இணையத்தில் அதிகமாக திட்டு வாங்குபவர்களில் காஞ்சி மடத்தின் இன்றைய தலைவரான ஜயேந்திர சரஸ்வதியும் ஒருவர். நான் ஒரு அய்யர் குடும்பத்தில் பிறந்தவன். அய்யர்களில் பலரும் காஞ்சி சங்கர மடத்தை மதிப்பவர்கள். அதனால் எனக்கு ஒரு insider perspective இருக்கும் என்று நினைக்கிறேன்.

எனக்கு இந்த மடம் கிடம் ஆகியவற்றில் அவ்வளவாக நம்பிக்கை கிடையாது. நான் எழுதுவது என் சொந்த அனுபவம், perspective. இதை படித்தால் உங்கள் மனம் புண்படலாம். என் அம்மா அப்பா படித்தால் ஏண்டா இப்படி எழுதினே என்று கோபப்படலாம். யாரையும் புண்படுத்தும் நோக்கத்தில் எழுதப்படவில்லை, என் கருத்து எனக்கு என்று வைத்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள்.

அந்த காலத்தில் வேர்க்கடலை கட்டி வந்த பேப்பரை கூட படிப்பேன். காஞ்சி மடத்தை பற்றிய ஐதீகங்களையும் ஆதி சங்கரர் ஐதீகங்களையும் ஓரளவு படித்திருக்கிறேன். மடத்திலேயே சில புத்தகங்கள் கிடைத்தன என்று நினைவு. காஞ்சி மடம் என்பது கும்பகோணத்தில் சிருங்கேரி மடத்தின் ஒரு கிளையாக இருந்தது, பிறகு காஞ்சிபுரத்தில் தனி மடமாக மாறிவிட்டது என்பது காஞ்சி மட ஐதீகங்களிலேயே இலைமறைகாயாக தெரிகிறது. ஆனால் official காஞ்சி மடத்து ஐதீகமோ, இது ஆதி சங்கரர் ஸ்தாபித்த ஐந்தாவது மடம் என்கிறது. ஆதி சங்கரர் முதல் மடாதிபதியாக இருந்ததாகவும் சுரேஸ்வரர் இரண்டாவாது மடாதிபதி என்றும் official காஞ்சி மடாதிபதிகள் லிஸ்டில் இருக்கிறது. சுரேஸ்வரர்தான் சிருங்கேரி மடத்தை நிறுவியர் என்பது எல்லா சங்கர மடங்களும், ஆதி சங்கரர் ஐதீகங்களும் தெளிவாக சொல்லும் விஷயம். ஒரு பொய்யின் மீது ஒரு ஆன்மீக மடம் எழுப்பப்பட்டிருப்பது எனக்கு சிறு வயதிலேயே பெரிய உறுத்தலாக இருந்தது. கிளை மடமாக இருந்தோம், இப்போது தனியாக பிரிந்துவிட்டோம் என்று வெளிப்படையாக ஒத்துக் கொண்டால் மடத்தின் மகிமை குறைந்துவிடுமா? அப்படி குறைந்துவிடுமென்றால் மடத்துக்கு உண்மையிலேயே ஏதாவது மகிமை இருக்கிறதா?

காஞ்சி மடத்தை பலரும் மதிக்க முக்கிய காரணம் மறைந்த சந்திரசேகரேந்திர சரஸ்வதி அவர்கள்தான். காந்தி வந்து அவரை சந்தித்ததை, அவர் யாரோ ஒரு வெள்ளைக்காரருக்கு திருவண்ணாமலை ரமணரை கை காட்டியதை, சிவாஜி திருவருட்செல்வரில் அப்பருக்கு அவரை ரோல் மாடலாக வைத்துக் கொண்டதை, ஜெயகாந்தன் எழுதிய ஜய ஜய சங்கர சீரிஸ் புத்தகங்கள எல்லாம் பெருமையாக பேசுவார்கள். அவரை நான் ஓரிரு முறை பார்த்திருக்கிறேன். என் சிறு வயதில் காஞ்சிபுரத்துக்கு பக்கத்தில் உள்ள கலவையோ என்னவோ ஒரு கிராமத்தில் இருந்தார் என்று நினைவு. அங்கே ஒரு முறை போயிருக்கிறேன். பெரிய இடம், அவரைப் பார்க்க இரண்டு மூன்று மணி நேரம் ஆனது. ஆனால் அங்கே சும்மா சுற்றி நடந்து வந்து பொழுது போய்விட்டது. அவர் ஒரு நாளைக்கு ஒரு முறைதான் சாப்பிடுவார், அதுவும் உப்பு இல்லாமல் வாழைப்பூவும் சாதமும் கலந்து ஒரு கவளம் இரு கவளம்தான் சாப்பிடுவார் என்று சொன்னார்கள். அட சுகமாக வாழும் சந்நியாசி இல்லை போலிருக்கிறதே என்று தோன்றியது.

அவர் ஒரு முறை சென்னைக்கு வந்திருந்தார். அப்போது எனக்கு ஒரு 13-14 வயது இருக்கலாம். என்னுடைய விதவை உறவினர் ஒருவர் அவரை பார்க்க கிளம்பவில்லை. ஏனென்றால் அவர் தலை மழிக்காத விதவையை பார்த்தால் அன்று சாப்பிட மாட்டாராம். அவர் சாப்பிடும் ஒரு கவளம் இரு கவளத்தையும் நான் ஏன் கெடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று அவர் வீட்டிலேயே உட்கார்ந்து விட்டார். விதவை என்றால் தலையை மழித்துக் கொள்ளத்தான் வேண்டுமா, இது என்னடா கொடுமை என்றுதான் தோன்றியது. அதுவும் அந்த வயதுதான் எல்லாவற்றையும் கேள்வி கேட்கும் வயது, தனக்குத்தான் எல்லாம் தெரியும், இந்த பெரிசுகள் எல்லாம் நாட்டைக் கெடுக்கின்றன என்று ஒரு நினைப்பு இருக்கும் வயது. வெறும் வாயை மெல்பவனுக்கு அவல் கிடைத்தது போல் ஆகிவிட்டது.

அப்புறம் அவருக்கு வயதாக வயதாக senile ஆகிவிட்டார், அதை யாரும் கண்டும் காணாதது மாதிரி இருக்கிறார்கள் என்று தோன்றியது. தீபாவளி மலரில் அவர் படம் போடுவார்கள். ஒரு தீபாவளி மலரில் அவர் குத்துக்காலிட்டு அடி தொடை தெரிய உட்கார்ந்திருந்தார். தீபாவளியும் அதுவுமாக திவ்ய தரிசனம். வெளியிலும் வரவே மாட்டாராம். வெளியில் வந்தால் உண்மை தெரிந்துவிடப் போகிறது என்று அவரை உள்ளேயே வைத்திருந்தார்கள் என்று எனக்கு தோன்றியது. அவர் மறைந்ததும் அவரை கடவுள் என்று கொண்டாடுகிறார்கள். ஜெயமோகனின் விஷ்ணுபுரத்தில் ஆழ்வார் என்று ஒரு காரக்டர் வருவார். அவர் ஒரு icon, senile ஆனாலும் அவரை வைத்து ஷோ காட்டுவார்கள். அந்த இடத்தை படித்தபோது இவர் ஞாபகம் வந்தது.

உண்மையில் பல அய்யர்கள் அவரை கொண்டாடுவது ஜெயேந்திரர் மீது உள்ள அதிருப்தியால்தான் என்று நினைக்கிறேன். ஜெயேந்திரர் மடத்தை விட்டு ஓடிய போதே இந்த அதிருப்தி தொடங்கிவிட்டது. அரசியல் தலையீடு, மடத்தை புது வழிகளில் – மற்ற ஜாதியினரை போய் பார்ப்பது, கல்வி, சங்கரா யூனிவர்சிடி எல்லாம் இந்த அதிருப்தியை அதிகரித்தது. அப்புறம் கொலை கேஸ், பெண்கள் உறவு என்றெல்லாம் நியூஸ் வர ஆரம்பித்ததும் எல்லாருக்கும் அருவருப்பு ஏற்பட்டது என்றுதான் சொல்ல வேண்டும்.

ஜெயேந்திரர் சேரிகளுக்கு போனதும், காலேஜ் திறந்ததும், மடத்தின் சொத்துகளை வைத்து, சமூகத்துக்கு ஏதோ செய்ய நினைத்ததும் எனக்கு பிடித்திருந்தது. ஏதோ கொஞ்சமாவது உருப்படியாக ஏதோ செய்கிறார் என்று தோன்றியது. இவரது முயற்சிகளுக்கு பழமையில் ஊறிய பெரியவர் முட்டுக்கட்டை போட்டிருப்பார், அதனால்தான் தாங்க முடியாமல் ஓடியிருப்பார் என்று தோன்றியது. ஆனால் அது அரசியலில் இலைமறைகாயாக தலையிடுதல், ராம ஜன்ம பூமிக்கு ஆதரவு என்று மாற ஆரம்பித்தது. கடைசியில் பார்த்தால் கொலை கேஸ், பெண்கள் என்று முடிந்திருக்கிறது.

