Aum Gung Ganapathaye Namah
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma-sambuddhassa
Homage to The Blessed One, Accomplished and Fully Enlightened
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most
Merciful
Energy The Invisible Living Lord
An Online Book on Ascetism, Celibacy and
Evolution
References
(Revised:
References Edited by
Praise the Buddha
What’s in a name? That
which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
- William Shakespeare
Copyright © 2002-2010 Praise the Buddha
The following educational writings are STRICTLY for
academic research purposes ONLY.
Should NOT be used for commercial, political or any
other purposes.
(The following notes are subject to update and
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For free distribution only.
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8 "... Freely you
received, freely give”.
- Matthew 10:8 :: New American
Standard Bible (NASB)
Offer unto Me all
thy work and rest thy mind on the
Supreme. Perform thy work as an offering to Me...
- Lord Krishna to Arjuna in The Gita expounding Nishkama Karma
14 And this gospel
of the kingdom shall be preached
in all the world for a witness unto
all nations; and then shall the end
come.
- Matthew 24:14 :: King
James Version (KJV)
36 But of that day and hour knoweth
no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my
Father only.
- Matthew 24:36 :: King
James Version (KJV)
If One By Land and If Two By Sea.
- Anonymous
The greatest purifier ever: Fire
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A
Brief Word on Copyright
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A Brief Word on Copyright
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are given below are copyrighted by their respective authors as well as the respective
publishers. Some contain messages of warning, as follows:
Republication or redissemination of the
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and so”.
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The reproduction, redistribution and/or
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and
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copyright law) is permitted.
Moreover,
- This is a religious educational website.
- In the name of the Lord, with the
invisible Lord as the witness.
- No commercial/business/political use of
the following material.
- Just like student notes for research
purposes, the writings of the other children of the Lord, are given as it
is, with student highlights and coloring. Proper respects and due
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I believe that satisfies the conditions for
copyright and non-plagiarism.
- Also, from observation, any material
published on the internet naturally gets read/copied even if conditions
are maintained. If somebody is too strict with copyright and hold on to
knowledge, then it is better not to publish “openly” onto the internet or
put the article under “pay to refer” scheme.
- I came across the articles “freely”. So I
re-publish them freely with added student notes and review with due referencing
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to educate other children of the Lord on certain concepts, which I believe
are beneficial for “Oneness”.
References
Some of the links may not be active (de-activated) due
to various reasons, like removal of the concerned information from the source
database. So an educational copy is also provided, along with the link.
If the link is active, do
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nearest library or where-ever, for cross-checking/validation/confirmation.
References
1. Namo tassa, bhagavato, arahato, samma-sambudhassa
http://www.alansarchery.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Panic/namo.htm
(Reference: Namo
tassa, bhagavato, arahato, samma-sambudhassa.)
Namo
tassa, bhagavato, arahato, samma-sambudhassa
I have been asked
several times what this phrase means.
It is one of the
commonest Buddhist affirmations, found all over the Buddhist world. It is in a language of Northern Indian origin
called Pali, which may be similar to that spoken by Siddharta Gotama, the
historical Buddha. Each word has many shades of meaning, but whatever particular
flavour is chosen the
message is clear:
I
do this with deep respect for the wise one, who
conquered all obstacles, the perfectly self-enlightened Buddha.
2. Horne,
http://www.mindspring.com/~semartialarts/sw.html
(Reference: Horne,
3. The
http://pharos.bu.edu/CN/articles/ParadiseOfDesertFathers.txt
(Reference: The
Paradise of the Desert Fathers.)
Joy
Sayings:
Amma
Syncletica said, "In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of
suffering for those who are advancing towards God and, afterwards, ineffable joy. It is
like those who wish to light a fire. At first they are choked with smoke and
cry, until they obtain what they seek.
As it is written, "Our God is a consuming fire"
(Hebrews
Abba
Hyperichius said, "Praise God continually with spiritual hymns and always remain in meditation
and in this way you will
be able to bear the burden of the temptations that come upon you. A traveller who is carrying a heavy load
pauses from time to time and draws in deep breaths; it makes the journey easier
and the burden lighter."
Prayer
Sayings:
They
asked abba Macarius, "How should we pray?" And
the old man replied, "There is no need to speak much in prayer;
often stretch out your hands and say, "Lord, as you will
and as you know, have mercy on me." But if there is war in your soul, add, “Help
me!” and because he
knows what we need, he shows mercy on us."
Abba
Lot went to see abba Joseph and he said to him, "Abba, as far as I can, I
say my little office, I fast a
little, I pray
and meditate, I live in peace
and as far as I can I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?" Then the old man stood up and stretched
his hands toward heaven; his fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said
to him, "If you will, you can become all flame."
Abba
Paul said, "Keep
close to Jesus."
4. Homer. (Translated by Samuel Butler) The Iliad.
http://eserver.org/sparks/books/iliad.html
http://eserver.org/sparks/books/iliad.pdf (Download)
(Reference:
Homer. (Translated by Samuel Butler) The Iliad.
