May, 2007

Man in his journey on the earth encounters many challenges. One of the most important aspects that he faces in the world is comparison with others. He compares himself with another human being. As the society grew in civilization, man’s wants have also increased. His capabilities to produce and innovate also grew. Craving for material goods and comforts have also increased by leaps and bounds and shot up without any limits. The standard of living has increased and this is varied in each society and in each country. Ease of travel, communications and television has entirely transformed the life on earth. Comparison in a man’s life never ceases. At every stage, there is always some one above or below in all walks of life. Comparison could be in educational achievements, wealth, and materialistic possessions, status in office and society and even spiritual achievements (1). Comparison gives rise to unhappiness and leads to jealousy. Jealousy leads to hatred and even bitterness on failures and inability to match or exceed the contender. The religions have identified vices such as anger, jealousy, passion (lust), arrogance and miserliness that torment mankind. All religions preach love and compassion towards others, fellow beings and even animals and birds and other living beings (Buddhism and Jainism). Love and compassion can not be exhibited if a person is a victim of jealousy and hatred (as an outcome of jealousy). Thus jealousy becomes paramount trait in human beings. How one should overcome it? Is it possible? Or, one has to suffer? Christian teachings and Holy revered Bible is a store of knowledge on love and compassion. These aspects have been given very great importance in these religious scriptures. Entire life of Lord Jesus is a saga of love and compassion and sacrifice. Other examples are Lord Buddha and Guru Nanak. They practiced what they preached. These great prophets never spoke any offensive word towards others in their lives and thus can be truly associated as apostles of peace. It however does not mean that others are no way less.

continue reading "Jealousy Causes Man's Downfall"

This Memorial Day weekend is a very special one for Wiccans. After ten years of hedging and bureaucratic delays the Veterans Affairs Administration has been forced to allow dead Wiccan veterans the use of their religious symbol on their tombstones and memorials.

It was Selena Fox who fought the IRS for years to get Wicca acknowledged as a religion. Eventually they did, and after 1978 there was even a short section in the Army book for chaplains about Wicca. My own copy is 1974 and doesn’t mention Wicca. But it took a lawsuit by Circle Sanctuary, the organization founded by Selena Fox, before the VA people would take any notice of the Constitutional rights of ALL religions, not just those approved of by an ignorant administration. As a bumper sticker on the car of a Wiccan friend says…Freedom of religion means ALL religions.

continue reading "Wiccan Victory over Administration Bigotry"

This Memorial Day weekend is a very special one for Wiccans. After ten years of hedging and bureaucratic delays the Veterans Affairs Administration has been forced to allow dead Wiccan veterans the use of their religious symbol on their tombstones and memorials.

It was Selena Fox who fought the IRS for years to get Wicca acknowledged as a religion. Eventually they did, and after 1978 there was even a short section in the Army book for chaplains about Wicca. My own copy is 1974 and doesn’t mention Wicca. But it took a lawsuit by Circle Sanctuary, the organization founded by Selena Fox, before the VA people would take any notice of the Constitutional rights of ALL religions, not just those approved of by an ignorant administration. As a bumper sticker on the car of a Wiccan friend says…Freedom of religion means ALL religions.

continue reading "Wiccan Victory over Administration Bigotry"

Sudan a country on east coast of Africa, of late has emerged as the sponsor and abettor of international terrorism. "A number of international terrorist groups including AlQaeda, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Egyptian al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, the Palestine Islamic Jihad, and Hamas continued to use Sudan as a safe haven, primarily for conducting logistics and other support activities." Sudan, in northeast Africa, is the largest country on the continent, measuring about one-fourth the size of the United States. Its neighbors are Chad and the Central African Republic on the west, Egypt and Libya on the north, Ethiopia and Eritrea on the east, and Kenya, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo on the south. The Red Sea washes about 500 miles of the eastern coast. It is traversed from north to south by the Nile, all of whose great tributaries are partly or entirely within its borders.

continue reading "Sudan Hand in Glove With Terrorism"

The recent debate between Atheists and Christians over the existence of God left me wondering whether there is a more important question that we should be concerned with. That question is this: What is the benefit to humanity?