ஜெயேந்திரர் மாசு மறுவற்ற உத்தமர் என்றெல்லாம் எனக்கு நம்பிக்கை இல்லை. நெருப்பிலாமல் புகையாது என்று தோன்றுகிறது. ஆனால் ஒரு மடாதிபதி, அதுவும் ஆதி சங்கரரால் நிறுவப்பட்ட ஒரு மடத்தின் அதிபதி என்று சொல்லிக் கொள்பவர் கொலை எல்லாம் செய்ய வாய்ப்பு குறைவு என்று தோன்றுகிறது. ஜெயலலிதாவுடன் ஏதோ தகராறு, அதனால்தான் அவரை பழி வாங்கவே ஜெ இப்படி எல்லாம் செய்திருக்க வேண்டும் என்றுதான் தோன்றுகிறது. ஜெ ஒருவரை ஒழிக்க வேண்டுமென்றால் என்ன வேண்டுமானாலும் செய்யக் கூடியவர். கைது செய்த போலீஸ் அதிகாரி பற்றியும் சில நெகடிவ் செய்திகள் வந்தது மங்கலாக நினைவிருக்கிறது. கலைஞர் ஆட்சியிலும் கேஸ் விரைந்து நடத்த முயற்சி எடுக்காதது ஏன் என்று புரியவில்லை. ஆனால் ஜெயேந்திரர் மேல் தப்பே இல்லை என்றாலும், இது காழ்ப்பு உணர்ச்சியால் மட்டுமே போடப்பட்ட கேஸ் என்றாலும் ஜெயேந்திரர் கேசை கிடு கிடு என்று முடிக்க முயற்சி செய்ய வேண்டாமா? அப்படி அவரும் முயற்சி செய்வது போல் தெரியவில்லை. அப்படி அவர் முயற்சி செய்யாததுதான் அவர் மீது சந்தேகத்தை அதிகப்படுத்துகிறது.

Ceaser’s wife must be above suspicion என்று சொல்வார்கள். கேஸ் முடியும் வரைக்கும் என்னை நானே சஸ்பெண்ட பண்ணிக் கொள்கிறேன், மடத்தின் லௌகீக விஷயங்களை ஒரு கமிட்டி கவனிக்கும், ஆன்மீக விஷயங்களை கவனிக்க இன்னொரு வாரிசை தேர்ந்தெடுக்கிறேன், கேஸ் முடிந்த பிறகுதான் நான் மீண்டும் தலைமை பொறுப்பை ஏற்பேன் என்று சொன்னால், அது அவருக்கும் கௌரவம். அப்படி அவர் செய்ய விரும்புவதாகவே தெரியவில்லை. எவ்வளவு நாள் முடியுமோ அவ்வளவு நாள் கேசை இழுத்தடிப்போம் என்றுதான் முனைவதாக தோன்றுகிறது. இது அவருக்கும் இழுக்கு, சங்கர மடம் என்ற அமைப்புக்கும் இழுக்கு.

இன்றைக்கும் அய்யர்கள் காஞ்சி மடத்துக்கு போகத்தான் செய்கிறார்கள். அவர்களுக்கு காஞ்சி மடம் ஒரு ஆன்மீக ஸ்தலம் மாதிரி. குல தெய்வம் கோவிலில் பூசாரி சரி இல்லை என்றாலும் கடா வெட்டி பூசை செய்வது நிறுத்தாமல் நடப்பது போல என்று வைத்துக் கொள்ளுங்களேன். ஆனால் எல்லாருக்கும் ஒரு தயக்கம், இங்கே போகிறோமே என்று கொஞ்சம் கவலை எல்லாம் இருக்கிறது. அது எல்லாம் மூத்தவரை கடவுளாகவே பாவிக்கும் நிலையாக உருவாகி இருக்கிறது.

உண்மையில் நாம் கேட்க வேண்டிய கேள்வி வேறு. இந்த கால கட்டத்தில் மடங்கள் போன்ற மத அமைப்புகள் (முஸ்லிம், கிருஸ்துவ, சீக்கிய அமைப்புகளுக்கு பேர் தெரியவில்லை) தேவைதானா? ஒரு மடாதிபதியின் கடமைகள் என்ன? அதை பெரியவரும் ஜயேந்திரரும் செய்தார்களா? பெரியவர் உண்மையிலேயே கொண்டாடப்பட வேண்டியவரா? ஒரு நல்ல மடத்தின், மடாதிபதியின் இலக்கணம் என்ன? இன்றைய கால கட்டத்தில் ஒரு மடம் என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும்? Does a mutt have any relevance today? அதை பற்றி இன்னொரு பதிவில்.

இன்றைய சமுதாயத்தில் ஒரு மடம் என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று நீங்கள் நினைக்கிறீர்கள்? காஞ்சி மடாதிபதிகளைப் பற்றி உங்கள் கருத்து என்ன? முடிந்தால் எழுதுங்கள்!

தொடர்புடைய பதிவுகள்:
காஞ்சி மடம் ஆதி சங்கரர் நிறுவியது இல்லை

As it Is: brewingluminous / Jeremy

Author: Bhushan Manchanda

The Bhagavad Gita , the “Song of God” is one of the most important Hindu scriptures. It is revered as a sacred scripture of Hinduism, and considered as one of the most important philosophical classics of the world.The Bhagavad Gita comprises 700 verses, and is a part of the Mahabharata The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Krishna Who is revered by Hindus as a manifestation of the Lord Himself,and is referred to within as the Bhagavan—the Divine One. The Bhagavad Gita is commonly referred to as the Gita for short.

The content of the Gita is the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra War. Responding to Arjuna’s confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince and elaborates on different Yogic and Vedantiic philosophies, with examples and analogies. This has led to the Gita often being described as a concise guide to Hindu theology and also as a practical, self-contained guide to life. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi describes it as a lighthouse of eternal wisdom that has the ability to inspire any man or woman to supreme accomplishment and enlightenment. During the discourse, Krishna reveals His identity as the Supreme Being Himself (Svayam Bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring vision of His divine universal form.

The basic teachings can be summarized as under:

• Why do you worry without cause? Whom do you fear without reason? Who can kill you? The soul is neither born, nor does it die.
• Whatever happened, happened for the good; whatever is happening, is happening for the good; whatever will happen, will also happen for the good only. You need not have any regrets for the past. You need not worry for the future. The present is happening…
• What did you lose that you cry about? What did you bring with you, which you think you have lost? What did you produce, which you think got destroyed? You did not bring anything – whatever you have, you received from here. Whatever you have given, you have given only here. Whatever you took, you took from God. Whatever you gave, you gave to him. You came empty handed, you will leave empty handed. What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow. You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours. It is this false happiness that is the cause of your sorrows.
• Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death, is indeed life. In one instance you can be a millionaire, and in the other instance you can be steeped in poverty. Yours and mine, big and small – erase these ideas from your mind. Then everything is yours and you belong to everyone.
• This body is not yours, neither are you of the body. The body is made of fire, water, air, earth and ether, and will disappear into these elements. But the soul is permanent – so who are you?
• Dedicate your being to God. He is the one to be ultimately relied upon. Those who know of his support are forever free from fear, worry and sorrow.
• Whatever you do, do it as a dedication to God. This will bring you the tremendous experience of joy and life-freedom forever.

Some Quotes from famous personalities across the world on the Bhagavad Gita:

Albert Einstein

“When I read the Bhagavad Gita and reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous.”

Aldous Huxley

“The Bhagavad Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed; hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all of humanity.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day.”

Henry David Thoreau

“In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial.”

Dr. Albert Schweitzer

“The Bhagavad Gita has a profound influence on the spirit of mankind by its devotion to God which is manifested by actions.”

Carl Jung

“The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in by gone ages. The link with Vedic conceptions is provided by Plato in his Timaeus in which it states ‘behold we are not an earthly but a heavenly plant.’ This correlation can be discerned by what Krishna expresses in chapter 15 the Bhagavad Gita.”

Herman Hesse

“The marvel of the Bhagavad Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life’s wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad Gita. It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us.”

About the Author:

MA,DMM,MBA
(Faculty of Management Studies,University of Delhi,India),
Management Education Consultant.
Over 30 years Industry,Education and Training experience

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Bhagavad Gita:Teachings and Message

From Ireland comes, at long last, exposure of powerful, endemic cover up!  For convenience, I post below the full text of the UK Guardian newspaper’s report of yesterday.