5. Homer. (Translated by Samuel Butler) The Odyssey.
http://eserver.org/sparks/books/odyssey.html
http://eserver.org/sparks/books/odyssey.pdf (Download)
(Reference: Homer. (Translated by Samuel Butler) The Odyssey.
6. Alev,
Simeon. What the Buddha Taught -
An Interview with Bhante Henepola Gunaratana.
What
Is Enlightenment? Magazine. Issue 13.
http://www.wie.org/j13/taught.asp
(Reference: Alev,
Simeon.
What the Buddha Taught - An Interview
with Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. What Is Enlightenment? Magazine. Issue 13.)
7. Samanera , Sumana. (1983) Going
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel027.html
(Reference:
Samanera , Sumana. (1983) Going Forth
(Pabbajja) - A Call to Buddhist Monkhood - An Essay, and Letters on
Buddhism. The Wheel Publication No. 27/28. 103k size.
8. Venerable Piyadassi Thera (1987) The Buddha's Ancient Path. (3rd Reprint)
(Reference:
Venerable Piyadassi Thera (1987) The
Buddha's Ancient Path. (3rd
Reprint)
9. Vedanta, the Sacred and
Ancient Wisdom of the Vedas.
http://www.cosmicharmony.com/Wi/WImain.htm
(Reference: Vedanta, the Sacred and
Ancient Wisdom of the Vedas.)
10. The Mystic Missal - A
Door to Ways and Means on the Spiritual Path: Ramana Maharshi, Who
Am I? (
http://mysticmissal.org/whoami_who_am_i_.htm
(Reference: The Mystic Missal - A
Door to Ways and Means on the Spiritual Path: Ramana Maharshi, Who Am I? (Nan Yar?))
See everyone as an extension of yourself.
Before
meditation, thank your "enemies".
Love them. Pretty soon you find it harder to hate
anyone as an enemy.
11. Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (Translated from the Pali) Udana V.3, Kutthi Sutta,
The Leper.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/udana/ud5-03.html
(Reference:
Thanissaro Bhikkhu. (Translated from the Pali)
Udana
V.3, Kutthi Sutta, The Leper. www.accesstoinsight.org .)
12. Why Ghosts and Spirits Possess Enhanced Powers
on Six Days Each Month
http://www.kalavinka.org/jewels/nagajuna/mppu/websila/whyghost.htm
(Reference:
Why
Ghosts and Spirits Possess Enhanced Powers on Six Days Each Month.)
13. The Patient Rishi and the King of Kalinga
http://www.kalavinka.org/jewels/nagajuna/mppu/webpati/kalinga.htm
(Reference: The
Patient Rishi and the King of Kalinga.)
14. Cultivate the Buddhahood within
http://www.homestead.com/gotaro/DalaiLama9.html
(Reference: Cultivate the Buddhahood
within.)
15. The LAW's Hall of Horror.
http://www.duhaime.org/horror.htm
(Reference: The LAW's Hall of Horror.)
Capital
punishment itself is as old as humanity. The Babylons, Hammurabi, decreed the
death penalty for crimes as minor as the fraudulent sale of beer. Egyptians were killed as punishment for
disclosing sacred burial places.
The
Romans inflicted capital punishment by pushing the accused from a high cliff.
Crucifixion, such as that inflicted on Jesus Christ, was another popular form of
punishment. The idea was to nail the convict to the cross and to let them die
slowly, from asphyxiation, shock and heart failure.
The
Romans dealt with those guilty of parricide in a unique fashion. There, the
convict was sewn up into a leather sack with an animal and thrown out to sea
(animal was included so that, in its attempts to escape, the criminal would be
torn apart by its claws. For this reason, a dog, cat or chicken was preferred).
The penalty for declaring bankruptcy was slavery or being cut to pieces; the
option being with the creditor.
There
was no letup during the Middle Ages, where convicts were crushed under heavy
stones or burned at the stake. Between the years 1500 and 1550 alone, over
70,000 state executions were carried out in
Eighteen
hundred and seventy marked the end of the last vestige of barbaric punishment
in
On
eye-witness wrote, in October 13, 1660, that he "went out to Charing Cross
to see Major Harrison hanged, drawn and quartered, which was done there, he looking as cheerful as any man could do in
that condition. He was presently
cut down and his head and heart shown to the people, at which there was great
shouts of joy."
The
English law treated women differently for treason. They were burned alive.
Another
English punishment, which prevailed during the reign of Henry VIII, was being
boiled alive.
French
law was no better. Burning at the stake was common. In carrying out the
official court sentence of the assassin of Henri IV, the murderer's skin was
torn off his chest, arms and legs with red hot pinchers. The arm with which he
had killed the King was burnt off and molten lead was poured onto the wounds.
Finally, his body was torn apart by a team of four horses.
