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Post by Nitaidas on Jul 8, 2011 11:56:19 GMT -6
Here is an interesting post and discussion of theology in the context of many religions. How can Christians account for the many differing religions in the world? Hick has a suggestion. Here.What do you think? The Real? Is this also useful for a tradition like CV which has to also account for other religions, though not with such urgency?
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bets
New Member
Posts: 27
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Post by bets on Jul 8, 2011 13:10:04 GMT -6
On Day One of the Decameron, Boccaccio has a tale about a Jewish moneylender and a Muslim ruler. The Sultan wants money to fund his constant wars with the Christians, and the only one with enough money is Melchizedech. Sultan Saladin doesn't want to just take the money: that would obviously be unjust. So he decides to pick a quarrel to justify the "fine." He invites Melchizedech to the palace and asks him a question: Whose religious rules are the right ones: Christian, Jewish, or Muslim? It's clearly a trap. To find out how Melchizedech avoided it, you have to go to the Decameron website and plug in Day One, Tale Three.
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Post by cuckoo4cocopuffs on Feb 11, 2012 8:52:31 GMT -6
Dispensing with religion entirely would solve a lot of problems right off the bat. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done, given the stubborn nature of indoctrinated people. There are many memes that plague society, although religious dogma is one of the most insidious among them.
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Post by cuckoo4cocopuffs on Feb 12, 2012 10:16:16 GMT -6
I have noticed over the past decade or so how anything Hindu related tends to be excluded from lists of world religions here in the West when the reference is an attempt to be diversity-friendly. What I also find interesting is that there is a tendency to always include Buddhism instead, despite the fact that it is not really a religion in the strict sense of the term due to being atheistic in doctrine. No one can deny that the Hindu demographic world wide is comparable to the Buddhist demographic (if one includes all of the different types of Buddhism under one category), so why the denial of its existence? It would appear that exclusivist Christians view Hindus as more of a threat. In the US, there today has to be a much larger Hindu demographic than a Buddhist one. Indian nationals are being assimilated into our society at so many levels, yet they are not being accepted on an equal footing as people with a religious tradition that is just as valid as a Judeo-Christian or Islamic tradition. I am sure they can't help but notice that they almost always get overlooked in that context. Although we are not as xenophobic a society as the Japanese or Chinese, still there apparently is a powerful xenophobic undercurrent even in 2012. It would appear that the denial of Hinduism and all of its sects (let alone Native American religions) is just a manifestation of that dark side of America.
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Post by JD33 on Aug 2, 2019 2:19:39 GMT -6
Here is an interesting post and discussion of theology in the context of many religions. How can Christians account for the many differing religions in the world? Hick has a suggestion. Here.What do you think? The Real? Is this also useful for a tradition like CV which has to also account for other religions, though not with such urgency? Good post Nitai. I alway thought that CV was a specialization of relationship to the Divine, The Real. Therefore there does not need to be too much of a comparison with others in the sense of conversion. The prevalent Idea of Love being the most important life giving quality or expression. and the idea (or reality) that sex is the highest pleasure most people experience here on Earth. But much more than this is forbidden love, chance meetings and turbulent separations. And a step forward is all that taking place with the exalted Spiritual Divine Love. Therefore, I like The Real in the form of Radha-Krsna, Gaur-Nitai. I think The Real would work in a world format - if we understood what exactly Jesus said and taught. etc etc....
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Post by JD33 on Aug 2, 2019 3:51:46 GMT -6
How can a God-Realized Savant like Jesus The Christ be understood to tell people that only through "me" can anyone attain salvation and all others are cursed to eternal existence in hell? (yikes).
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 2, 2019 11:18:10 GMT -6
How can a God-Realized Savant like Jesus The Christ be understood to tell people that only through "me" can anyone attain salvation and all others are cursed to eternal existence in hell? (yikes). Greetings Jagadish dasssssji! It is good to see you here again. I hope your stay in Germany is going well. Crestone is lovely. Fresh air, beautiful views and peace and quiet. The house is in good order and we are enjoying our first extended stay here. We have met some lovely people and look forward to further exploring the many religious and meditative groups that have established centers here. The only thing missing is a beautiful home for Radha and Krsna here. There is of course the Haidakhandhi temple and the main image is of Mahalaksmi and she is gorgeous. She is a heart-stealer. See the ashram here. Still, the fullness of Sri Radhika and her beloved Sri Krsna is missing. They are largely ignorant at the temple and do not know what they have. Anyway, as I was sitting remembering my mantras this morning a strong urge grew inside me to see a temple for R and K develop here. But to your question, I think we have to doubt the Christian scriptures here. In the first three gospels, Jesus talks about his father in heaven. In the fourth gospel, attributed to John, a much later work, at least 50 years later than the first three gospels, Jesus is represented as talking mostly about himself. That is where he is represented as saying "I am the way, the truth, and the life." It also differs in many other respects from the other gospels, contradicting them in various ways. In other words, I think it is spurious and represents a later Christian community in competition with other religious communities. Institutionalization of a popular movement often corrupts the movement and its teachings. Can you think of a similar development in our tradition?
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Post by JD33 on Aug 2, 2019 12:10:59 GMT -6
Funny question...... Good one though.
Maybe Thakur wants you to build a RK Temple/ Ashram there.... Build it and they will come. It really sounds nice there then.