No nation that fails to protect children can be deemed civilized. That so many around the world have left the Sathya Sai Organization and that former devotees have been prepared to withstand almost unimaginable personal attacks and defamation owe much to the fact of love for, and the desire for protection of, our young.

One prediction can be made confidently – the international Sathya Sai Organization, in failing to take responsibility for its great wrongs, and in its extreme lack of accountability and transparency, will be treated most adversely by history.

Any readers well acquainted with the great deal of documentation at sites such as this one, and: -

Sathya Sai Baba In Word And Action

Sathya Sai Baba Deceptions Exposed

Recent Research on the Claims of Sathya Sai Baba

www.exbaba.com

Sai Baba exposé

Sathya Sai Baba

Citizen Initiative (Work of an independent scholar) -

may well have a keen sense of  déjà vu as they read the piece on the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland and its vast cover up of sexual abuse, which continues to this day. Inescapably, one thinks of “the Secret Swami” (thus termed by the BBC) Sathya Sai Baba, and his key officials in the international Sathya Sai Organization and successive local, state and central governments in India. All the latter have profoundly covered up in regard to both allegations of Sai Baba’s (and some of his servitors’) longtime, serial sexual abuse of boys and young men. Likewise, the killings in Sai Baba’s bedroom in 1993, vast misappropriation of donations from many countries, scams in regard to apartments at Puttaparthi, and many other criminal acts.

Ireland’s Justice Minister, Dermot Ahern, appears determined to act strongly. The Guardian reports, 

“Ahern said there should be no hiding place for the abusers even if they wore a clerical collar. “The persons who committed these dreadful crimes – no matter when they happened – will continue to be pursued”

“Even if they wore a clerical collar”?!

One might have thought – especially if they wore a clerical collar. Tears may well be shed for all the good that the Church does. A common cry of Sathya Sai Baba defenders is: But look at all the good that he does! In no way must the doing of good be allowed to hide the doing of evil. Above all, by those of great power. In actual fact, by the way, it is his organized devotees who do practically all of the good.

What – announce the good, and cover up the bad? Not one of the many world leading investigative media nor agencies such as UNESCO have found other than extraordinary cover up by Sathya Sai Baba and his worldwide organization.  To this fact I can attest from the vantage-point of having had a role – along with others, including former prominent former leaders in the Sathya Sai movement, in dealing with them. 

The Guardian states,

“The report, commissioned by the government, strongly criticises the Garda and says senior members of the force regarded priests as being outside their investigative remit. The relationship between some senior gardai and priests and bishops in Dublin was described as “inappropriate”

Like the Irish Catholic Church’s outrage, the story of Puttaparthi and successive Indian government, police and judicial cover up of the actions of Sathya Sai Baba and key servitors is an appalling one. It includes missing persons, documents being falsified, most of the Indian media being muzzled, journalists’ union representation ignored, police investigators and their families being shifted far off, and so on.

But see my article – Senior Indian Policeman (Rtd) Speaks Out About Sathya Sai Baba Murders Cover Up that refers to an Indian policeman, V.J. Ram, a Presidential Police Award winner, who won’t be shut up:

and of the former Home Secretary of Andhra Pradesh, V.P.B. Nair, who told the BBC that the deaths in Sathya Sai Baba’s bedroom were “cold-blooded murder:

Indian Ex Top Official Dogs Sai Baba On BBC. ‘Cold-blooded Murder’

HERE is the transcript of what V.P.B. Nair told BBC television in ‘The Secret Swami’.

Select Readings

Sai Baba’s very close confidante and Robert Priddy

Robert Priddy and Barry Pittard On Dr G. Venkataraman – Sathya Sai Baba Global Propagandist

The Unresolved, Covered-Up 1993 Murders in Sathya Sai Baba’s Bedroom Revisited

V.P.B. Nair. B.Premanand. R.Priddy: Sai Baba Bedroom Killings

New Zealand Lawyer Exposes Official Cover Up of Killings In Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom

Author admits genital oiling by Sathya Sai Baba

Hasty Cover Up Of Sai Baba ‘No bombs in India’ Blunder

Robert Priddy’s analyses relating to: -

The Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders

More about the 1993 murders

Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders – Part 1
Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders – Part 2
Sathya Sai Bedroom Murders – Part 3
Sathya Sai Bedroom Murders – Part 4
Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders – Part 5

Irish church and police covered up child sex abuse, says report

Devastating report on abuse of children by clergy from 1975 to 2004 accuses church and Garda of colluding to cover up scandal

 By Henry McDonald. Ireland correspondent. Thursday 26 November 2009 17.44 GMT

Ireland’s police force colluded with the Catholic church in covering up clerical child abuse in Dublin on a huge scale, according to a damning report on decades of sex crimes committed by the country’s priests.

The devastating three-volume report on the sexual and physical abuse of children by the clergy in Ireland’s capital from 1975 to 2004 accuses four former archbishops, a host of clergy and senior members of the Garda Síochána of covering up the scandal.

It found that the “maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the church and the preservation of its assets” was more important than justice for the victims of sexual and physical abuse.

Four former Archbishops in Dublin – John Charles McQuaid, who died in 1973, Dermot Ryan, who died in 1984, Kevin McNamara, who died in 1987, and retired Cardinal Desmond Connell – were found to have failed to report their knowledge of child sexual abuse to the Garda from the 1960s to the 1980s. But the report added that all the archbishops of the diocese in the period covered by the inquiry were aware of some complaints.

The report, launched today by the Irish justice minister, Dermot Ahern, also concluded that the vast majority of priests turned a “blind eye” to abuse, although some individuals did bring complaints to their superiors, which were not acted upon.

The report, commissioned by the government, strongly criticises the Garda and says senior members of the force regarded priests as being outside their investigative remit. The relationship between some senior gardai and priests and bishops in Dublin was described as “inappropriate”.

Rather than investigate complaints from children, gardai simply reported the matter to the Dublin Catholic diocese, the report says. The Garda Síochána is accused of connivance with the church in stifling at least one complaint of abuse, and letting the alleged perpetrator flee the country.

Ahern said there should be no hiding place for the abusers even if they wore a clerical collar. “The persons who committed these dreadful crimes – no matter when they happened – will continue to be pursued.

“They must come to know that there is no hiding place. That justice – even where it may have been delayed – will not be denied,” he said.

He told a press conference: “I read the report as justice minister. But on a human level – as a father and as a member of this community – I felt a growing sense of revulsion and anger. Revulsion at the horrible, evil acts committed against children. Anger at how those children were then dealt with and how often abusers were left free to abuse.”

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre welcomed the report, saying it was “another acknowledgment of the abject failure of our society to take care of our children”.

The report states that senior clerical figures covered up the abuse over nearly three decades and that the structures and rules of the church facilitated that cover-up. It also says that state authorities facilitated the cover-up by allowing the church to be beyond the reach of the law.

The Murphy Commission of Inquiry into the abuse of children in Dublin identified 320 people who complained of child sexual abuse between 1975 and 2004. It also states that since May 2004, 130 complaints against priests operating in the Dublin archdiocese have been made.

The report details the cases of 46 priests guilty of abuse, as a representative sample of 102 priests within its remit. But it concludes that there was no direct evidence of an organised paedophile ring among priests in the Dublin archdiocese, although it says there were some worrying connections. One priest admitted abusing more than 100 children. Another said he had committed abuse every two weeks for more than 25 years, it said.

The report highlights the case of a Father Carney and Father McCarthy who it claims in one case both abused the same child. The abuse by Carney often occurred at swimming pools, sometimes when he was accompanied by another priest.

The report states that it was not until 1995 that the archdiocese began to notify the civil authorities of complaints of clerical abuse. The commission concludes that in the light of this and other facts, every bishop’s primary loyalty was to the church itself.

A move by the archdiocese to take out insurance against potential compensation claims arising from clerical abuse was, according to the report, an act proving knowledge of child sexual abuse as a potential major cost.

The report, running to hundreds of pages, details particular priests and the abuse perpetrated by them.

The Garda Síochána’s current commissioner, Fachtna Murphy, said the report made for “difficult and disturbing reading, detailing as it does many instances of sexual abuse and failure on the part of both church and state authorities to protect victims.”

Murphy apologised to victims who did not receive the response and protection they were entitled to.

Pope Benedict was challenged today to go to Ireland and apologise for his clergy’s behaviour.

A victims’ rights campaigner called on the pope to visit and say sorry for “the betrayal of children” by those who were meant to show them love. John Kelly, of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said only a papal visit would exonerate the worldwide church of culpability in the abuse scandals.