The
pillory was a device that was used for hundreds of years. With it, a prisoner's
head and limbs were pinned between planks of wood in the middle of the town
square. Passers-by were invited to assault the prisoner or to throw things at
the prisoner's head. One lady, in 1732, was convicted of inciting another to
poison a man. She was sentenced to two days in the pillory. She barely survived
the first day. She was pelted with eggs and other projectiles. On the second
day, the guards found it difficult to get her head through the opening and,
removing her head-dress, they found she had fashioned a concealed bowl to shield
her skull. They removed it but it incited the crowd even more. According to
eyewitnesses, she was pelted until her head bled profusely and only then did
the crowd subside. She survived.
Conviction
of a charge of forgery meant that a person had his ears cut off and his
nostrils slit while in the pillory. The pillory was finally abolished in 1837.
The
British had a special punishment for those who refused to plead one way or
another in the face of a felony charge. Their bodies were pressed by great weights
until they either agreed to plead or they died. The penalty was called peine
forte et dure. The prisoner was laid on the floor naked and his hands and feet
were tied up and stretched in opposite directions, towards the four corners of
the room. A board was laid on his chest. On the board, weights were laid. More
weight was added "till he die or answer." This form of punishment
lasted from 1406 to 1772.
16. False Gurus and Siddhis
(Occult or Supernatural Powers)
http://www.prodigyweb.net.mx/santhigi/guru/marcos/false.htm
(Reference: False Gurus
and Siddhis (Occult or Supernatural Powers))
17. Yaksha Prashna (The Questions of the Yaksha),
Mahabharata
http://www.periplusbooks.com/india_texts/yaksha/yp10.html
(Reference: Yaksha Prashna
(The Questions of the Yaksha), Mahabharata.)
18. Thanissaro
Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff). The
Buddhist Monastic Code Volume I: The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated &
Explained.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/modern/thanissaro/bmc1/index.html
(Reference:
Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff). The
Buddhist Monastic Code Volume I: The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated
& Explained. www.accesstoinsight.org .)
Why should one have knowledge of the higher rules of training?
“Dhamma-Vinaya
was the Buddha's own name for the religion he founded. Dhamma -- the truth -- is what he discovered and pointed out as
advice for all who want to gain release from suffering. Vinaya -- discipline -- is what he formulated as rules, ideals, and
standards of behavior for those of his followers who went forth from home life
to take up the quest for release in greater earnestness. …Dhamma and Vinaya in practice function only together. Neither without
the other can attain the desired goal.
In theory they may
be separate, but in the person who practices them they
merge as qualities developed in the mind and character.
Ultimately,
the Buddha said, just
as the sea has a single taste, that of salt,
so too the Dhamma
and Vinaya have a single taste: that of release.”
19. The Reproductive System
http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookREPROD.html
(Reference: The
Reproductive System.)
20. Karen
Rae Keck, On the Life of Mary Magdalene.
http://www.stnina.org/97sp/97sp-keck-magdalen.htm
(Reference:
Karen Rae Keck, On the Life of Mary
Magdalene.)
21. Mary Magdalene.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2256/magdalene.html
(Reference: Mary Magdalene.)
22. AUM
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/9089/hr/aum.html
(Reference: AUM.)
23. Swami Shivom Tirth Ashram Inc.
http://www.shivomworld.org/main.html
(Reference: Swami Shivom Tirth Ashram Inc.)
24. Moses on Mt Nebo.
http://tinny.eis.net.au/~paulh/ex19hp.htm
(Reference: Moses on Mt Nebo.)
“Success or failure is not measured in the end
by the surface accomplishments of a person's life, but by the quality of spirit
to which he or she has attained in and through his struggles. What matters in
the end is not success or failure, but the character that has been won out of
both, and especially out of failure. We are prone to be obsessed with the
outward appearance of a person's life. That is not what God looks at. God looks
on the heart. It is by how the heart is growing, not how the record is growing,
that He rates us. The whole point of life as God ordained it is that out of it
all, success and failure alike, there should be fashioned in us a heart 'far gone
in readiness for Him.'”
“…"Men are looking for a better life; God is looking for better men."
(E. M. Bounds) We aspire to success in outward achievements; God's successes
are in the soul, and often God wins
His successes in a person's soul precisely when, and even because, the outward shell of their life is in ruins.
It is out of tragedy that men grow big, not out of comedy!”
“…What does it matter whether we end up a
distinguished celebrity or an insignificant nobody? What does it matter whether
we have realised 8% or 80% of our youthful dreams? What does it matter if we
lead Israel into Canaan, or die with the glory given to another? What does all
that matter so long as we have, in it all and through it all, learned the simplicity and serenity of a
spirit rooted in God ... so long as we
are finally conformed to the image of the Son of God, who said at His life's outwardly ruinous end, "It
is finished. Father into Thy hands I commit my spirit."
We may pour some Christian content into
Kipling's familiar lines: "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two
imposters just the same ... you'll be a man,
my son."”
(material quoted without permission)
25. Pirsig, Robert M. (1984) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. New York, USA: Bantam Books. ISBN:
0-553-27747-2. Pages: 380.
