Santosh Helekar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:
3. I have never claimed that Hindus dont have snake
temples. Snakes are worshipped by Hindus, Jains and
Buddhists. There is nothing wrong with this form of
worship. There is nothing wrong with having snake
temples.
4. The Penang Snake Temple is indeed a Buddhist
temple. I am surprised that a person who claims to
have visited it does not know this simple fact. Here
is a link to a description on this temple:
Nasci's Response:
Thanks Santosh for at last producing some facts , as you say!
You claim that 'snakes' are WORSHIPPED by Hindus, Jains, and Bhudhists!
I used to hold Bhudhists in higher esteem than Hindus, for certain reasons;
but now that you are telling me that Bhudhists are also worshipping snakes,
I have to put them in the same basket as Hindus. These are 'Basket Cases'
indeed!
Do you think and or approve of these groups' claim to being a 'Religion'
then?
I certainly do not accept these as Religion. At most they are cults of a
very weird type, based on ignorance and hallucinations!
Then these also worship, Monkey, Cow, Ganesh with elephant trunk, etc etc??
And these same people, condemn other humans (harijans, Dalits?) not born
Brahmin etc as inhuman? And then they segregate and enforce apartheid, like
caste system? Is this not a trype of Racism?
I cannot understand how (these) humans, the highest of the animal species,
can even think of worshipping 'animals' of a lower order than Man. Surely
someone sometime mistook balls for brains! and stupidity for philosophy!
This then became a legend? Religion? Hundutva Culture?
I do not know; I am not well versed in Hindu history, or any old history.
May be you or some others, can enlighten me/us who do not subscribe to these
religions.
How do you or others expect any sane person then to accept all religions as
equal; and that too, in the name of secularism? Secularism as explained by
you, in this posting is also what I believe.
But then, you also very subtly state:
" Secular people, irrespective of whether they are priests or not, consider
all
religions, as well as absence of religion, to be completely equal".
Nasci:
I consider the above preceding statement as having no credibility!
I tolerate all religions that qualify as religions; but not those that
'pretend' and falsely lay claim to religion.
However, I do not and will never consider all religions as 'equal', for the
simple reason that they are not equal; there are all sorts of differences
prevailing.
Santosh writes:
I submit to you that the word secular or secularism,
as it is commonly used in India (and raised in
reference to Fr. Cosme J. Costa), invokes the sense in
which this word is used in the Indian Constitution,
which, in short, is to refer to its commitment to
religious pluralism. I don't know whether you know
this, but the preamble of the Indian Constitution
defines India as a secular democratic republic.
Nasci:
Yes, I do know from the time that the Constitution was adopted and am
content with it.
Santosh:
Secularism as enshrined in the Constitution of India
is described by the Vice Chancellor of Goa University,
Prof. P. R. Dubhashi in the following manner:
Secularism has been one of the essential elements in
the basic structure of our Constitution which lays
down that 1) the state has no religion; 2) all
citizens however have the fundamental right to follow
and propagate their own religion; and 3) it is the
duty of the state to protect life, liberty and
property of all citizens, provide security to them and
enable them to exercise their fundamental rights. The
state will not discriminate between the citizens on
the grounds of religion and language.
Nasci:
I am in complete agreement with all of the above, and am therefore 'Proud to
be Indian'!
Santosh:
The "militant secularists" of Chuck Colson is a mean
spirited pejorative usage, which is unfortunately not
unique to American politics. Religious chauvinists
everywhere are fond of using that term, often to vent
their hatred of people who disagree with them or who
are indifferent to religion in general. The Hindutva
zealots in India use the same term to describe those
who oppose their views and policies. In their view
Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Mahatma
Gandhi, who personified the spirit of secularism in
the founding of modern India, were militant secularists.
Nasci:
Thats true; Thanks Santosh!
Hindutva Brigade Murdabad! Secularism Zindabad! Fascism of all types
Murdabad!
VIVA GOA and REAL Communal HARMONY!
Nasci Caldeira
Melbourne
Down Under.
_____________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list.
Goanet mailing list ([email protected])