                       ————————————————————————–

Barry Pittard’s comments in regard to the Public Petition) -:

Petition For Official Investigation Into Sathya Sai Baba Cult

                                       ————————————————————————

Public Petition For Official Investigations of Sathya Sai Baba and His Worldwide Organization

There is a Spanish version available:

PETICIÓN PÚBLICA PARA ”INVESTIGACIONES OFICIALES DE SATHYA SAI BABA Y SU ORGANIZACIÓN A NIVEL MUNDIAL

So this is (extremely) late, but I figure it’s still worth blogging about. So here it goes:

In late October my fellow exchange students and I ventured to Delhi for a week-long youth conference at the Om Shanti Resort. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see much of Delhi (other than the Akshardham Temple), but we instead spent the week exploring the spiritual side of India.

We arrived in Delhi via A/C sleeper train, which is quite an experience, once you get used to the cockroaches and playing a never-ending one-lane version of Frogger in the aisle. Being on the train is always pretty fun though, because if there’s one thing we exchange students are good at, it’s enjoying each others’ company.

About ten thousand games of Egyptian Rat Screw and Bullshit later, we arrived at the resort in Delhi.

View from our hotel room. Not too shabby.

Immediately afterward we were subjected to several days of spiritual lectures which were, for the most part, horribly boring, elementary, and redundant, to be truthful. A few of us managed to wake up for early morning meditation at 4 AM, but aside from that, there wasn’t much variety.

Chilling in lecture, before the boredom set in.

The people in white are called the Brahma Kumaris, our spiritual advisors. They have Brahma Kumari centers set up all across the world. As pointed out below:

We were  given a tour of the entire resort. Including their awesome roof:

A pyramid for meditation:

And the grounds:

Also, there was a very creepy spiritual art gallery, of which I still have nightmares.

Even though the whole experience was kind of disappointing, and we saw nothing of Delhi, it was still a really great opportunity to meet and connect with other people and make new friends:

We also gave a really cool inbound talent show, which featured the following:

Will and I sharing our American culture by performing two songs, “Anyone Else But You” by the Moldy Peaches and “Hotel Yorba” by the White Stripes.

Our rendition of two Bollywood songs (“Pretty Woman” and “Kal Ho Na Ho”) taught to us by our new friends. In return, they performed a German song that we taught them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe3FG4EOgyU

^ Life doesn’t get any better than that.

We also performed “La Bamba” as a whole group. It’s become our unofficial inbound theme song.

The RYLA was wrapped up with a sightseeing trip to the Akshardham Temple. Which was kind of like an educational Disneyland for Hindus. It was absolutely gorgeous, but unfortunately photos were forbidden within the temple.

A lovely group picture (:

I spent the weekend after the RYLA at Almitra’s house. We went to see a play in Nariman Point – at the National Centre for Performing Arts – Life, Love, and Other Madness. It was nice to see an authentic Indian play for once, especially one that dealt with the changing face of relationships in modern India, which is super interesting. The best thing about the weekend though was just being around Almitra and her family – Almitra’s definitely my best friend here. Even if we’re just being lazy or Almitra spends the day studying, we always have fun, and I learn so much from her and her family.

 I’m starting to miss my friends from home a lot more here, but the relationships I’ve made here are what keep me going.

‘复次、曼殊室利！若有净信男子女人，得闻药师琉璃光如来应正等觉所有名号，闻已诵持。晨嚼齿木，澡漱清净，以诸香花，烧香、涂香，作众伎乐，供养形象。于此经典，若自书，若教人书，一心受持，听闻其义。于彼法师，应修供养：一切所有资身之具，悉皆施与，勿令乏少。如是便蒙诸佛护念，所求愿满，乃至菩提’。

“Still more, Manjushri, there may be a pious man or woman who hears the name of the Buddha of Medicine and repeats it and fosters it, he chews the Dantakastha (a stick for cleaning the teeth) in the morning, takes bath and rinses his mouth, until he is quite clean. He then prays with incense and flowers, he burns the incense and rubs the body with perfume, sings the Sutra and proffers offerings before the image of the Buddha. He copies the Sutra or has it copied, learns it by heart, has it explained to him. He makes offerings to his Buddhist teacher and gives alms generously and not let him be in want of anything. Then all the Buddhas will protect him and keep him in mind. His prayers will be granted, he will eventually attain perfect Enlightenment.”
—— 药师琉璃光如来本愿功德经 The Medicine Master Crystal Tathagata Fundamental Vow Meritorious Sutra

性平
Xing Ping

Recently, I had posted a debate from the Unbelievable radio show, which is broadcast in the UK. The topic of the debate was whether India should pass an anti-conversion law to prevent Christians from trying to convert people to Christianity. Basically, many Hindus in India want Christians to adopt the Hindu notions of polytheism and religious pluralism. They want Christians to accept that Jesus is one incarnation of the divine among many, and they want to outlaw the Christian practice of using speech to convince people to become Christians.

You can listen to the debate here in my original post.

But I wanted to highlight another debate that occurred in the comments of this blog, between me and a Hindu reader, who challenged me for being intolerant because I said that Hinduism was false.

His initial comment is here.

Guys, all religions teach the same things. Its how each religion is interpreted that makes it different. If you follow any religion persistently, it will lead you to a peaceful and happy life.

[...]If one feels happy following Christian rituals, he may follow Christianity; if he feels happy following Hindu rituals, he is good to a Hindu. It all depends on what makes sense to the person. Enforcing or luring someone to another religion is wrong…It should be a personal choice. And no one should oppose a conversion made by personal choice.

[...]To say that someone’s God or method of worship is false or not real is absolute rubbish according to me.

[...]If one says that other’s God or religion is false, he/she is not tolerating the other’s beliefs. And its immoral. Such things lead to religious conflicts.

[...]I believe in Jesus and so in my religion which is Hinduism.

[...]Why convert when a human being’s main aim is to be happy? Every religion has scriptures that tell how to become happy and attain heaven/liberation.

[...]Everyone loves his/her religion. They would not want to hear anything bad about it.

And I replied:

Our view as Christians is that the purpose of religion is not to live a happy life and to be “good”. Our view is that we want to believe what is true and to know God as God really is. We believe that God is a person, with a real personality – likes and dislikes.

What you’re proposing is a Hindu approach to religion, except with Christian symbols and rituals. But Christians don’t care about symbols and rituals much. We are more interested in history, science and propositional logic. We treat religion like… any other area of knowledge. First we discover the truth, then we act on it.

Additionally, you have a Hindu approach to conversion, and you are trying to force that on Christians. You can keep your Hindu approach to yourself, and tolerate the fact that we have a different approach to conversion.

[...]You’re not in a position to know what Christianity teaches, or what Jesus believes, since you haven’t looked into these things at all. You know Hinduism. And you are projecting Hinduism onto other religions. But Hinduism is totally different than Christianity. They conflict in many areas, like cosmology and history. We believe that the universe had a beginning, you think it’s eternal. And science can arbitrate that claim. We are willing to change our beliefs to be in line with what we can test in the external world, using the laws of logic, and the study of science and history.

[...]You write “To say that someone’s God or method of worship is false or not real is absolute rubbish according to me.”, yet you think that Christianity is false, and not real. But I am actually not offended by that at all. You are welcome to think I am wrong. I don’t mind, this is the way that the game plays. Only one of us can be right, and if you were right, I would have to switch over to your view and that would be fine with me.

[...]You write “Everyone loves his/her religion. They would not want to hear anything bad about it.” No that’s your view. You identify Hindusim with India and patriotism and your people and culture. I don’t identify Christianity with anything except truth. I like it because it’s true. And that the only reason I like it.

[...]When I say that Hinduism is false, I am not “talking bad about your religion” any more than I am talking bad about the view that 2 + 2 = 5, when I say that 2 + 2 = 4. It’s not talking bad about an idea to say it is false.

And then he replied:

Do you believe that people who worship idols are devilish or all religions except Christianity are false? If yes then explain me with proper scientific reasoning and provide me a proof in the recent decades that logically explains the above two statements. You need to prove me that what you believe is experimented by scientists and proven by technology.

[...]I believe in all Gods no matter what religion because God is One. For me and this generation of educated Indians, we believe in tolerance and respect for all religions. We believe in co-operating with each other and not pointing flaws in others beliefs until its proven scientifically and attested by scientific authority. And we believe that people’s belief be respected!

Then I replied:

The current best theory of the origin of the universe is called the big bang theory. It states that all the matter, energy, as well as time and space and time, came into being from nothing. It is backed by experimental data from red-shift measurements, cosmic microwave background radiation measurements, and light element abundance measurements, etc. The theory states that the universe began 14.7 billion years ago. Additionally, the universe will not recollapse because measurements of mass density from Maxima and Boomerang show that the universe will expand forever.

The big 3 monotheistic religions agree with the universe coming into being from nothing. Unfortunately, other religions think that the universe is eternal, such as Mormonism and Hinduism. On that basis, I reject Hinduism, which requires that the universe be eternal.