(Reference:
Pirsig, Robert M. (1984) Zen and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance. New York, USA: Bantam Books.)
26. Sheikh
Nefzaoui. (Translated by Sir Richard Burton). (1886) The Perfumed Garden.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/sex/garden/
(Reference:
Sheikh Nefzaoui. (Translated by Sir Richard Burton). (1886)
“…the
book contains much useful
information and a large number of curious cases, and I have undertaken the translation because,
as the Sheikh Nefzaoui says in his preamble: `I swear before God,
certainly! the
knowledge of this book is necessary.
It will be only
the shamefully ignorant, the
enemy of all science, who does not read it, or who turns it into ridicule.'
One should have knowledge of both sides of a coin to achieve
Perfection. Yes, the contents may be taboo, but if you are ignorant of the other side, it is easy for you to walk
into a trap.
Prevention is always better than cure. So, be MATURE.
WARNING: BEWARE!!!
The above book is the exact opposite of the path of Celibacy. Those who
read the above book should read and understand the given concepts only in extremely controlled circumstances. WARNING REPEATED!!!
True, the book contents are offered to the Lord.
What does it contain?
It is a sex manual. “The Kama-sutra of the Desert”. Highly popular
among the Arabs. Ideal as a tantric sex guide/text.
· Since intake of excess energy, in the form of
food, becomes a major impediment for mental training, it is worth to know why
the following finer staple foods, i.e., ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey,
sugar/molasses, fish, meat, milk, and curds are officially banned. Eggs also to
be included. (Reference: 18)
· To be on the practical side, which all this
hardship to conserve seminal energy? Why shouldn’t it be wasted?
The above two relevant questions are answered in this book.
Read and understand the book. However, the implementation of the book’s
contents are STRICTLY
PROHIBITED for
those on the path of Purity and Perfection.
…I went to visit
Abou Nouass again, and informed him of all that had happened. He was surprised
and stupefied, and his first words were, `O Djoâidi, you can
have neither authority nor power over such a woman, and she would make you do
penance for all the pleasure you have had with other women!'
However, Fadehat el
Djemal proposed to me to become her legitimate husband, in order to put a stop to the vexatious rumours
that were circulating about her conduct. I, on the other
hand, was only on the look out for adultery. Asking the advice of Abou Nouass
about it, he told me, `If you marry Fadehat el Djemal you will ruin your health, and God will withdraw
his protection from you, and the worst of all will be that she will cuckold
you, for she is insatiable with respect to the coitus, and would cover you with
shame.' And I answered him,
`Such is the nature of women; they are insatiable
as far as their vulvas are concerned, and so long as their lust is satisfied
they do not care whether it be with a buffoon, a negro, a valet, or even with a
man that is despised and reprobated by society.'
On this occasion
Abou Nouass depicted the character of women in the following verses:
Women
are demons, and were born as such; No one can trust them, as is known to all;
If they love a man, it is only out of caprice; And he to whom they
are most cruel loves them most; Beings full
of treachery and trickery, I aver The man that loves you truly is a lost man;
He who believes me not can prove my word By letting woman's love get hold of
him for years! If in your own generous mood you have given them Your all and
everything for years and years, They will say afterwards, `I swear by God! My
eyes Have never seen a thing he gave me!' After you have impoverished yourself
for their sake, their cry from day to day will be for ever, `Give! Give, Man.
Get up and buy and borrow.' If they cannot profit by you they'll turn against
you; they will tell lies about you and calumniate you. They do not recoil to
use a slave in the master's absence, if once their passions are aroused, and
they play tricks; Assuredly, if once their vulva is in rut, They only think of
getting in some member in erection. Preserve us, God! from woman's trickery;
And of old women in particular. So be it.
27. Mabel Collins (1973) The
Idyll of the White Lotus. (9th
Reprint) Adyar, Madras, India: The Theosophical Publishing House. ISBN:
0-8356-7326-X. Pages: 152
(Reference:
Mabel Collins (1973) The Idyll of the White
Lotus. (9th Reprint) Adyar, Madras, India:
The Theosophical Publishing House.)
Did Man’s life in this planet, Earth start only with the coming of
Jesus Christ around 2000 years back?
Archeological evidence indicate, NO. For thousands and thousands of
years, Man lived in this planet.
There came many a Jesus before Jesus Christ of Bethlehem. Many a Buddha
came before the Buddha of Kapilavastu. Many a Thirthankara came before
Mahavira. Many a Krishna came before the Krishna of Dwaraka, the Lord behind
the Mahabharata war.
“…the
Lord informs Arjuna that this system of yoga, the Bhagavad-gita, was first
spoken to the sun-god,
and the sun-god explained it to Manu, and Manu
explained it to Iksvaku, and in that way, by disciplic succession, one speaker
after another, this yoga system has been coming down. But in the course of time it has become lost. Consequently the Lord has to speak it again,
this time to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra.” - The Bhagavad-gita, Introduction
Many a Rama came before the Rama of Ayodhya, the hero of Ramayana. Many
a prophet came before Prophet Mohammad. Many came, many left, many yet to come.