Both groups seem hell bent to prove something, but I don't believe it has to do with God. For Atheists surrounded by a majority that molds its life, and even their lives through tyranny of majority, around this deity, attempting to set the record straight might seem indispensable for intellectual and political survival. For believers who mold their very lives around this deity, it might seem that their very survival is at stake. Others questioning and denigrating the reason for what they do and why they live as they do is an affront to their very being. However, while I may sympathize with both groups, I identify with neither.

continue reading "Does God Exist? Arrogance Wins the Debate Because Wisdom Failed to Show"

Hyderabad city, the capital of Andhra Pradesh State was founded nearly 400 years ago by the Kutubshahi poet King Mohammed Kuli Kutubshah (1580-1611) who ruled at impregnable fort Golconda fort that is just few kilometers from the city. The city earlier named by the king as Bhagyanagar was named- after his wife Hydermahal who was earlier was known as Bhagmati, a Hindu village girl. The city has seen many ups and downs. Golconda and the Hyderabad city were invaded by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 17 th century and the reigning popular king Abul Hassan Kutubshah ( 1672-1687) was defeated by treachery that was the hall mark of personality of religious bigot and fundamentalist Aurangzeb. The fort was captured on 21 September 1687 by treason committed by Abdullah Pani, a low level commander of Army. The fort was over run and kingdom was annexed to Mughal provinces and the king Abul Hassan Tanasha Kutubshah was exiled and pensioned off to Daulatabad fort now in Maharshtra State where he died in a course of time in captivity (1). The city remained under Mughal rule under a Deccan Subedar (Governor) Chin Qiliz khan. In subsequent years, the governor declared independence in 1724, once the central rule at Delhi became weak and the Mughal rulers became pleasure seeking debauches, worthless, weak, spineless and powerless. He assumed title as Nizam- ul- mulk Asif Jah.

continue reading "Hyderabad, The Casino of Terror and Mischief in India"

Earlier this month, I wrote that the Mitt Romney presidential campaign had “hired” Mark DeMoss, an evangelical publicist who focuses on faith-based organizations (and author of The Little Red Book of Wisdom). My use of the word “hired” was inaccurate, since DeMoss was not receiving any money from the Romney campaign.

continue reading "Mark DeMoss on being “dispatched”"

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa and the most populous country in Africa. Nigeria shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the south. Since 1991, its capital has been the centrally-located city of Abuja; previously, the Nigerian government was headquartered in the coastal city Lagos. The people of Nigeria have an extensive history, and archaeological evidence shows that human habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BC.^[4] The Benue-Cross River area is thought to be the original homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most of central and southern Africa in waves between the 1st millennium BC and the 2nd millennium AD.

continue reading "Oil Industry of Nigeria is in Trouble"

The last couple of posts have been poking around in Scripture and I don’t want to give the impression to casual visitors, who don’t check the archives, that Biblical stuff is all that is treated on this site. Here is a trifle as a goodbye to Bible discussion for a while.

These items have been in my notebooks for ages and I don’t know where any of them came from. Only some of the stuff about the number 153 is due to my own investigations.

continue reading "Biblical Trivia for the Believer and Non-believer"

The last couple of posts have been poking around in Scripture and I don’t want to give the impression to casual visitors, who don’t check the archives, that Biblical stuff is all that is treated on this site. Here is a trifle as a goodbye to Bible discussion for a while.

These items have been in my notebooks for ages and I don’t know where any of them came from. Only some of the stuff about the number 153 is due to my own investigations.

continue reading "Biblical Trivia for the Believer and Non-believer"

Bitterness is usually out of frustration resulting from the inability to achieve something that has been aimed- for by a person. A man aims and puts effort and struggles to achieve the desired result or aim and all times may not be successful. At times, he may be over expecting. He may not be on true path or desired path that could lead to the goal that is aimed for. Some times, the efforts put- in may not be adequate and lacking in spirit and steadfastness. The attempts could be half hearted. Expectations from your side could be too high about others with respect to sympathy, co operation and dedication. It may be about the boss, colleagues and sub ordinates and even outside elements that also play some role in achieving ones goals. Failures to achieve the goals in such varied circumstances disappoints a person to great extent no doubt and most of the times for our short comings and failures, we try to blame others and outside agencies. This is not about any person in particular and is a general statement. Repeated failures could result in frustration and bitterness and hatred too. This also leads to self alienation from the main stream or even society and accepted normal conduct in the society (1).

continue reading "Avoiding Bitterness: A Religious View"

The obedience which glorifies God most beautifully is that which grows out of appreciation for what He has done for us.

