. For devotees, why create a situation where someone may be tempted to offend Krishna. This is neither good for the offender nor for those who create such opportunities

[Guest guest]

Actually, anythng that anyone says at any time, Goddess Sarasvati can

use it as an opportunity to glorify the Supreme.

 

Let us suppose that it is difficult for a neophyte in the Kali Yug to understand the ways of Bhagavan Lord Sri Krsna 5000 years ago..

 

How can we help that sadhaka keep progressing on the path of devotion?

One possibility is to remind ourselves that everything can be reconciled in the

Supreme Absolute Truth.

 

In the parlance of the kids nowadays, we can say that Krsna is old school, Chaitanya is new school. In other words, perhaps the actions of Bhagavan

Sri Krsna made more sense to persons living 5000 years ago in Bharata-varsa.

 

However, Bhagavan Sri Krsna "reinvented Himself", if you will [again, to use the parlance of the new school hip-hop def jam lingo] as Lord Chaitanya. Now how did this occur?

 

The Gosvamis like Jiva, Rupa, Sanatana et al left many Vaishnava literatures

such as the Sandarbhas very specifically delineating their inner mystical visions of things like Srimati Radharani's anger with the behavior of Sri Krsna.

 

So boom: why not say to any aspiring sadhaka: "Hey you aren't the only one who was fed up with Bhagavan Sri Krsna's behavior!" Then speak some hari-katha. For example:

 

One night, Radhika had been waiting and waiting in a kunja all night long for Bhagavan Sri Krsna to appear. When he finally showed up at dawn, His body was covered with scratch marks and his eyes were red, indicating no sleep.

 

This was the final insult to Srimati Radharani. Had She not given Her heart and

soul to Bhagavan? Had She not done everthing that He had ever asked of Her? Had She not dedicated Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul to HIm 24/7/365 ?

 

Lalita and Vishaka could not longer tolerate the offenses He was making to their Swamini. How many more insults and heartless decisions was He going to make? How could they tolerate seeing Radhika insulted again and again?

 

So when Sri Krsna finally showed up, both Lalita and Vishaka cursed him:

"For the sin of making Radharani suffer so much, your Greatest Devotee, the Person who loves You more than anyone else ever could, we curse you:

 

"In the Kali Yuga You will become a Sannyasi. You will wander from town to

town crying. You will feel every single Emotion that Srimati-ji has ever felt.

 

" You will shed incessant tears from Your eyes, blood will ooze from Your pores. Your limbs will curl up and fit into Your Torso as you go through all of Her very intense moods of vimpralambha [separation].

 

"You will not be able to enjoy life as a householder or any sense gratification.

Only all day and night You will cry and cry, then cry and cry again, until You finally understand the Heart and Soul of the One Who loves You best. "

 

So that is how Bhagavan Sri Krsna incarnated as the Most Munificent Incarnation, freely distributing what Sri Krsna had never given before:

pure and unconditional love.

 

And THAT is why the whole entire world has changed since then: because of what happened in 1486.

 

The entire planet underwent a quantum leap in understanding what

gentleness, patience, mercy, tolerance, and love is all about. THAT is the reason why some people can't "get" what Sri Krsna did is because He came in the mood of punishment: the whole macho thang.

 

Cuz that was the whole m.o. back in the day 5000 years ago: everything was all about honor killings and defending social conventions to the death.

 

Nowadays stuff like that doesn't make any sense to most post-modern people because we are so used to the mood of Radhika in the world now. The entire world changed 520 years ago. It was a quantum leap in consciousness.

 

So instead of condemning neophytes for not understanding what was so very

hip-hop now school and fashion-forward way back 5000 years ago, why not fast-forward the sadhaka to the present?

 

Why not let them know that in truth, that you [whoever you are] are not

the first person in history to ever be somewhat concerned and majorly bummed by the behavior of the Supreme Lampato. In fact, Krsna's Main Squeeze was not all that pleased by His behavior, nor were Her Homegirlz.

 

Knowing that the condemnation of faulty behavior on the part of Sri Krsna, from the point of view of Lalita and Vishaka, in defense of Srimati Radharani, the most chaste woman in the Universe, which then led to the Incarnation of Unconditional Love, MIGHT provide some consolation and solace to any aspiring sadhakas.

 

I feel that we take for granted the ways in which the world has changed

ever since Lord Chaitanya was on the planet. After all, Krsna means

"Beautiful" or "Attractive".

 

Yet higher than Beauty is Charm. Still higher than Beauty and Charm is Affection. Still higher than Affection is Love. And ladies and gentlemen: THAT is why the activities of Bhagavan Sri Krsna do not make sense to alot of people nowadays. Why? Because Krsna went to hip-hop def jam now school:

 

He had to go to the University of the Gopis where Radhika is the Headmaster.

He had to learn how to cry and cry and cry. And only THEN did our entire

planet change and a quantum leap of consciousness took place, only AFTER

He incarnated as Lord Chaitanya.

 

The mood of Supreme Goddess has changed the entire world and THAT might be why it is very very difficult for some people to think that everything Bhagavan Sri Krsna did was A-okay.

 

So how's about instead of condemning those people, why not give them a Higher Taste and tell them that Krsna's Girlfriend was not that pleased with Him either? Why not speak hari-katha to pacify their mind and heart?

 

Who knows, maybe She even wished He invented the cellphone and the computer soHe could email Her every now and then from Dvaraka.