The Idyll of the White Lotus portrays the spiritual life of a highly
advanced Adept who came a long time before Jesus Christ - his trials, his
pitfalls, his redemption – by the Divine Goddess/Mother.
Worth reading and understanding.
28. Gayatri Mantra
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/9089/hr/gayatri.html
(Reference: Gayatri
Mantra.)
29. Is there a Devil in
Hinduism and what is the devil in Hinduism?
http://www.karma2grace.org/Webcomponents/FAQ/index.asp?det=42
(Reference: Is there a
Devil in Hinduism and what is the devil in Hinduism?)
30. If Gayatri is a powerful
mantra why should not it be recited during meditation?
http://www.karma2grace.org/Webcomponents/FAQ/index.asp?det=46
(Reference:
If Gayatri
is a powerful mantra why should not it be recited during meditation?)
“The
use of rosary beads (108 in number) and the repetition of a mantra hundreds,
thousands, or even millions of times during japa is considered a type of
sacrifice. It is considered useful in that it focuses the mind or even empties
the mind to bring calm.”
http://www.clam.rutgers.edu/~gmc07/dempossession.htm
(Reference: Demonic Possession.)
32. Which Religion?
http://www.hypno-analysis.co.uk/gc2.htm
(Reference: Which Religion?)
33. Satan: Later History: 100
Ce To Present-Day
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_sat5.htm
(Reference: Satan: Later History: 100
Ce To Present-Day.)
34. Hatred & Misinformation
Against Wiccans And Other Neopagans
http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcr1.htm
(Reference: Hatred &
Misinformation Against Wiccans And Other Neopagans.)
35. Ali, Luqman. Shari'ah (Islamic Law).
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~azma/Shariah.html
(Reference: Ali,
Luqman. Shari'ah (Islamic Law).)
36. Rogers,
John J. W. and Feiss, P. Geoffrey. (April 1998) People and the Earth :Basic Issues in the
Sustainability of Resources and Environment. (1/e.) Cambridge
University Press. ISBN: 0521568722. Pages: 350. PaperBack.
(Reference:
Rogers, John J. W. and Feiss, P. Geoffrey. (April 1998) People and the Earth :Basic Issues in the
Sustainability of Resources and Environment. (1/e.) Cambridge
University Press.)
37. Victoria Combe (Saturday,
July 06, 2002) Christianity 'is nearly vanquished' in
Britain. UK: The Telegraph.
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;$sessionid$2EY1RUYAAB2IVQFIQMFSFFOAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2001/09/06/ncard06.xml
(Reference:
Victoria Combe (Saturday, July 06, 2002)
Christianity
'is nearly vanquished' in Britain. UK: The Telegraph.)
“I have just returned from Uganda and there's
more Christianity there than there is here”
38. Maududi,
Syed A'la. Introduction to Surah 1.
http://isgkc.org/Maududi/mau1.htm
(Reference:
Maududi, Syed A'la. Introduction
to Surah 1.)
39. Quick, Dr. Abdullah Hakim. (August 1997) Seeking the Inner Muslim.
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~magamiet/More_khutbahs/Dr_A_H_Quick/seeking_the_inner_muslim.htm
(Reference:
Quick, Dr. Abdullah Hakim. (August
1997) Seeking
the Inner Muslim.)
…the
Prophet (pbuh) was visited by the Angel Jibril and asked about Islam and Iman.
He was also questioned about Ihsan (righteousness). The Prophet's response was
that "Ihsan is to worship Allah as though you see Him and if you cannot do
this, then worship Him as though He sees you."
The
Prophet (pbuh) once said to one of his companions, "Say, I believe in
Allah, and then be upright."
…the
Prophet has informed us, "Haste is from the Shaitan."
…may
Allah help us to embody the words and warnings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
who left us in an authentic hadith reported in Al-Tirmidhi: "Two characteristics are not found together in
a hypocrite: good manners and understanding
of religion (fiqh fi-Din)."
40. Vaishna Symbols
http://utenti.lycos.it/aum/kundalini/kundalini_eng/vishnusymb.html
(Reference: Vaishna
Symbols.)
41. Vamana, The Young
Bachelor
http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/greatdevotees/bali/page9.htm
(Reference: Vamana,
The Young Bachelor.)
42. Dr.
(Mrs.) L.S. Dewaraja. (1981) The Position of Women in
Buddhism. - The Wheel Publication No. 280. Kandy, Sri
Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. eBook Size: 39k. Pages: 13.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel280.html
(Reference: Dr.
(Mrs.) L.S. Dewaraja. (1981) The Position
of Women in Buddhism. - The Wheel Publication No. 280. Kandy, Sri
Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society.)
