I have the following comments on two statements in this religious confrontation between Shankaracharya and the Vatican:
> >This is illegal as per the DRUGS AND MAGIC REMEDIES ACT 1954 and we call upon >the Indian government to take action under the provision of law. > .....press statement of Shankaracharya Swami It would be an excellent thing if religious leaders would support law enforcement authorities in prosecuting under the above law babas, swamis, mullahs, priests and evangelists who advertise and offer quack remedies and fake miracle cures. > >In India alone we pass resolutions which officially and legally promote an >irreligious and unspiritual creed called secularism. Secularism is an >administrative quality; it cannot be >the soul of this nation. > .....press statement of Shankaracharya Swami The above statement is false. In many other developed countries such as the U.S. and France, the separation of church and state is absolute, as it is in India, according to the constitution. Here is this categorical statement in John F. Kennedy's speech: QUOTE I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute; where no Catholic prelate would tell the President -- should he be Catholic -- how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference, and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him, or the people who might elect him. I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accept instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source; where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials, and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all. UNQUOTE .......John F. Kennedy Secularism is central to the constitution of India and the U.S., among many other democratic countries. It prohibits a government from banning religious conversion, i.e. conversion from one religion to another, conversion from a religion to irreligion, and conversion from irreligion to religion. That is how it should be for the good of humankind. Cheers, Santosh ----- Original Message ----- From: U. G. Barad <[email protected]> > > Subject: [Goanet] Hind-Christian dialogue (was: Sanal Edamaruku trial) > > Nascy Caldeira wrote: "When this BJP and VHP were asked for a dialogue, > some > years ago by the Church Authorities in New Delhi, these groups just refused > to talk, as their sinister plans would be exposed." > > I understand the Church Authorities have had a dialogue with other Hindu > groups. One such was in Mumbai, about three years ago, and the Kanchi > Shankaracharya participated in it. I had come across the enclosed press > statement on the points that he made. > > Can Nascy tell us if there has been a response to these points? > > Best regards, > > U. G. Barad > > Press statement of Pujya Sankaracharya Swami > > at the inter-faith dialogue with the Vatican in Mumbai on June 12, 2009 > > The Points that Pujya Periava made at the inter-faith dialogue and was made > into a press statement. > > 1.Exactly one month ago to the date, the Pope went to Jerusalem where Jesus > was born, for a similar dialogue that the Vatican had undertaken with the > Chief Rabbinate of > Israel......................................................................... >............................................
