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* G * O * A * N * E * T **** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *
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There is no better, value for money, guest house.
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Since I have always been a sucker for anything free (I suppose it's
the Indian in me), Joegoauk's invitation in 2 sentences or 3 to say
what Goanet means to me is graciously accepted.
Just as my father loved to gather around the stone bench under the
banyan tree and discuss ideas and stories with his fellow Assgaocars,
I take great pleasure in doing the same with my fellow Goencars spread
all over the world.
Hey that's about 5 sentences except for my propensity to roll them all
into one. Another prize for that?
Now about Goanet and how we conduct ourselves.
All and sundry subjects should be open to discussion. I remember when
I was 12 years old, Nehru's aunt Vijayalaksmi Pandit an erudite and
cultured person in her own right, shocking our parents when she came
to present a lecture to them in St Xaviers school. She said "let your
children read anything and everything. You will be surprised at what
good they will learn from it and how they will sooner discern the
morally good and the repugnantly evil."
What each one says on goanet is in the final analysis his or her own
opinion. There is no such thing as religion bashing. If one side has
presented their thoughts on atheism then those with faith are open to
counter it.
Let us avoid targeting individuals and instead seek out their thinking
flaws and oppose it. Who knows whether their flaws are not really
ours. There is no right and wrong in these discussions, there is just
what fits your opinion. Remember Tilak and his famous words "I do not
agree with what you say but I shall defend with my life if need be,
your right to say it."
Please avoid "hounding" anyone, however far out their thinking. It
will be our collective loss to lose any person from Goanet and the
diversity of thinking they bring to it. One Goencar gone, makes all of
us a little poorer in thought.
Take heed that not all people have thick skins. Some folks come on the
net with sensitivities sharpened or dulled by their own experiences
and they come to Goanet to drink of its clear water. The water may not
always be still. They do expect it to be oftentimes muddy and roiled
and they will still drink from it, but let not the water be so putrid
that they recoil and avoid.
And finally let us take ourselves seriously only when we have to act
on something good, not when we discuss for example Hitler and the
IIIrd Reich. The judgment of what Hitler did is at is best left to
William Shirer, Hugh Trevor-Roper, the descendants of 6 million Jews
and those of the countless millions more he caused to be killed. The
Church is not free from blame and we are free to condem what was not
done as much as what was. As we must stand ready for our own
condemnation ourselves when we merit it.
As Shakespeare said, "the world is a stage and we are all actors".
Deo borem korunc tumin sogleanc bhavanndo and boininndo as my village
parish priest would say when he saw the collection plates holding more
bounty than was usual.
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