43. Hecker,
Hellmuth. (Translated by Sister
Khema) (1982) Buddhist Women at the Time of The Buddha. - The Wheel Publication No. 292/29. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. eBook Size:
106k. Pages: 35.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel292.html
(Reference:
Hecker, Hellmuth. (Translated by Sister
Khema) (1982)
Buddhist
Women at the Time of The Buddha. - The Wheel Publication No. 292/29. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society.)
44. Jootla, Susan Elbaum. (1988) Inspiration from Enlightened Nuns. - The Wheel Publication No. 349/350. Kandy, Sri
Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society.
ISBN 955-24-0032-5. eBook Size: 84k. Pages: 29.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel349.html
(Reference:
Jootla, Susan Elbaum. (1988) Inspiration
from Enlightened Nuns. - The Wheel Publication No. 349/350. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society.)
45. Therigatha: Verses of
the Elder Nuns.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/therigatha/index.html
(Reference: Therigatha:
Verses of the Elder Nuns.)
46. Viswamitra.
http://members.rediff.com/saivani/Vishwamitra.htm
(Reference: Viswamitra.)
“The
sage who exemplifies the transformation from the Rajasic to satvic quality is
Viswamitra. His antipathy to sage Vasishta went to the extentt of even
contemplating the destruction of the sage. Viswamitra was hovering near the
ashram when he overheard a conversation betweeen Vasishta and his spouse
Arundhati. Arundhati expressed her admiration for the beautiful unblemished
light the full moon was shedding that night. Immediately Vasishta observed,
"Tonight’s full moon is shining untainted like the pure penance of Viswamitra." On hearing these words, Viswamitra
realised how mistaken he was regarding Vasishta and rushed into the ashram,
fell at the feet of Vasishta and prayed to him to forgive him.
Vasishta
lifted Viswamitra and hailed him as "Brahmarishi" (a sage who has
realised the Supreme Self). Vasishta, who had previously described Viswamitra
as a Rajarishi (a royal sage), spontaneously hailed him as a Brahmarishi.
Viswamitra could not contain himself and asked Vasishta on what grounds was he
called a Brahmarishi. Vasishta said, "Viswamitra! hitherto you were filled with self-conceit.
You were born with ego, grew with ego, and never bowed your head to any one.
Today you put an end to your ego and fell at my feet. This is the significance
of egolessness. A Brahmarishi is one who is free from egoism,
acquisitiveness, pride and arrogance."
47. Women Buddhist priests:
Lives dedicated to the Lord.
http://www.tibet.ca/wtnarchive/2001/6/17_6.html
(Reference: Women Buddhist priests:
Lives dedicated to the Lord.)
Tawang Monastery,
“It
is important, because they have to continue their life with all dedication to
the lord and no way get influenced either way. If they are allowed to meet
lamas or other people, that may ruin their concentration. Also it may lead them
for attraction of material wealth, which we do not want”
-
an
aged nun, Anee Gompa (lady Buddhist monastery),
Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh
“When
asked about her aim in life, she answered with a sparkle in her beautiful eyes,
‘To become a great personality like Dalai Lama and devote life for betterment
of the mankind in the globe.’”
- Gumzum, a senior lady lama.
48. Tawang
Monastery - The Fountainhead of Spiritual Life.
http://www.indiaprofile.com/pilgrimage/tawangmonastery.htm
(Reference: Tawang
Monastery - The Fountainhead of Spiritual Life.)
49. Tawang
in Arunachal Pradesh.
http://users.senet.com.au/~wingman/tawang.html
(Reference: Tawang in Arunachal
Pradesh.)
“Arunachal Pradesh requires an Inner Line
Permit from Indian citizens obtainable from their Liaison office in N.Delhi,
Calcutta, Guwahati and Tezpur”
50. Tourism in Tawang.
http://users.senet.com.au/~wingman/tawang1.html
(Reference: Tourism in Tawang.)
“… the presiding deity of the monastery is
Devi or Sri Devi so selected by the then Dalai Lama.”
51. Brahmaharshi Vishwamitra.
http://www.urday.com/vishwa.htm (De-activated link)
(Reference: Brahmaharshi Vishwamitra.) (De-activated
link)
52. Brahmacharya vrat (Vow of
Celibacy).
http://www.godrealized.com/glossary/Brahmacharya-vrat.html
(Reference: Brahmacharya
vrat (Vow of Celibacy).)
53. Sri
Swami Sivananda. Mira Bai.
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/saints/mirabai.htm
(Reference: Sri
Swami Sivananda. Mira Bai.)
Mira’s
fame spread far and wide. So many princesses and queens have come and gone. So
many Ranis, Kumaris and Maharanis have appeared on the stage of this world and
vanished. How
is it that the queen of Chitore alone is still remembered? Is this on account of her beauty? Is this on
account of her poetic skill? No. It is on account of her renunciation, one-pointed devotion to Lord
Krishna and God-realisation. She came face to face with Krishna. She conversed with Krishna. She ate with
Krishna—her Beloved. She drank the Krishna-prema-rasa. She has sung from the
core of her heart the music of her soul, the music of her Beloved, her unique
spiritual experiences. And she has sung songs of surrender and Prem.
