Hello Frederick and Goanet readers,
--- On Thu, 12/11/09, Frederick Noronha <[email protected]> wrote:
> Nascy, the rest of your post was very
> interesting... but I thought the
> statement below came with some inbuilt bias.
> > Christian Goans were socially advanced, in that they
> > had no taboos and other superstitions about eating
> > or handling food that the British and westerners ate;
> > and that is the reason they were employed in
> > large numbers on variuos Ships at the time, and
> > EVEN NOW.
Nascy replies:
Frederick, I do not see how u can talk of 'inbuilt bias', on this matter. I am
only stating a fact regarding peoples' social advancement. This particular
advancement albeit 'enlightenment' in this matter of taboos and superstitious
beliefs, is what qualified many of the enlightened persons to
jobs and careers with the respect of and accommodation by the 'employers' and
'the ruling elite of the time'. It was only fair that people clinging on to
weird beliefs and taboos were unsuccessful in such endeavours that the Goan,
Mangalorean and Bombay Christians excelled and be rewarded! This is the gist of
my statement.
If at all, it is the un enlightened primitive beliefs' poeople that are biased
against social progress. Man has to progress from primitive to modern. Social
interaction within any society or with other societies needs to change as 'Man'
advances thru the milleniums! Keeping up with the times as well as integrating
with various societies and cultures within India and around the world as well,
is the 'way to go' forward and 'progress'.
I hope U will now say that I have 'inbuilt bias' for Progress! and against
clinging to ancient primitive superstitious ways and beliefs that are counter
productive, and DO lead to many other problems and Conflict.
Frederick:
> We could always see situations we like and claim that these
> are indicators of being "socially advanced" (whatever such a
> construct means).
Nascy:
Education (not necessarily formal) and enlightenment from 'ignorance' helps to
'see, not just look' and 'listen, not just hear' at discerning indicators of
social advencement.
Frederick:
> Could we point to the Christian Goan hang-ups over
> sexuality, their tendency to get involved in intense litigation or their
> weekly attendance of Sunday mass as a sign of being "socially
> advanced"?
Nascy:
What hangups over 'sexuality'? It is 'live and let Live'; not a hangup!
Attendence at Sunday Mass is a religious undertaking, and is a common behavior
among Christians and does not come in the way of others, nor does it restrict
one's freedoms.
Unwarranted litigation is what U are reffering to; then it is just that; and is
not confined to Chritian Goans, or any other sect; it is universal: The lawyers
and advocates are the cause of this! Else they would be unemployed! Law and
Litigation are any time better than Violence and Murder,Bombs and
Trisuls,Fatwahs and Jihad and all that primitive nonsense being paraded as
Culture and or Religion.
Frederick:
> I think different communities are just that... different
> from one another. We can see each for what they are, a mix of
> diverse preferences and backgrounds. It could be argued that a
> community is 'socially advanced' and enlightened because it chooses (more
> environmentally sustainable and kinder-to-the-animals) vegetarian
> diet. But that would be as realistic as the argument above.
Nascy:
I agree with part of what U are implying here! Provided these norms are 'not
imposed or forced' on others, thru 'Bans, segregation and apartheid like
methods! That is again primitive!.
What about kinder to some animals and not others??
Some 'primitive' societies worship 'some' animals and others they slaughter and
eat! Then there are some 'Human Animals' that these same people, despise and
subjugate. Casteism and like thought is not advancement, U will agree with me I
know!
Frederick:
> At last count, my dentist was mentioning that the Goan
> Christian has teeth problem due to the consumption of vinegar. (Fact is,
> I hardly consume vinegar!) But the jury is still out whether that
> comment came because of established research or because a
> you-should-be-like-us tendency all of us have encoded in us!
Nascy:
The above is what YOU are saying. I am not commenting on that. This is more in
the field of Science and scientific Medicine. Santosh who is patronisingly
scientific or some good qualified Dentist should be helping U here!
Frederick: Thanks again for your other, though-provoking inputs. FN
Nascy: Thanks from me too! It's been nice 'talking' to you on goanet!
Nascy Caldeira.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Win 1 of 4 Sony home entertainment packs thanks to Yahoo!7.
Enter now: http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepageset/
