--- In [email protected], hermandan0 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], hermandan0 <no_reply@> wrote: <snip> > > > Within the TMO there is a disinclination to consider that > > > MMY's word and actions are also influenced by culture and > > > thus that everything he says is not "the absolute speaking > > > absolutely" (rather, no more than it is when you or I or they > > > themselves speak), that women in saris is just fashion and > > > culture instead of a law of nature, that condemnation of > > > english and modern education and a strong campaign to > > > repatriate the wealth "stolen" by the west back to India > > > might be an just ideological quest, and that worshipping > > > "laws of nature" in the form of Lakshmi and Ganesh might > > > just be Hinduism and not neutral science. > > > > Again, well put. But one wants to be careful not to > > throw the baby out with the bathwater. For example, > > is listening to Vedic chanting merely cultural, or do > > the sounds actually have an effect on consciousness? > > > > How do you know where to draw the line? Sometimes it > > seems obvious, but other times it may not be quite so > > clear. And different people, of course, draw the line > > in different places, so that line isn't absolute either. > > All sounds have an effect on consciousness--weed whackers, Bach, > Vedic chanting, (c)rap music (the "c" is silent). Go for what feels > life-supporting for you. Likewise, if you like wearing saris, fine. > But to pretend it's a law of nature that women should wear saris is, > IMO, unnecessary.
Yeah, well, that kind of misses my point, which was that *some* things that are apparently cultural may *also* be "scientific" in that their specific effects are universal. (I wasn't including saris, by the way.) And the issue with Vedic chanting, of course, would be whether it has a *positive* effect on consciousness. (I'm not talking about whether it's enjoyable or elevating to listen to aesthetically; I'd vastly rather listen to Bach for that.) > Drawing the lines is where thinking for ourselves comes in. > Ultimately, we're responsible for ourselves. So long as we recognize the lines aren't universal. > > Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is what I'd call insisting > that a country of 1 billion people throw out all English language > education and western-style schooling educate everyone in their own > tribal language and calling it Vedic. > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