“I believe in all Gods no matter what religion because God is One.” That view (pantheism/polytheism) is called Hinduism. You are a Hindu. Christianity (monotheism) is mutually exclusive with Hinduism, because the teachings are in conflict, (as with the example of cosmology). As a Hindu, you therefore think that Christianity is false. On your definition, you don’t “tolerate” Christianity – you think it’s false. You don’t “respect” Christianity, because you want to force your view (Hinduism) and your view of conversion (don’t tell other people their religion is false) on Christians.

[...]Note: I am ok with you saying that I am wrong and that Christianity is false.

And then we sort of wound things down from there.

Anyway, the point of this exchange is most people in most religions think that the point of religion is to be happy, to have a sense of community and to get along with everyone by never talking about whether religious claims about the external world are true or false. But that view of the purpose of religion is not the Christian view. On the Christian view, the goal is to seek the truth. And part of Christian practice is to defend Christianity in public, and trying to convince other people that Christianity is true.

So, I think that Christians need to be a bit tougher, and recognize when someone who is not a Christian is trying to get them to accept that the purpose of religion is not to seek the truth. That’s their view. That’s not our view. It doesn’t make any sense for someone to say that I am evil for thinking they are wrong, when they are thinking that I am wrong. I think a better way forward is to allow other people to disagree with you, but to keep the disagreement focused on arguments and evidence.

And just because you disagree with someone else, it doesn’t mean you have to be mean to them. In my office, I am friends with Hindus, Muslims, atheists and Jews. We try to outdo one another in good deeds to make our religions look good! And when we debate which religion is true, we use arguments and evidence to attack and defend. What I’ve found is that you get a much stronger friendship when you are comfortable being yourself. I keep telling my co-workers – it’s OK to disagree.

Related posts

• the problem of religious pluralism and religious truth claims
• the problem of postmodern skepticism
• the fate of the unevangelized (what about those who never heard of Jesus)
• the hiddenness of God (why isn’t there more evidence for God’s existence?)
• are all religions basically the same?
• what about the blind men and the elephant?
• isn’t faith is opposed to reason and evidence? (a debate between a Christian and a postmodern relativist)
• what makes Christianity different from other religions?

Mentoring

• the importance of being able to argue both sides of a question
• why does talking about religion make people uncomfortable?
• how to talk to your co-workers about your faith

Apologetics advocacy

• does the Bible teach that faith is opposed to logic and evidence?
• the six enemies of apologetic engagement
• why men flee the feminized church
• why won’t Christians defend their faith in public?

Ram Madhav: Giving the facts.

The Ramjanmabhoomi Movement reached a historic stage after the demolition of the non-mosque in 1992. It was a non-mosque because it was never used by Muslims after 1934. It was never registered as a Waqf property by any of the Sunni or Shia boards anywhere in UP or the country. There was no  Muttawalli/Imam attached to it. In effect, it ceased to be a mosque at least since 1934. And what is more, it was – and still is – a functioning temple at least since 1949.

The real India is waking up to a new, historical reality. This awakening is a result of the unfolding of a mighty creative genius of millions of unknown Indians whose names are not known and whose lives are nothing special to remember otherwise. It is they who can metaphorically be descried as the “Real Bharat”. They are charting a new course for the future of our country. The historic Ramjanmabhoomi Movement is but a symbol of that new awakening – a symbol that reminds the world that India, at last, is becoming alive to its history.

It is not just a movement for a temple. It manifests the innate yearning of people for self-respect and honour, an urge to unshackle themselves from the humiliating history heaped on them. It happens to every country; in fact it has happened several times in the history of several countries.

Russian Eastern Orthodox Cathedral in Warsaw: Demolished by the Roman Catholic Poles in the 1920s.

“As I have been speaking, some vivid visual memories have been flashing up in the mind’s eye. One of these is the picture of the principal square in the Polish city of Warsaw sometime in the late nineteen twenties. In the course of the first Russian occupation of Warsaw (1914-1915), the Russians had built an Eastern Orthodox Christian cathedral on this central spot in the city that had been the capital of the once independent Roman Catholic Christian country Poland. The Russians had done this to give the Poles a continuous ocular demonstration that the Russians were their masters. After re-establishment of Poland’s independence in 1918, the Poles pulled this cathedral down. The demolition had been completed just before the date of my visit. I do not greatly blame the Polish government for having pulled down that Russian church. The purpose for which the Russians had built it had been not religious but political, and the purpose had also been intentionally offensive,” says universally acclaimed
historian Sir Arnold Toynbee.

In Turkey, they turned the Church of Santa Sophia into a mosque. In Nicosia churches were converted into mosques. The Spaniards spent many centuries re-conquering their land from Muslim invaders.

About India this was what Toynbee had to say: “Aurangzeb’s purpose in building those three mosques (Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura) was the same intentionally offensive political purpose that moved the Russians to build their Orthodox cathedral in the city centre at Warsaw. Those mosques were intended to signify that an Islamic government was reigning supreme, even over Hinduism’s holiest of holy places. I must say that Aurangzeb had a veritable genius for picking out provocative sites. Aurangzeb and Philip II of Spain are a pair. They are incarnations of the gloomily fanatical vein in the Christian-Muslim-Jewish family of religions. Aurangzeb – poor wretched misguided bad man – spent a lifetime of hard labour in raising massive monuments to his own discredit. Perhaps the Poles were really kinder in destroying the Russians’  self-discrediting monument in Warsaw than you have been in sparing Aurangzeb’s mosques.” (One World and India; 1960; pp 59-60).

Medieval Indian history is replete with instances of wanton aggression on its holy places by Muslim hordes. Innumerable instances of defaced Hindu idols and destroyed Hindu/Jain/Buddhist holy places stare at us everywhere. These destructions were not done just for the sake of fun as some eminent Indian (read Marxist) historians would want us to believe. These were deliberate acts of religious vandalism perpetrated by intolerant Islamic invaders.

However, one would be grossly and sadly mistaken if he confuses the present day awakening in the form of the Ramjanmabhoomi Movement to an effort to “avenge the historic wrongs”. Many so-called liberal (euphemism for Marxist) intellectuals spread this canard either deliberately (most probable) or at times out of ignorance (rare).

The movement for the Ramjanmabhoomi is basically a movement for the self-assertion of a civilisation. It is a wounded civilisation trying to re-invent its roots. It has to be understood properly, instead of dismissed with contempt. That is what Sir Vidia Naipaul also says: “If people just acknowledged history, certain deep emotions of shame and defeat would not be driven underground and would not find this rather nasty and violent expression. As people become more secure in India, as a middle and lower middle class begins to grow, they will feel this emotion more and more. And it is in these people that deep things are stirred by what was, clearly, a very bad defeat. The guides who take people around the temples of Belur and Halebid are talking about this all the time. I do not think they were talking about it like that when I was there last, which is about 20 something years ago. So new people come up and they begin to look at their world and from being great acceptors, they have become questioners. And I think we should simply try to understand this passion. It is not an ignoble passion at all. It is men trying to understand themselves. Do not dismiss them. Treat them seriously.” (“The Truth Governs Writing”, an interview by Sadanand Menon, The Hindu, July 5, 1998).

The movement has reached a historic stage after the demolition of the non-mosque in 1992. It was a non-mosque because it was never used by Muslims after 1934. It was never registered as a Waqf property by any of the Sunni or Shia boards anywhere in UP or the country. There was no Muttawalli/Imam attached to it. In effect, it ceased to be a mosque at least since 1934. And what is more, it was-and still is-a functioning temple at least since 1949.

Mir Baqi's victory monument in Ayodhya being demolished on Dec. 6, 1992. The "masjid" was built in 1528 after demolishing a Vishnu temple and is named for the Turkic-Uzbec invader Babur who became India's first Mogul emperor. Babur is buried in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Hence, what was destroyed on December 6, 1992, was a non-mosque and a functioning temple only. The destruction was a result of the pent-up frustration caused by the inordinate delays and insensitive approach of a section of leaders.

The dispute reached the Supreme Court in 1993 when the government of the day referred to it the core question of whether a Hindu temple existed at the disputed site before the construction of the mosque or not. Declining to answer the core question, the five-member Supreme Court bench in its judgment in October 1994 said keeping aside the disputed land of 2.77 acres on which the make-shift Ram Temple stands today, the remaining land of about 67 acres may be returned to its owners if the government thinks such a step would not hamper the legal proceedings on the disputed site.

It is pertinent to note here that there is no dispute about the ownership of this land or its title in any court anywhere. This undisputed land was acquired by the Union government in 1993 along with the disputed land. There was a move by the central government in 2002 to hand over this undisputed land to its original owners including the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas. The Nyas on its part was willing to give an undertaking to the effect that it would provide a corridor to the disputed site as access in case the judgment on that site went the other way. However, a public interest litigation was filed by a Muslim individual acting upon which a three-member Supreme Court bench asked the Government of India to maintain the status quo on the 67 acres.

