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Post by meeno8 on Jan 19, 2020 13:39:30 GMT -6
We have our challenge, which is to counteract the disinformation campaign of IGM that has been going on for well over a century regarding Gaudiya Vaishavism and its teachings and practices. Online Google searches nearly always turn up content by people from their heterodox splinter religion, rather than from our own adherents publishing articles. They even turn up on searches for topics on Hinduism, and to the general public they may be the natural representatives of all of Indian religion, which as we all know is quite ludicrous in the extreme.
I think this challenge can be met and actual information can overtake all of the disinformation disseminated over the years. It will not be easy, but it can be done. After all, the truth and facts are on our side in this.
We also need to abandon the mythologies that are clearly out of touch with reality. The Sun does NOT proceed across the sky in a chariot on a daily basis. It is the earth's rotation on its axis that gives us the view of the sun passing across the sky and rising and setting on a daily basis. Taking that description from BP and brandishing it as the true reality and trying to ridicule astronomy is patently absurd. So, although we have some siddhanta for out theology based on the text, it behooves us not to adhere to a literal interpretation of the entirety of it.
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Post by Ldd on Jan 21, 2020 19:17:01 GMT -6
We have our challenge, which is to counteract the disinformation campaign of IGM that has been going on for well over a century regarding Gaudiya Vaishavism and its teachings and practices. Online Google searches nearly always turn up content by people from their heterodox splinter religion, rather than from our own adherents publishing articles. They even turn up on searches for topics on Hinduism, and to the general public they may be the natural representatives of all of Indian religion, which as we all know is quite ludicrous in the extreme. I think this challenge can be met and actual information can overtake all of the disinformation disseminated over the years. It will not be easy, but it can be done. After all, the truth and facts are on our side in this. We also need to abandon the mythologies that are clearly out of touch with reality. The Sun does NOT proceed across the sky in a chariot on a daily basis. It is the earth's rotation on its axis that gives us the view of the sun passing across the sky and rising and setting on a daily basis. Taking that description from BP and brandishing it as the true reality and trying to ridicule astronomy is patently absurd. So, although we have some siddhanta for out theology based on the text, it behooves us not to adhere to a literal interpretation of the entirety of it. Sastra in the hand of non devotee ( no knowledge how to study sastra) has caused literal ideas to prevail. |
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Post by Ldd on Jan 21, 2020 19:52:24 GMT -6
We have our challenge, which is to counteract the disinformation campaign of IGM that has been going on for well over a century regarding Gaudiya Vaishavism and its teachings and practices. Online Google searches nearly always turn up content by people from their heterodox splinter religion, rather than from our own adherents publishing articles. They even turn up on searches for topics on Hinduism, and to the general public they may be the natural representatives of all of Indian religion, which as we all know is quite ludicrous in the extreme. I think this challenge can be met and actual information can overtake all of the disinformation disseminated over the years. It will not be easy, but it can be done. After all, the truth and facts are on our side in this. We also need to abandon the mythologies that are clearly out of touch with reality. The Sun does NOT proceed across the sky in a chariot on a daily basis. It is the earth's rotation on its axis that gives us the view of the sun passing across the sky and rising and setting on a daily basis. Taking that description from BP and brandishing it as the true reality and trying to ridicule astronomy is patently absurd. So, although we have some siddhanta for out theology based on the text, it behooves us not to adhere to a literal interpretation of the entirety of it. The purpose of the Bhagawatam/Purana is to establish the prowess of Bhagawan. It's not an astronomy text/history text. It uses poetic licence - the two texts of poetic rules : Kavyaprakasha and Dhvanyaloka. Two more styles used in Bhagawatam are like a king - giving orders (like in Veda), and then Purana style - friendly narration. Bhagawatam is the cream it has everything available in other texts like Vishnu, all use said poetry. |
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Post by meeno8 on Jan 23, 2020 20:20:29 GMT -6
In the West Literal interpretations of biblical texts is a fairly recent phenomenon historically. I recommend reading Stephen Pinker's Enlightenment Now, to get a sense of where we have been and where we have arrived, but we have more progress to make on the current trajectory. Bhagavata Mahapuranam is a good foundation in theology. On the other hand:
Horatio:
O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!
Hamlet:
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
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Post by meeno8 on Jan 26, 2020 12:21:10 GMT -6
When some of us emerged from the Sanskrit department at BBT after the demise of the ISKCON founder/acharya, we had some discussions in Los Angeles regarding the concocted guru parampara and all the apasiddhanta. Some stayed behind in the department, even though they were made fully aware of those facts. One of them then spread the rumor that I had fallen into maya, and others at the New Dwaraka center spread the rumor that I had 'blooped'. I kept my distance and refrained from casting aspersions on the organization, for numerous reasons. Then our diksha guru told me to make sure to avoid them at all costs, which I did.