We have had several conversations about faith as a process -- more aptly, faith in process, as that expresses the flow (which exists) more than the object (which does not concretely exist).

A recent experience with a relatively new and inexperienced company has brought some insight into the education process.  Project manager determines scope of work is to be limited in design time, and details are to be worked out in the field by an experienced and trusted construction crew.  Client gets what he wants at less engineering cost.  Sounds good.  I have had experience with several of these kinds of "design-build" projects.  What I knew, was that the design time will be spent and charged one way or another to the client.  What I mean is, at some point, whether the designer or the construction crew, the specific problems will be encountered and will require working out.  In some cases with people experienced in this type of project "engineering" it nets a savings.  In others, the unanticipated problems can offset any possible savings by incurring more expense and time.  This I knew.  But an invitation to a "Texas Barbeque" (for those who don't know, its like a roast, only you are the on the spit), it became clear that the project manager did not know or expect questions and difficulties to come from the field.  His inexperience  left him unprepared to account to his client for the additional cost -- as apparently he had "sold" the client on net savings and no problems.

continue reading "The Consequences of Learning"

The Iraq war that became a focal point at the hustling in USA last year continues to haunt the American President. The report of BBC news states that, more than 3,600 coalition soldiers had died including more than 3000 US military men, but US forces generally do not keep complete records of civilians killed. Nor does the Iraqi government have a precise figure. Health ministry estimates in November 2006 ranged from 100,000 to 150,000 dead. This contrasts with a survey of Iraqi households in the Lancet, which suggested that - by July 2006 - about 655,000 Iraqi deaths were "a consequence of the war". These estimates are both higher than the running total of reported civilian deaths maintained by the campaign group, Iraq Body Count. Using two media reports as its source for each death, IBC says the civilian death toll is now almost than 69,000, including more than 3,650 police. But the organization also warns that many deaths may not have been reported (1).

continue reading "American President Under Continuous Pressure Over Iraq"

Have you noticed how today's postmodern superhero must first face down his own demons before saving the world from his arch-nemesis or metaphorical villain? In the mid twentieth century, heroes were often lady's men who rarely made mistakes and always did the right thing. They saved the world or the damsel in distress, and then humbly (with the exception of Bond) rode off or flew off into the sunset or sky, to return when needed. But not so today.

What we noticed, when recently my son and I watched Spider-man 3 at the theater, was not the now expected cool digital effects, but that the plot was more about the saving of the hero as it was about saving the world. It was about the enlightenment of Peter Parker, with friends as well as foes providing dialectical agonistic and antagonistic roles and advice toward the syntheses of a more humble, sensitive and forgiving Spider-man. The world still needs saving but so does our hero.

continue reading "Spider-man, Jason Bourne and Postmodern Salvation"

Water privatization battles are popping up all over the U.S., and indeed, the world, but mainstream news coverage rarely captures the anguish and inequity that is being experienced on the ground. Fortunately, readers of OntheCommons.org occasionally send along some excellent dispatches about their water wars (such as Jim Wilfong's account of the struggles against Nestle in Maine). I am pleased to post an account by Eunice Yu of a battle against water privatization now underway in Highland Park, Michigan, an economically troubled town. Yu writes:

Recent Nashville news highlighted the ongoing investigation and arrest of people selling people right here in my own neighborhood.  I wonder how many people know if the same might be happening in their own areas.  Fifteen-year old girls imported illegally and sold for sex, confined and silenced to be treated worse than cattle -- that is a disgusting comment on humanity.

 What else might be connected if a person would stoop so low?  Would they also be involved with drugs, cheap "slave" labor, gangs, illegal smuggling?  My take is, if a person would sell another human being and use children for their own wicked gain, that person would do anything for money.

continue reading "Human Trafficking in My Neighborhood"

Ask a serious graffiti artist why he/she started writing, pasting, stenciling or stickering, and you're likely to hear about the sheer daredevil thrill of painting on a mammoth scale in a hard-to-reach, highly visible spot while trying to evade the police, or about the simple but significant fact that, for the beginning urban artist, buildings, billboards and train cars are a cheap canvas for their budding creative efforts. But just as often you will hear that graffiti is a way to beautify common and often ignored urban space. Far from an act of vandalism or "quality-of-life" crime that politicians like Rudolph Giuliani use to score points, much graffiti writing is motivated by a desire to improve the visual quality of life­ to make an already ugly and depersonalized urban landscape more vibrant and human.