All that the leaders of the movement are asking at this point in time is that their part of the undisputed site be returned to them. It does in no way affect the judicial proceedings on the disputed site. The Government of India has moved an application in the Supreme Court seeking vacation of the status quo order so that it can implement the 1994 judgment.

While the facts of the matter clearly indicate the demand of the leaders of the movement is fully legal and constitutional – at no point in time are they demanding that the disputed site be handed over to them – a campaign of calumny full of falsehood and insinuation has been unleashed by a section of intellectuals.

It is a tragedy that these intellectuals fail to understand the movement in its entirety. This is what Sir Vidia had to say about them: “Indian intellectuals, who want to be secure in their liberal beliefs, may not understand what is going on, especially if these intellectuals happen to be in the United States. But every other Indian knows precisely what is happening: deep down he knows that a larger response is emerging even if at times this response appears in his eyes to be threatening.”

And this is the advice he has for those intellectuals: “It is not enough to abuse them or to use that fashionable word from Europe: fascism. There is a big, historical development going on in India. Wise men should understand it and ensure that it does not remain in the hands of fanatics. Rather they should use it for the intellectual transformation of India.” (“An Area of Awakening”, interview by Dileep Padgaonkar, The Times of India, July 18, 1993).

So much transformation has taken place in the intellectual world after 1993 that a large section of our intelligentsia understands and appreciates the significance of this movement today.

Let me end by quoting Dr Rajendra Prasad during the renovation of the historic Somnath temple in 1950, which was vandalised by a 11th century Muslim invader, Mohammad Ghazni.

“By rising from its ashes again, this temple of Somnath will proclaim to the world that no man and no power in the world can destroy that for which people have boundless faith and love in their hearts….  Today, our attempt is not to rectify history. Our only aim is to proclaim anew our attachment to the faith, convictions and to the values on which our religion has rested since immemorial ages.”

Just replace Somnath with Ayodhya.

Jai Ram! Jai Hind!

benefit from good fortune five years from now, apparently. But it’s not good enough to open one of your own veins. At least 10,000 buffalo have to die in order for a whole country to benefit. And that’s not all. 250,000 animals from rats, to chickens, to pigs and bigger get the chop for this twice-a-decade ritual.

With up to a million worshippers on the roads near the festival grounds, this year’s fair seems more popular than ever, despite vocal protests from animals rights groups who have called for it to be banned. “It is the traditional way, ” explained 45-year old Manoj Shah, a Nepali driver who has been attending the event since he was six, “If we want anything, and we come here with an offering to the goddess, within five years all our dreams will be fulfilled.” .

Gadhimai is a Hindu goddess of power. So the people get dreams coming true. What do animals get? They get their heads sliced off and their bodies sold to meat markets and anyone else who can make a profit off their remains

On the eve of the event, protesters made a final plea to organisers by cracking open coconuts in a nearby temple as a symbolic sacrifice. “It is cruel and inhumane. We’ve always been a superstitious country, but I don’t think sacrifice has to be part of the Hindu religion,” said the protest organiser, Pramada Shah.

The campaign has the support of the French actor Brigitte Bardot, who has petitioned the Nepalese prime minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, about the issue. But the government, which donated £36,500 to the event, has shown no sign of discontinuing the centuries-old tradition. An attempt by the previous government to cut the budget for animal sacrifice provoked street protests.

I think if it’s possible to fight this tradition, it needs to be fought. It’s harder when a government backs it, obviously, but it’s still necessary to try.

Ever had one of those days when you just feel restless or something. You are not quite sure what to do with yourself. Feel like you want to do something or even need to do something but just have no idea a to what.

Talked to Kelly this morning. She is a very very nice lady, a nurse at the heart failure clinic I think I wrote about an appointment I had there a couple of weeks ago and of how I lucked into having a test done immediately. Sort of being in the right place at the right time. I got some, I suppose you would call preliminary results back on the test results. I am sure I will be writing more on that just not in the mood right now.

I came across a saying last night that really struck me. Huh, memory guy here, I can’t remember where I came across it or even the exact wording. It was the message contained in the words that got me. I know I have come across this saying before and maybe even posted about it, don’t remember.

The message was to the effect. “While we are on this adventure of life, why do we take every thing seriouly. It is not like any of us are going to get out of it alive.”

Some thoughts seem to impact on me in different ways at different times. I hope I was able to find the words to get the point of the message across in the way I meant it.

I think about that.  We are all people, all individuals in our own ways. Where we are all identical is that each of us was born into this world and each of us will in their own time leave it. Common bonds that we all share and there is no getting away from that, try as we may.

I image our Heavenly Father as having a calendar, one for each of us. On that calendar is stamped two dates. The day we will enter this world and the day we will leave it. We all have that in common.

Where we differ widely is how we will spend the time between those two dates. Our free will gives us that choice on a daily basis. We can live, learn from and enjoy our days, Or we can endure them.

What is my definition of enduring life? I use what is a look back  in my own life for that.

To me endure life as opposed to living it is:

- being so caught up on the frenzied speed of the treadmill of live, that each day passes in a blur. We are continually moving at such a frantic pace we take no time to look at and enjoy the beauty of life, of the world around us.

- we struggle with each day, struggle just to get through it. We put our heads down, plodding away. We are so determined to keep moving we have tunnel vision and fail to see the beauty of life or the world around us.

- we find ourselves in an intolerable situation but fail to do anything about it. We fool ourselves into thinking we don’t have the time or energy to change it. We deprive ourselves of the beauty of life or of the world around us.

- Always wanting something more, or something different in our lives. Not stopping to really look, see and appreciate what is already there.

- there are dozens, no more like hundreds or even thousand of excuses we all use as need to justify not living life. We do it without even realizing we are doing it, or realizing what it is we are depriving ourselves of.

Life is the greatest gift of all, what a shame it is to waste something so precious.

(Audrey) I wish I were in Nepal right now, viewing the Gadhimai festival. Apparently, over the course of 2 days more than 250,000 animals will be slaughtered. Yes, the animal rights activists are going absolutely nuts, but leaving that issue aside this is a fascinating cultural phenomenon. Forget everything you think you know about vegetarian, cow-loving, animal protecting Hindus, right? Here’s a shot of the animals being led to their imminent demise:

To see what happens next, you absolutely must check out this slideshow. Pretty awesome.

Today, I found myself in an internet debate over the topic of Religion. A certain blogger who shall remain anonymous has made it their duty to call out religion and any beliefs that one may have as ‘weak’ and an excuse for the ‘misguided actions’ they apparently have ‘no control over’ (because we’re all morally weak, right?). They explained that religion is like a ’safety net’ in which those who believe ‘find comfort in’ when they fall victim to peer pressure.

I’d like to say this right now – and I don’t want to sound like a freaky religious person nor do I want to force my beliefs upon anyone – you have just as much proof that God does not exist as I have proof that he does exist. This universal debate has been ongoing for centuries and I fear it will go on for many more. As much as I’d like for the world to be a simple and peaceful place, it never will be while debates like this still exist.

[Science vs God]

Anyone who raises a point on one side can always be rebutted by another point on the opposing side. Scientists have spent lifetimes trying to find breakthroughs and explanations for why things are the way they are. There would be no need for these findings if everyone believed that it was created by someone greater than we are – someone above all of humanity – someone like God. Unfortunately, there will always be people who do not believe – the ’seeing is believing’ people. To such a point; one could argue that the earth is evidence, the sun, the air we breathe, humans, animals, nature…which is what I believe. But to those who don’t it won’t do anything but spark up the debate all over again.

Likewise, man has studied the bible through and through trying to match up the pieces of info and history of our universe. Christianity is preached all over the world – in most countries – and it has the biggest population of followers. Clearly, it is most logical explanation for why things are the way they are, and most people can see that. Though, again, to the non-believers, it’s all a myth; so really there’s no way of convincing them nor is there a ‘logical argument’, they would say.

While I have read the various theories of evolution and of the big bang, and the scientific evidence that supports it; I still can’t believe that life can be controlled/occur as a result of two random atoms colliding. Something as perfect, complex and intricate as the human body surely could not have been created by accident; by anything other than someone like God. How about babies? How do they survive in the womb? How are they automatically born with the reflex action of suckling when stroked on the cheek? How can something as simple as the anatomy of spider create such versatile and complicated webs?

Lol; I’m preaching aren’t I? I don’t mean to. But anyways, back to my point. The earth we live on is but a tiny spec of dust in a vast universe which stretches out further than any horizons and expands across any of our imaginations. You cannot begin to comprehend how large it or what else exists out there. It really is amazing. I can’t seem to believe that this is all a result of an accident though – that once upon a time there was nothing, and now there is a whole galaxy and solar system.