Mira
had the beautiful cosmic vision. She saw Krishna in the tree, in the stone, in the creeper, in the
flower, in the bird, in all beings—in everything.
As long as there is the name of Krishna, there will be the name of Mira also.
It
is extremely difficult to find a parallel to this wonderful personality—Mira—a
saint, a philosopher, a poet and a sage. She was a versatile genius and a
magnanimous soul. Her life has a singular charm, with extraordinary beauty and
marvel. She was a princess, but she abandoned the pleasures and luxuries incident
to her high station, and chose
instead, a life of poverty, austerity, Tyaga, Titiksha and Vairagya. Though she was a delicate young lady, she entered the perilous journey on the
spiritual path amidst various difficulties. She underwent various ordeals with
undaunted courage and intrepidity. She stood adamant in her resolve. She had a
gigantic will.
Mira’s earthly life was full of troubles and difficulties. She was
persecuted. She was tormented and yet she kept up an undaunted spirit and a
balanced mind all through, by the strength of her devotion and the grace of her
beloved Krishna. Though she was a
princess, she
begged alms and lived sometimes on water alone. She led a life of perfect
renunciation and self-surrender.
Krishna was her husband, father, mother, friend, relative and Guru.
54. Sri Swami Sivananda. Milarepa.
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/saints/milarepa.htm
(Reference: Sri
Swami Sivananda. Milarepa.)
55. Devotee calls the Tune.
http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/43.html
(Reference: Devotee calls the Tune.)
“Evidently you do not know about me. I am not
a free person. I may be able to do anything I like. But first and foremost, I
belong to my devotees. All that is mine belongs to them. They have renounced
everything and have chosen me as their sole companion. They have abandoned
everything for my sake: wife, home, child, and kinsmen: their very lives. They
have no thought of this world or the next. Heaven holds no charm for them. All
they want is my grace. In return I have sworn that I will never abandon them.
The foremost thought in my mind is the bhakti they have for me. They have
conquered me with their love and I am powerless against their love. I have no
will of my own. Their sorrow is my sorrow and their happiness is mine. I am
famed by the name "Bhakta-parAdhIna" (subservient to the devotees). I
am not as fond of myself or even my Devi Lakshmi as I am of my devotees. When
such is the case, how can I treat them casually? Any insult offered to my
devotee is considered as an insult to me. Just as good women make slaves of
their husbands by the extreme love they have for them, even so my devotees have
made me their slave" (from Kamala Subramanian's rendering of the bhAgavatam;
corresponding to slokas 63 - 69 of 4th chapter of Skanda 9).
The
Lord says in so many words: “Devotees are my heart. I am the heart of (my)
devotees. They are not aware of anything other than me; and I also do not know,
even an iota, of anything other than them.”
56. Dattatreya Jayanti.
http://www.dattapeetham.com/india/festivals/dattajayanti99/dec20/dec20.html
(Reference: Dattatreya
Jayanti.)
“However,
by his penance, the emperor was cleansed of his ego.
Hence he expressed that he
had no desire.”
Then
the Sudarshana Chakra was pacified and it vanished. (Personal Note: Living Energy?)
57. Sri Swami Sivananda. Parsvanatha.
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/saints/parsvanatha.htm
(Reference: Sri
Swami Sivananda. Parsvanatha.)
Prince
Parsva was now sixteen years old. He was sitting on the throne. His father
Visvasena said, "My son, in order to continue our celebrated royal dynasty,
you must marry now. At the desire of Nabhi Raja, Rishabha had to marry".
Parsvanatha
was very much frightened when he heard the words of his father. He said,
"My life-period will not be so extensive as that of Rishabha. I am to live
only a few score years. I have already wasted sixteen years in boyish sports. I
must enter the order in my thirtieth year. Should I then have a married life for so short a period in the hope of
getting pleasures which are, after all, only imperfect, transient and illusory?"
Parsvanatha’s
heart was filled with a spirit of renunciation. He reflected within himself: "For long, long years I enjoyed the
status of Indra and yet the lust for pleasures did not decrease. Enjoyment of
pleasures only increases the lust for pleasures, just as the addition of fuel
only increases the virulence of fire. Pleasures at the time of enjoyment are
pleasant, but their consequences are surely disastrous.
"The soul experiences from beginningless time the sufferings of
birth, old age, etc., on account of its attachment to the objects of this
world. To satisfy the cravings of his senses, man wanders in the realm of pain.
So that he may have sensual gratification, he does not heed the moral
injunctions and he commits the worst vices. He kills living animals to enjoy
the pleasures of the senses. Lust is at the root of theft, greed, adultery and
all vices and crimes.
"As a consequence of sinful acts, the soul is forced to migrate
from birth to birth in the kingdom of the lower animals etc., and to suffer the
torments of hell. This lust for pleasures must be shunned ruthlessly. So long I
have wasted my life. I am not going to spend any more time in the vain pursuit
of pleasures. I shall be serious and practise right conduct."