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Post by Ldd on Jan 26, 2020 12:40:58 GMT -6
When some of us emerged from the Sanskrit department at BBT after the demise of the ISKCON founder/acharya, we had some discussions in Los Angeles regarding the concocted guru parampara and all the apasiddhanta. Some stayed behind in the department, even though they were made fully aware of those facts. One of them then spread the rumor that I had fallen into maya, and others at the New Dwaraka center spread the rumor that I had 'blooped'. I kept my distance and refrained from casting aspersions on the organization, for numerous reasons. Then our diksha guru told me to make sure to avoid them at all costs, which I did. You kept a safe distance.🌿 🙂 🌿 |
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Post by meeno8 on Jan 26, 2020 13:49:26 GMT -6
I went for darshan at one of their temples (where I formerly had been a pujari) many years later, and had a brief conversation with the temple president (who served me prasad), which was cordial. No 'death threats' or anything like that.
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Post by Ldd on Jan 26, 2020 14:03:06 GMT -6
I went for darshan at one of their temples (where I formerly had been a pujari) many years later, and had a brief conversation with the temple president (who served me prasad), which was cordial. No 'death threats' or anything like that. Right but the food by itself is kind of "poison"🌿🧘🌿 |
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Post by meeno8 on Jan 27, 2020 21:20:41 GMT -6
I am not sure what you mean by that.
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Post by Ldd on Jan 27, 2020 22:23:40 GMT -6
Karma travels in food. You become like the person from whom you eat..Very subtle ( you can hardly notice) one's consciousness gets spoiled by eating everywhere.
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jiva
Full Member
Posts: 143
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Post by jiva on Jan 28, 2020 1:34:44 GMT -6
Karma travels in food. You become like the person from whom you eat..Very subtle ( you can hardly notice) one's consciousness gets spoiled by eating everywhere. It's also an interesting topic (food). I think other people's karma can spoil our consciousness in terms of bad dreams that night (for example), but not completely spoil our consciousness or drastically affect it or our sadhana, if you understand me? (sorry for my bad English) Of course, provided that we do not consume food prepared by someone else on a regular basis.
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Post by Ldd on Jan 28, 2020 10:11:34 GMT -6
Karma travels in food. You become like the person from whom you eat..Very subtle ( you can hardly notice) one's consciousness gets spoiled by eating everywhere. It's also an interesting topic (food). I think other people's karma can spoil our consciousness in terms of bad dreams that night (for example), but not completely spoil our consciousness or drastically affect it or our sadhana, if you understand me? (sorry for my bad English) Of course, provided that we do not consume food prepared by someone else on a regular basis. Krishna doesn't want you to drop dead on the street. So u eat something and offer mentally if needs be. But one who does puja must offer food.. and eats the leftovers. Since I do this I never eat out except for a bit of bread which I offer. I saw one baba even offering store-bought bread..I gave him cereal, coffee and tea and he offered it to Girdhari happily.( and I consider him to be extremely fixed in prithi) Krishna wants you to be happy and healthy.  |
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jiva
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Post by jiva on Jan 28, 2020 11:04:44 GMT -6
... I never eat out... I saw one baba even offering store-bought bread.. Same here. I prepare all the food ( bhoga) myself and of course I offer it first to my Thakurs. Personally, if inevitably, I mentally ask Krishna to be kind and purify bhoga I accept from non-devotees (from my sister for example). (I apologize for writing about something else on this topic, but the conversation went in that direction.) |
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Post by Ldd on Jan 28, 2020 12:30:52 GMT -6
... I never eat out... I saw one baba even offering store-bought bread.. Same here. I prepare all the food ( bhoga) myself and of course I offer it first to my Thakurs. Personally, if inevitably, I mentally ask Krishna to be kind and purify bhoga I accept from non-devotees (from my sister for example). (I apologize for writing about something else on this topic, but the conversation went in that direction.) If there is honesty no need for apology. Jiva. It's good protocol. If a relative gives food and it's pure take it and offer mentally. They also have love for you. And indirectly devotee. |
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Post by Ramdas on Feb 15, 2020 16:12:44 GMT -6
I don't see how CV can ever gain much a following in the West when it is perceived as something Indian. It needs to be presented as something Westerners can related to as universal. People are abandoning the Catholic Church in droves because of its scandals, and other things need to fill the void for them.
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