To the non-believers who base their opinions upon real, hard evidence in front of them – the ones who let science take over their life – I would just like to say this: have. some. respect. We may not all be smart geeks like you, we may not understand the laws of physics, or the basics of chemistry and biology – but that is no reason to undermine our beliefs and faith. I am sick to death of people shunning the bible as a mythological fairytale that was created by middle-aged men with no lives; and religion as the ‘weak’ alternative to living life.

Putting your faith into something/someone greater than who we are is not at all weak. I do not believe in God because I am scared of being eternally damned or suffering during my second life. I am not forced to believe in God by my parents, nor to attend Church on Sunday mornings. This my choice.

Religion is choice. You can’t say you’re a Christian just because you’ve been to Church every Sunday of your life since the day you born and then go out and do everything the bible tells you not to do. Sure, you may have gone to Church your whole life, but by not following God’s law, you are making a choice – to not be a good follower/faithful.

I’m not saying that doing what you want and not following the bible is weak, either. Like I said, it’s a choice. I choose to follow God’s law and put my faith in Him – and because of that I feel strength, not weakness. Just like people choose not to follow Him because they don’t believe there is enough evidence. I do no fear of being eternally damned if I sin once because I know that God will forgive me if I am truly sorry. Likewise, I don’t say I’m a believer purely because I don’t want to be eternally damned – I’m a believer because I have gone to Church practically every Sunday of my life and I have listened. I read the bible and I see the evidence in my life. Believing in God does not make me fearful; but rather strong and proud. I know that wherever I go and whatever I do, I will always be safe because God will always be right by my side.

So, to conclude – this really was in retaliation to the blog I read earlier today and also an opportunity for me to vent my anger and feelings. To the non-believers – I have respect for what you believe, please have some respect for what I believe. To those who may wonder – why do good people suffer? Why is there so much evil in the world? Well I’ll tell you; these are God’s trials – tests, if you will, to measure your faithfulness and loyalty to God. Without bad, there’d be no good to separate it from. Without suffering, there would be no compassion or forgiveness.

Arguing about whether God exists or not/any religion for that matter – is always going to be a moot debate. No one will ever win. Stop doing it. Respect each other.

That’s all I have to say for now.

-Ania

[edit]

P.S I realise that in my last post I mentioned my love for the show ‘The Big Bang Theory’. Granted, my love stems only from the fact that it is an extremely hilarious show – I am not a psycho, hypocritical religious person.

Right now, a media furore is erupting in India, which relates to the “leaked” details of the Judge Liberhan Commission report, a 17-year inquiry into the tumultuous 1992 Ayodhya Mosque demolition. A number of the figures very seriously named are long-time close associates of Sathya Sai Baba and his core servitors.

The report names the former (BJP) Prime Minister Vajpayee, his Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani (not a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba) and former high-powered government BJP minister Murli Manohar Joshi as instrumental figures in orchestrating the demolition and hiding their roles in this extremely painful episode in modern Indian history. The disgraced former Home Minister, Ashok Singhal, like Vajpayee and Joshi, is an old adherent of Sathya Sai Baba, is also named. Media links to this breaking story abound – but here are a couple:

 NEWS REPORT, Tuesday, 24 November 2009

An official report in India has blamed leading Hindu nationalist politicians for playing a role in the 1992 demolition of a mosque in Ayodhya.

The report clearly implicates more than 60 people – including the most senior members of the main opposition party, the BJP – in the mosque’s destruction.

The mosque was brought down by a Hindu mob and some 2,000 people died in riots across India after its demolition.

BJP politicians have denied any wrongdoing in the incident.

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                                                                         A scene at the time of the riots and the demolition of the Mosque

In a joint public letter (December 2001), the (then) Chief Justice of India, P.N. Bhagwati along with the former Prime Minister of India of the right wing BJP, A.B. Vajpayee, and another former Chief Justice of India, Ranganath Mishra, and three other prominent leaders wrote a public letter stating that contentions of Sai Baba’s dissenters represent a:

“wild, reckless and concocted allegations made by certain vested interests and people against Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba”.

But of course the chief players concerning us here are Vajpayee,  Advani, and Joshi, the first and the third closely linked with Sathya Sai Baba, as we have often enough referred to -See my:

Letter to Prime Minister of India, Hon. A.B. Vajpayee 

By Barry Pittard, Australia, former Lecturer, Sri Sathya Sai College of the Arts, Science and Commerce, Whitefield, Karnataka

Here is the signatory list:A.B. Vajpayee
(then) Prime Minister of India
P.N. Bhagawati
Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India
Ranganath Mishra
(then) Chair Person, National Human Rights Commissioner of India
Formerly Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India
Najma Heptulla
(then) President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; UNDP Distinguished Human Development Ambassador
Shivraj V. Patil
(Details as signatory: Member of Parliament, India; Formerly of the Lok Sabha & Union Minister. However Patil is now Home Minister in the Government of Manmohan Singh, who himself has shown strong partiality to Sathya Sai Baba)

See my article:  Shivraj Patil Falls From Home Ministry and Robert Priddy’s, below.

 Murli Manohar JoshiIn blustering, bullying style towards the interviewer, Tanya Datta, who asked perfectly reasonable questions, seen by millions in many countries around the world viewing BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’, (2004) Joshi aggressively defended Sathya Sai Baba. See:

Indian Minister Shields Sai Baba on BBC television

Posted by Barry Pittard on July 31, 2007In the BBC’s 2004 television documentary The Secret Swami, confronted by the BBC interviewer Tanya Datta, Murali Manohar Joshi (see photo, right), one of the most powerful ministers in the since-defeated A.B. Vajpayee (pictured to left) right-wing government, soon lost his temper, jabbing away with pointed finger at Ms Datta, accusing the BBC and people in England of plotting against Sai Baba, A.B. Vajpayee and P.N. Bhagawati  (sometimes Bhagwati), a key Sathya Sai Central Trust member and former Chief Justice of India). He arrogantly shouts at her,

“No, no, no… You don’t know the meaning of interviewing a minister in my capacity, as a minister of my stature.”

Allegations against Sai are worldwideMs Datta’s vulnerability in the face of an arch bully was  touching to see, and she showed some courage but tougher interviewers would not have put up with an evasiveness like Joshi’s. It might have been better had Ms Datta not tried to defend the BBC and herself (although her reaction is transparently natural) but, rather, firmly stated the worldwide nature of the serious evidence that keeps on coming.At least, Murali Manohar Joshi’s arrogant evasion of the BBC’s totally fair question about Indian Government accountability was unmasked for the world to see. Joshi exposed himself. See him doing it in video footage from the BBC’s The Secret Swami HERE

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The Times of India story mentions the disgraced Home Minister Ashok Singhal, yet another political figure strongly associated with Sathya Sai Baba. 

Shivraj Patil – Sai Baba worshipper – resigns

Posted by Robert Priddy on 30th November 2008 

India’s Minister of Home Affairs, Shivraj Patil, who lost his seat at the last election, was nevertheless given the government post by Manmohan Singh. These two cronies are co-worshippers of Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi - and Sonia Gandhi protegees, the self-proclaimed God Incarnate, Deity of deities, The Father who Sent Jesus and virtually whatever else almighty or divine. At last, this worshipper and top home affairs protector of Sathya Sai Baba has met his Waterloo and had to resign! A further casualty is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh (see CNN report).

Why hast thou given up Ramanama?
Thou hast not given up anger or falsehood,
why hast thou given up truthful speech?
Being immersed in this false show,
why hast thou abandoned the original home?
Thou hast treasured a cowrie,
why hast thou neglected the ruby?
Why hast thou given up remembering
that which is the source of all happiness?
Khalus says, Why wilt thou not trust God
and leave body, mind and wealth?

(Mohandas K. Gandhi, collected in Prayers of Gandhi)

Difference between Mind and Matter is one of degree ,not of kind.While mind vibrates at a higher rate, matter vibrates at a lower frequency.
Lower frequencies are associated with past experiences, higher frequencies are linked to present and Ultra high frequencies with the future.
Consciousness is a stream that is Universal.Individual variations are due to limitations of Space and Time.Mind can relate to and transcend Time and Space with proper discipline.
The exposition of this thought will take too much space;separate blog follows.
What the current studies attempt to prove and proved partially have already been practiced in Hinduism.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 23, 2009) — The human brain is bombarded with all kinds of information, from the memory of last night’s delicious dinner to the instructions from your boss at your morning meeting. But how do you “tune in” to just one thought or idea and ignore all the rest of what is going on around you, until it comes time to think of something else?

