[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Reply to HKS's Comments on Tolerance Towards Other Religious Viewp oints
Reply to HKS's Comments on Tolerance towards Other Religious View-
points:
Let me express my sincere thanks to Krishnaji for taking his
valuable time to reply my viewpoints. Krishnaji demonstrates his
deep devotion and dedication to Lord Krishna.
My grandmother who was a great Krishna devotee has strong influence
in my religious beliefs. I still remember the day of her liberation
from this worldly life. She was seventy nine years old and I was
eleven years old. As per her daily routine, she woke up at 5 AM,
took her morning bath, completed all household duties (cleaning,
washing, cooking and taking care of everyone's needs) and conducted
a hour long daily pooja between 9 and 10. She served food to
everyone during 10 and 11. At about 11 AM, she said that she had
chest pain and was liberated from this world before Noon without
eating her food! As per my memory, she had demonstrated her
unconditional love, service and devotion to all family members,
neighbors and Lord Krishna. Though she was a great devotee of Lord
Krishna, she had never expressed any hatred towards other Gods and
religions. The Sanskrit slokas and the religious convictions that
she taught me at my young age are still in my memory and will never
disappear. How can I ever say that she was ignorant about God and
I know all about God!
I still wonder from where did Krishnaji get the message that I am
an impersonalist and I am against devotional worship of Lord
Krishna! In an earlier posting, Krishnaji was apologetic about his
writing style and he indicated that he was not able to express
himself. I admire his frankness and honesty about this
shortcoming. I will try my level best to be objective. If I hurt
his feelings unknowingly, let me express my unconditional apology.
I want to make a friendly appeal to Krishnaji: Please, take little
more time to polish your language. I know that Krishnaji really
did not mean it, but others may not feel the same way!
If Krishnaji strongly believes that God is an object, I am willing
to accept and respect his faith. I hope Krishnaji to follow this
Dharma of tolerance! As I have stated before, intellectual
discussions can never answer questions on faith. Bhagawad Geeta is
very sacred and I do not wish to use and interpret on my own to
promote my personal viewpoints.
Religion begins where Science ends. Scientific facts can be
logically tested and either can be rejected or accepted. There are
no logical way of testing religious viewpoints and we can neither
accept nor reject them. I do not believe that one can logically
convince others to accept his or her viewpoints. Instead, all of
us can try to find a common ground to coexist as friends. We can
utilize our energy to benefit the community instead of meaningless
intellectual debates. We should find a common ground to reduce
inner conflicts and maintain inner peace.
One of the common ground we can find in all religions is the
elimination "EGO." Almost all religions appeal to the followers to
exterminate their ego. Ten egoistic actions that are obstacles to
inner peace and conflicts are classified below. If we take steps
to avoid these ten egoistic actions, we can satisfy our religious
beliefs and also improve our worldly life!
EGO 1: Emotion - Grief - Overreaction (Perceive emotions from
sensory perceptions that cause grief and reckless
actions).
EGO 2: Exploitation - Greed - Oppression (Direct greedy actions
that oppresses and exploits others)
EGO 3: Exaggeration - Gimmick - Opportunism (Gain personal
profits through gimmicks and exaggeration of facts)
EGO 4: Expectation - Glory - Ornamental (Conduct useless actions
that are Glamorous and for personal glory).
EGO 5: Externalization - Grumble - Opinionated (Accuse others of
one's mistakes, complain and unduly adhering to one's own
preconceived notions).
EGO 6: Embarrassment - Guilt - Oscillation (Develop unsteady
mind filled with guilt generated from disputed beliefs).
EGO 7: Extremism - Grudge - Opposition (Express extreme views
and animosity and organize hostile actions).
EGO 8: Empty-headed - Guesswork - Obnoxious (Exhibit irritating
behavior attributed to ignorance and preconceived
notions)
EGO 9: Enrage - Goof - Offensive (Use offensive language with an
outburst of anger)
EGO 10: Enmity - Gloomy - Obstruction (With gloomy face, show
animosity and obstruct without valid reasons)
Krishnaji has great respect for Srimad Bhagavatam, from which has
previously quoted several beautiful verses. Here are two quotes
from Bhagavatam that strongly supports tolerance towards other
religious beliefs:
(1) Truth has many aspects. Infinite truth has infinite
expressions. Though the sages speak in divers ways, they
express one and the same Truth. Ignorant is he who says, "What
I say and know is true; others are wrong." It is because of
this attitude of the ignorant that there have been doubts and
misunderstandings about God. This attitude it is that causes
dispute among men. But all doubts vanish when one gains
self-control and attains tranquillity by realizing the heart
of Truth. Thereupon dispute, too, is at an end.(Srimad
Bhagavatam 11.15)
(2) Like the bee, gathering honey from different flowers, the wise
man accepts the essence of different scriptures and sees only
the good in all religions. (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3)
" Have a Good Day "
"Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path
whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect. Truth, being limitless,
unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be
organized; nor should any organisation be formed to lead or to
coerce people along any particular path." J. Krishnamoorthy
=========================||=============================================
| Ram V. Chandran || email: chandra2%ers.bitnet@vtbit.cc.vt.edu |
| 6623 Westbury Oaks Ct. || internet: chandran@econ.ag.gov |
| Springfield VA. 22152 ||============================================|
| USA || Phone: 703-912-5790 (H) 202-501-7082 (W) |
=========================++=============================================
