########################################################################## # If Goanet stops reaching you, contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # Want to check the archives? http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
Cornel, Because I believe you are a serious person, though occasionally misinformed on some issues but not this one, I will gladly accept my mistake. I will do almost anything if I can get people to take a stronger stand against the caste system, which has bothered me all my life. Here's what I said to Rene Barreto, who asked what we can actually do about the issue in practical terms, in another post: Rene, my suggestion is to just oppose it on moral and religious grounds, whenever and wherever it rears it's ugly head. I remember infuriating my Grandmother when I was a teenager when I told her she had to go to confession every time she spoke disparagingly about someone based on their caste. Drove her bonkers at first, but she eventually got the point. --- cornel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: ########################################################################## > # If Goanet stops reaching you, contact > [EMAIL PROTECTED] # > # Want to check the archives? > http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # > # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to > reflect respect to others # > ########################################################################## > > Mario, > Yes one can be a Hindu and not believe in God. I > believed this to be so, but > nevertheless, consulted three academics on the > telephone who felt they were > Hindu by identity and culture even though dismissive > of caste and God. I had > also read about this issue previously in books on > Hinduism, where > invariably, Hinduism was described as a way of life > more so than a > religion, notwithstanding a plethora of Gods rather > than just one. I also > claim that a non believer in God is perfectly able > to write about religious > issues, often, more insightfully, as they are no > longer encumbered by a > faith in God. Indeed, some excellent books on > religion have been written by > non believers in God or lapsed believers for that > matter, including former > priests and nuns and there are hell of a lot of such > non believers in the > world today. > > Similarly, I think it would be possible to be > brought up a Catholic and be > one culturally without continuing to accept that > there is a God. I am > tentative about this specific point but I am sure > other better informed > Goanetters could throw more light on this issue. > Minimally, Mario, you were wrong on at least one > aspect of your reply to my > genuine (non feigned) query. The bigger question now > is whether you can > accept that you were wrong? > Cornel > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mario Goveia" <mgoveia@ > > Can you call yourself a Hindu if you don't believe > in > > God? Can you call yourself a Catholic if you > don't > > believe in God? No, you can't. > > > >
