http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asiapacific/detail.asp?ID=70066&GRP=C I thought this was interesting, especially in juxtaposition to Half a Hippie's post about the temple stampedes and so on. Perhaps one could conclude from this that God cares more for architecture than for people? Mmmm.....I don't think so, as I don't think God causes earthquakes, other than in a very indirect way.
Thats interesting BBB but not entirely correct A minaret of a very holy mosque did collapse and the mullahs are all propogating that it is the wrath of god Pakistan’s mountain tsunami Even before the devastated coasts and archipelagos of the eastern Indian Ocean had revealed their dead after the tsunami of 26 December 2004, obscurantist mullahs in Pakistan were explaining away to the faithful the largest seaborne disaster in recorded history as “Allah’s punishment” of those who had turned His land into the “playground of the devil”. Today, after the calamitous earthquake on 8 October centred on Pakistan-administered Kashmir, they are already calling it the “mountain tsunami”: the second visitation within a year of the “implacable wrath” of God upon an “errant, sinful humankind”. Estimates of the death and destruction in northern Pakistan – some wild, some calculated – are rapidly climbing, with the latest official approximation being 33,000; although Jean Seaton’s healthy strictures on the media “numbers game” in her openDemocracy essay suggest caution. In any case, this time the mullahs are a little less forthcoming with their sermonising, and understandably so (though the collapse of the minaret at Hazratbal shrine of the Prophet Mohammed’s only known surviving strand of hair does not bode well). For while in the Asian tsunami it was mostly the “infidels” of Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia who perished, the mountainous version of Allah’s anger has descended on many pious Muslims – and that, too, soon after the beginning of the Ramadan month of fasting. The hard rocky terrain of Kashmir and northern Pakistan, where the land rises suddenly and steeply to meet the heavens, will not give up its dead as easily as the sea did. Inaccessibility, aggravated by the destruction of roads and bridges, lack of resources and the onset of wet weather is seriously hampering rescue and relief efforts. It will be a long time before the world finds out how just many people have been swallowed up by fallen mountains and collapsed buildings. It will take a lot longer for survivors to rebuild their lives and the homes that fell about like cardboard boxes when the earthquake struck. Many never will. The predicament of the survivors is all the more reason for the world’s practical help and solidarity to be extended to them; many who may otherwise succumb can yet be saved as conditions worsen in the disaster’s aftermath. The human stain It’s a wonder then, and a demonstration of the strength of their faith, that so many Muslims still retain their penchant for simple explanations of complex things. As one TV mullah said today: the will of God doesn’t need explaining. Interesting Article Read it http://www.opendemocracy.net/conflict-india_pakistan/earthquake_2912.jsp Churches and Temples were also known to have withstood the december tsunami but experts reveal that it has more to the with the structure and engineering that temples are built with that allows them to withstand natural calamaties For example during the tsunami houses were swept away because the walls of the houses were pushed by the receeding waters but temples have no walls and the pillars allowed the water to flow away freely
To hell with Pakistan. The Moghuls need to go back to Mongolia and Turkey, there should be a Hindu rasthra established to reclaim Porkistan and Afghanistan (Upa-Ghana-Sthan). Jai Hind!
That would mean war on a big scale. Very undesirable, and since both India and Pakistan posess atomic weapons, it would be extremely destructive.
Methinks we have a Hindu hardliner in the house, lol. These guys are funny. They come from a religion where it is said swadesho bhuvanatrayam, the three worlds are my country. It says vasudhaiva kutumbakam, all the world is one family. Yet they conviniently ignore that and take some section of bhagavad geeta out of context, misinterpret it and use it as an excusse to brutalize muslims/christians/any non-hindu. If you were a true Hindu, you would live up to those ideals, see everyone as you see yourself. Have no enemies. That is what Hinduism teaches. First be a true Hindu yourself, then worry about converting others.
It is precisely because Hindus knew how to fight that they were able to keep the Muslims from completely converting them. You must understand if the Hindus don't defend themselves the Muslims will take advantage of them. They can't afford to be like the Tibetan Buddhists and let everyone and their mother push them around. The Koran is chock full of threats against non-believers and Catholic and Evangelical missionaries also prey upon poor Hindus offering them money and food to convert all the while referring to Hindu deities as agents of Satan. It is self defense and preservation, nothing more nothing less.
I agree that Hindu culture has to be maintained. But not through violence. It is maintained by a better understanding of the religion, by building a firm and unshakeable faith. Violence is against our principles. Those who resort to it are a greater enemy to Hinduism than any outsider. The moment one turns to violence, they cease to be a Hindu. Whats more, Hinduism is not under threat at all. It is very much healthy and alive and will continue to be. People may be converting to other religions, but plenty of others are adopting Hinduism as well. Ashrams are thriving. There are plenty of great mahatmas to guide us. Never has it been better understood outside India. Never has there been so much global interest in our religion. If anything Hinduism is on a high point. Unfortunately there have also never been as many misguided fools destroying their religion by claiming to defend it.
In my book, there's nothing to choose between extremists of any cultural or religious background. Hindu fanatics are no better than Islamic or Christian fanatics. It's not the beliefs that are the problem, it's the lack of any kind of understanding, and the fact that as Bhaskar says here, only certain teachings are acknowledged by such people. They simply ignore teachings where human unity is stressed - because they don't understand the very religion they want to fight and kill for. It is simply ignorance and stupidity hatched by hate-filled old men. Nothing whatsoever to do with God. Just one other point Bhaskar - I actually think it's a mistake to think people have to be converted to this or that religion. There's no need, as all religions embody truth in one way or another. As Ramakrishna said, the Muslims, Vaishnavas, Shivites, Shaktas and Christians can all find God within their own beliefs. Just different roads to approach the same destination.
It would be interesting to know how you imagine the Tibetans could have defended their country against the overwhelming might of China.
I absolutely 1000% agree. It gets to me a bit more with Hinduism because that is my religiona nd personally very dear to me, so it hurts me to see it corrupted and profaned thus. Again I agree. However, they have to follow their religion correctly as it was meant. My fear is those whoaconvert often do so at the coercion of missionaries who themselves dont know their religon, which is why they are converting people. Its like going to a bogus guru.