Researchers at the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for the Biology of Memory at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have discovered a mechanism that the brain uses to filter out distracting thoughts to focus on a single bit of information. Their results are reported in 19 November issue of Nature.
Think of your brain like a radio: You’re turning the knob to find your favourite station, but the knob jams, and you’re stuck listening to something that’s in between stations. It’s a frustrating combination that makes it quite hard to get an update on swine flu while a Michael Jackson song wavers in and out. Staying on the right frequency is the only way to really hear what you’re after. In much the same way, the brain’s nerve cells are able to “tune in” to the right station to get exactly the information they need, says researcher Laura Colgin, who was the paper’s first author. “Just like radio stations play songs and news on different frequencies, the brain uses different frequencies of waves to send different kinds of information,” she says.
Gamma waves as information carriers
Colgin and her colleagues measured brain waves in rats, in three different parts of the hippocampus, which is a key memory center in the brain. While listening in on the rat brain wave transmissions, the researchers started to realize that there might be something more to a specific sub-set of brain waves, called gamma waves. Researchers have thought these waves are linked to the formation of consciousness, but no one really knew why their frequency differed so much from one region to another and from one moment to the next.
Information is carried on top of gamma waves, just like songs are carried by radio waves. These “carrier waves” transmit information from one brain region to another. “We found that there are slow gamma waves and fast gamma waves coming from different brain areas, just like radio stations transmit on different frequencies,” she says.
You really can “be on the same wavelength”
“You know how when you feel like you really connect with someone, you say you are on the same wavelength? When brain cells want to connect with each other, they synchronize their activity,” Colgin explains. “The cells literally tune into each other’s wavelength. We investigated how gamma waves in particular were involved in communication across cell groups in the hippocampus. What we found could be described as a radio-like system inside the brain. The lower frequencies are used to transmit memories of past experiences, and the higher frequencies are used to convey what is happening where you are right now.”
If you think of the example of the jammed radio, the way to hear what you want out of the messy signals would be to listen really hard for the latest news while trying to filter out the unwanted music. The hippocampus does this more efficiently. It simply tunes in to the right frequency to get the station it wants. As the cells tune into the station they’re after, they are actually able to filter out the other station at the same time, because its signal is being transmitted on a different frequency.
The switch
“The cells can rapidly switch their activity to tune in to the slow waves or the fast waves,” Colgin says, “but it seems as though they cannot listen to both at the exact same time. This is like when you are listening to your radio and you tune in to a frequency that is midway between two stations- you can’t understand anything- it’s just noise.” In this way, the brain cells can distinguish between an internal world of memories and a person’s current experiences. If the messages were carried on the same frequency, our perceptions of the world might be completely confused. “Your current perceptions of a place would get mixed up with your memories of how the place used to be,” Colgin says.
The cells that tune into different wavelengths work like a switch, or rather, like zapping between radio stations that are already programmed into your radio. The cells can switch back and forth between different channels several times per second. The switch allows the cells to attend to one piece at a time, sorting out what’s on your mind from what’s happening and where you are at any point in time. The researchers believe this is an underlying principle for how information is handled throughout the brain.
“This switch mechanism points to superfast routing as a general mode of information handling in the brain,” says Edvard Moser, Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience director. “The classical view has been that signaling inside the brain is hardwired, subject to changes caused by modification of connections between neurons. Our results suggest that the brain is a lot more flexible. Among the thousands of inputs to a given brain cell, the cell can choose to listen to some and ignore the rest and the selection of inputs is changing all the time. We believe that the gamma switch is a general principle of the brain, employed throughout the brain to enhance interregional communication.”
Can a switch malfunction explain schizophrenia?
People who are schizophrenic have problems keeping these brain signals straight. They cannot tell, for example, if they are listening to voices from people who are present or if the voices are from the memory of a movie they have seen. “We cannot tell for sure if it is this switch that is malfunctioning, but we do know that gamma waves are abnormal in schizophrenic patients,” Colgin says. “Schizophrenics’ perceptions of the world around them are mixed up, like a radio stuck between stations.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120000140.htm

hinduism is one of the oldest traditions of the world dating back to the indus valley civilisation.one of the major characteristics of this religion is the fact that it is not a religion but a way of life.that means anyone who follow the ‘indian’ way of life can be considered a hindu.this interpretation of hinduism gives scope for millions of different beliefs and traditions,so a malayali like me or a punjabi or a gujrati are hindu though our beliefs and most importantly gods vary.even the epics we hear may vary from one another this is the beauty of being hindu.

but after independence and especially from the 80s due to the vigorous efforts of some vested interests particularly from the north the religion or the hindu beliefs have begun to get homogenised.we in kerala started to get more into the rama and krishna cult and started abandoning the traditional gods and godesses.more importantly the ancestral worship which was an important aspect of our tradition is slowly dying out. the ‘adianthiram’  which used to be a yearly affair is now  observed once in two or some cases in three years.’adiyanthiram’ is a ceremony that is conducted in these parts to honour the dead , the day is marked by special pooja conducted by a priest who is nonbrahmin not to any idols but to a ‘peedam’ or a small wooden stool and a plantain leaf.this ritual is supposed to feed the ancestors who are represented by the stool for one year.the ritual also involves sacrifices (cock) and offering of toddy or alcohol to appease the ancestors. this tradition is slowly dying out mainly due to the aforesaid homogenization of hinduism,where the northern beliefs are forced on us and we  are made to abandon our tradition.

another of such case is the ‘naga pooja ‘and’ puluvan pattu’ ,where the snakes are worshiped.kerala have a long history of snake worship and every home used to have sacred grooves called’ pambin kavu ‘or snake temple. the naga poojas seldom happen these days and the sacred grooves are destroyed.the art form of puluvan pattu associated with this is also dying out.

the problem of homogenizing hinduism is felt in every community which have traditions different fro the north indian ones.i have read about’ balinese hinduism’ and its dilemma whether to adopt this new brand of hinduism or stick to their traditional ones. the propagators of this phenomenon must understand that diversity is the character of hinduism that differentiate it from other religions and this diversity is the only reason why it have stood the test of time.

Today I’m asking you to be part of a survey based on the blog series I posted about different belief systems and if they teach the same core truth. Over the last two weeks I’ve posted blogs about Hinduism, Buddhism, Kabbalah, Islam, and Taoism. I contrasted their teachings to those of Christianity and came to the conclusion that each belief system has completely different teachings. There is no way you could say that they teach the same core truth. I’ve also shown how the New Age movement takes something from each of these systems and incorporates it into New Age spirituality.

Now I’d like to hear from you!

What do you think is the #1 difference in teaching that separates Christianity from other belief systems? There are many, but I want to know from you which one you think is the most significant! The following is a list of differences that I noticed right away. Which important element of Christianity do you think separates it from other religions?

• The belief in heaven and hell.
• The teaching of sin and the need for salvation.
• The belief that Jesus is God.
• The belief that Christians worship a personal/relational God and not an impersonal one.

These are just a few suggestions. Please leave a comment and let me know your answer. You can choose an answer from what I listed or add your own!

God Bless,

Gina

Clip art photo from Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Something has over the past few weeks been brought to my attention by 4 separate internet friends. Each in turn very politely and gently asked why I never or at least only very occasionally write about death and dying. I suppose considering even the very name of my blog, that would be the fore most topic of discussion.

I should explain, I get a lot of email and I do appreciate every one the jokes the wise saying all of it, please keep them coming. I realize thoughts of death and dying are very personal and very private for many. We share thoughts and feelings back and forth in the more private one on one setting of email.

My first thought to this was, what are you talking about? I share those thoughts often. Then as I thought more of it I realize that well be more via the emails than here on the blog.

Three of the messages in a very gentle way went on to essentially ask if I might be in some sort of denial since I never or rarely write about it.

I have been giving this some serious thought, this is an important issue or it is to me anyway.

I think this depends on your definition or use of the word denial. So where am I at with all of this. I do know my days are numbered, I accept that. I have my affairs in order. I believe I am ready to answer the call when the Good Lord calls me home. I am not afraid to face that day. In this way I do not believe I am in denial. I love my life on this earth and am saddened at the thought of leaving it and those in it.

I am struggling to find the wording to get the message across as I mean it. Maybe I am using a form of denial in my daily life. Maybe, it is like I carry a form of it around in my pocket to be pulled out and used as needed. I accept my health conditions, with that comes that very deep sadness. That feeling of sadness if real and runs through my entire being. I struggle to deny that feeling of sadness to over whelm and take over my entire being. If I allowed that to happen, I could turn into a blubbering crying mess. What would that accomplish? it would deprive me of the very life I so enjoy and am saddened at the thought of leaving. The inner me would quit living my life before the physical me does.

I know what I am trying to say. Does it make sense the way I have expressed it?

The Good Lord has placed a time and a date on a Heavenly calendar. I don’t know that time or date. I do know I can’t change it. What I can do is focus on truly living my life right up to the last minute. If I am saddened by the thought of leaving it, why would I give up on it. Is that a form of denial? Maybe, I am not sure. I may not have a tomorrow or a next week but I do have this minute and I am going to make the most of it.