How do you know so much about Christianity.... you are a storehouse of information.
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 2, 2019 17:47:00 GMT -6
Funny question...... Good one though. Maybe Thakur wants you to build a RK Temple/ Ashram there.... Build it and they will come. It really sounds nice there then. How do you know so much about Christianity.... you are a storehouse of information. I taught World Religions for years and had to study them all in some depth in order to do that well. About the R and K and G and N temple in Crestone, my desire is to see it happen and to see it as a group effort. I would like all the five surviving CV lineages involved, but no IGM. For one person to do it, it would take a miracle. Sometimes miracles happen. But more often it is group effort and desire that brings results. Wouldn't it be great to have at least one temple in the US that represents the genuine Caitanya Vaisnava tradition? There is lots of more or less cheap land here still and Hanna Strong who offered free land to any religions group who wanted to establish a center here is still alive. I saw her in a local restaurant here last year. I don't know if she still has land to give away. Or, perhaps more likely, there is some other group who was not able to use their land and wants to pass it on. It never occurred to me think about such a thing until this morning. It suddenly sprang into my mind when I was reciting Priyaji's mantra. Something about this place reminds me of Vraja.
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Post by JD33 on Aug 3, 2019 1:38:21 GMT -6
Kindly ask her then. Also the lady at H. Baba Ashram has been buying up lots of land over the decades - maybe she would alot a chunk of land for this noble project - I will contribute monies and time for this effort and possibly make it my home as a permenant resident. And since Bhagavan Ganesh is a heavyweight in Radha-Krsna devotion now - I would like a Temple to Him as well, or His Murti there in an area where he can look at RK, or a Radha-Kund.
Then some funds can be received from various fundraising sites online. I think that an International church non-profit is in order for this and there will be a branch in Germany, where there are 15 people practicing for the last 5 years.
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Post by JD33 on Aug 3, 2019 1:40:53 GMT -6
and possible eventually a Branch in Venesuela, Ed?? I would be able to travel to a few places in the World to do events - although they are events not quite expected of ex-IGM or Traditional CV folks. However, with enough outreach - I can work with over 100 people at a time.
This would introduce enough people who are not conditioned to IGM to help create a small sanga in time. I have done it in the past, but being alone in the efforts, the only group that remains is in Germany, all beautiful loving people.
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Post by Nityānanda dāsa on Aug 3, 2019 12:12:38 GMT -6
What's the travel to Crestone, CO like? Nearest airport is Denver? How long of a drive? Closer to New Mexico?
Jai Radhe!
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 3, 2019 13:18:10 GMT -6
Kindly ask her then. Also the lady at H. Baba Ashram has been buying up lots of land over the decades - maybe she would alot a chunk of land for this noble project - I will contribute monies and time for this effort and possibly make it my home as a permenant resident. And since Bhagavan Ganesh is a heavyweight in Radha-Krsna devotion now - I would like a Temple to Him as well, or His Murti there in an area where he can look at RK, or a Radha-Kund. Then some funds can be received from various fundraising sites online. I think that an International church non-profit is in order for this and there will be a branch in Germany, where there are 15 people practicing for the last 5 years. Hanna Strong gives land to groups, not individuals. We need to figure out an organization name and eventually get it recognized as a religious/non-profit organiztion. The lady at the Babaji ashram is a bit of a dictator. She might impose rules on us that we are not happy with. They mostly push karma-yoga and regard their Baba as Sadasiva. On the other hand, I think they need money. They get some support from the Indian community in Colorado and further away. I met an IT guy from Chicago who comes to help out periodically. I also met two members of the board the last time I was there. Apparently one can be on the temple board without being a disciple or follower of Haidakhandi Baba. If we can get on the board somehow, we might be able to strike a deal. Small images of Radha and Krsna are already present on one of the altars. As a universal ashram they have various Christian saints scattered around the grounds and pictures of Mother Mary in the temple. There are Daoist and Buddhist statues, too. Anyway, it is possible she will work with us if we bring in a wider audience and add things to the temple routine, like Gita classes or Sanskrit classes or more kirtan. I will see about broaching the topic with some of the board members and then talke to her. But, we really need to have a plan.
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 3, 2019 13:28:36 GMT -6
What's the travel to Crestone, CO like? Nearest airport is Denver? How long of a drive? Closer to New Mexico? Jai Radhe! The closest airport is in Alamosa which has daily flights from Denver. Alamosa is about 40 miles south of Crestone. One can rent cars at the airport, too. Driving from Denver takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, through some beautiful country, but also country that can be blocked by snow and ice in the winter. An alternate route through Colorado Springs and Canon City can be taken when the high mountain route is blocked. It takes about 5 hours. Crestone is about 2 hours from Taos, NM. So that could be a way to travel to Crestone, too. There are some pretty amazing and dangerous mountains here. Two climbers lost their lives here over the last two weeks. Crestone is about 8000 feet about sea level, The San Luis Valley averages about 7500.
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Post by JD33 on Aug 3, 2019 14:04:48 GMT -6
Good info. Names then.... we did this before many , many years ago. Caitanya Eocological Foundation, Blazing Sapphire Trust, Rasik Society, E Pluribus Unam (oops), Kishori-Kishor Foundation or Trust or Society.
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