We have been building a lot of pie-shaped church buildings and trying to fill them with pie-shaped religion.

The Hindu spiritual literature is divided into two parts called Shruti and Smriti. Vedas are known as Shruti as they were not in written form and were passed through from one generation to another through word of mouth. However as time passed people found it difficult to remember and could not understand the Shruti in true text. Hence second part of literature Smriti came up that means some thing being remembered that has already been heard earlier. Thus Smritis remind us of Shruti. Thus only those Smritis that are in consonance with Vedas are authentic and Veda oriented (1). Others are not authentic. Parashara Smriti written in Sanskrit is an ancient scripture of yore and is attributed to the most learned and distinguished Sage Parashara of Mahabharatha times. The Parashara Smriti scripture has earned the wrath of the lower castes particularly Dalits. It has some of the most objectionable writings in relation to modern concepts, thinking and illumination of minds. Untouchability has been the dark spot in Hinduism from time immemorial and the society seriously discriminated untouchables who stood at the lowest ladder of castes of Shoodra. In India, untouchability was rampant during the last century. However slowly the evil reduced and now day is much unheard. The government of India has made the practice of untouchability as a serious offence and stringent punishments are prescribed in the Indian penal code. Law only does not eradicate all evils in the society. Infact society needs transformation and enlightenment. But occasionally the serpent of evil raises its hood in some corner or other of the nation and passions rise high at times leading to killings, disrobing, dishonoring and abuse of Dalit women. Dalits were considered lesser than even animals and it is very strange that a distinguished and highly illuminated sage has penned down the scripture that contain many objectionable verses and these can not be accepted in this modern age (2). Many claim that the scripture was actually written by some other Parashara and is falsely attributed to the great sage. To illustrate, some of the verses with English translations are quoted here (3):-

continue reading "Parashara Smriti Has Downgraded Lower Castes in Hinduism and Needs to be Purged"

The Khalistan movement for a separate Sikh nation gained momentum during the nineteen eighties that finally culminated in the military operation by Government of India owing to the unabated terrorist activities and gravity of situation. The Khalistan movement was spearheaded by Sant( religious holy leader) Jarnil Singh Bhinderwale aided by some hard core disgruntled retired Indian army officers such as retired Major General Shabeg Singh. The Golden temple complex at Amritsar was invaded by Indian Army on 05 June 1984 (1). Many terrorists and Bhinderwale along with Shabeg Singh were killed in military action. Sikhs have considered this army action as a great insult to them. Certain Sikh regiments and recruits mutineed. But they were over powered by other army troops before they could do any damage. As a consequence, Mrs. Indira Gandhi Prime Minister of India was assassinated by her Sikh body guards on 31 October1984 in her official residence that led to riots in and around New Delhi in which thousands of innocent Sikhs were killed brutally by the violent crowds allegedly abetted by the ruling political party leaders, thugs and goons (2). General Vaidya the Chief of Army staff was also assassinated after his retirement in June on 25 August 1986 by Sikh terrorists for his active part in ordering the assault on Sikh shrine by the troops of Indian army.

continue reading "Is Demand For Separate Sikh State Khalistan, Regaining Ground?"

True Love as it intendeth the greatest gifts intendeth also the greatest benefits. It contenteth not itself in showing great things unless it can make them greatly useful. For Love greatly delighteth in seeing its object continually seated in the highest happiness. Unless therefore I could advance you higher by the uses of what I give, my Love could not be satisfied in giving you the whole world.

True Love as it intendeth the greatest gifts intendeth also the greatest benefits. It contenteth not itself in showing great things unless it can make them greatly useful. For Love greatly delighteth in seeing its object continually seated in the highest happiness. Unless therefore I could advance you higher by the uses of what I give, my Love could not be satisfied in giving you the whole world.

True Love as it intendeth the greatest gifts intendeth also the greatest benefits. It contenteth not itself in showing great things unless it can make them greatly useful. For Love greatly delighteth in seeing its object continually seated in the highest happiness. Unless therefore I could advance you higher by the uses of what I give, my Love could not be satisfied in giving you the whole world.