58. Yoshikawa, Eiji. Musashi.
(Reference:
Yoshikawa, Eiji. Musashi.)
Highly Recommended Book For Complete Reading, Understanding and Transforming
The biography portrays in novel form, the life of the greatest
swords-man of Japanese history who lived in 16th -17th
century Japan. A celibate warrior who by self-examination and training
underwent transformation with the help of a wandering Buddhist monk to become
the legend of Japan. The warrior developed the two-sword fighting technique, to
face single-handedly enemies surrounded from all sides. Combined Zen Buddhism
with sword-fighting, to develop “The Way of the Sword”. Combined Sun Tzu’s “The
Art of War” with his fighting experiences, to write “The Book of the Five
Rings”.
59. Brunton, Paul. (1991) A
Search in Secret India. (1/e) New Delhi,
India: B.I. Publications Private Limited/York Beach, ME, USA: Weiser/London,
UK: Messrs Riders & Co. ISBN: 81-7225-004-5 Pages: 312.
(Reference:
Brunton, Paul. (1991) A Search in Secret India. (1/e) New Delhi,
India: B.I. Publications Private Limited/York Beach, ME, USA: Weiser/London,
UK: Messrs Riders & Co.)
Highly Recommended Book For
Complete Reading, Understanding and Transforming
Gives an authentic account of the author’s rendezvous with many Indian
mystics and yogis during his Indian travels in the early 20th
century. He gives importance to The Seer of Arunachala, Sri Ramana Maharshi.
Digest thoroughly the words of the following two:
- The Sage Who
Never Speaks, and
- The Silent
Anchorite, Brahma.
Brunton wrote other books also, which are all worth reading and
understanding.
60. Goldratt,
Eliyahu. The Goal.
(Reference:
Goldratt, Eliyahu. The Goal.)
Highly Recommended Book For Complete Reading, Understanding and Transforming
A management classic written in novel form. Re-defines the way of
thinking for What is the Ultimate Goal?
“Anything you do, that takes towards the goal, is productive.
Anything you do, that takes away from the goal, is un-productive.”
Goldratt wrote other books also, which are all worth reading and
understanding.
61. Some Book Excerpts from Vedas.
http://www.geocities.com/advaitins/BookonVedas.html
(Reference: Some Book Excerpts
from Vedas.)
62. Brean, Joseph. (Saturday,
July 13, 2002) Lab's polio virus opens old puzzle: What is
life? Canada: National
Post.
http://www.nationalpost.com/home/story.html?id={2A91471C-1076-4175-A672-1DCD4B6484E9} (De-activated link)
(Reference:
Brean, Joseph. (Saturday, July 13, 2002)
Lab's
polio virus opens old puzzle: What is life? Canada: National Post.) (De-activated
link)
63. Brunton, Paul. (1988) A
Search in Secret Egypt. (2/e) Maine, USA:
Samuel Weiser, Inc. ISBN: 0-87728-603-5 Hardbound.
(Reference:
Brunton, Paul. (1988) A Search in Secret Egypt. (2/e) Maine, USA: Samuel Weiser, Inc.)
Highly Recommended Book For
Complete Reading, Understanding and Transforming
64. Nayanar, Nakkira Deva. (Translated by Layne Little) Tirumurugarruppadai
or 'Guide to Lord Murugan'.
http://murugan.org/texts/tirumurukarruppadai_layne_little.htm
(Reference: Nayanar, Nakkira Deva. (Translated by Layne Little)
Tirumurugarruppadai
or 'Guide to Lord Murugan'.)
65. Principles and Practice of Hindu Religion. Lesson 7, Chapter 1.
http://www.bnaiyer.com/hinduism/bas-07.html
(Reference: Principles and Practice of
Hindu Religion. Lesson 7, Chapter 1.)
66. About the Temple.
http://www.indianet.com/ganesh/about.htm (De-activated link)
(Reference: About the Temple.) (De-activated
link)
67. Temples of South India, Sri Dandayuthapani in
Palani.
http://www.theindianculture.com/Indyaculture%20temples/southindian%20Temples/palani.htm
(Reference: Temples
of South India, Sri Dandayuthapani in Palani.)
68. Murthy, S S (Ed.) (1985) Night Vision Devices. Delhi, India: Defence Scientific Information
& Documentation Centre, DRDO, Ministry of Defence. Pages: 130 Paperback
Edition.
(Reference:
Murthy, S S (Ed.) (1985) Night Vision Devices. Delhi, India: Defence Scientific Information
& Documentation Centre, DRDO, Ministry of Defence.)
69. The Paradise of The Holy
Fathers.
http://www.suscopticdiocese.org/frames/magazine/holyfathers.html
(Reference: The
Paradise of The Holy Fathers.)
70. Short
Review: Feet of Clay-Saints,
Sinners, and Madmen: A Study of Gurus by Anthony Storr.
http://www.sti.gr/parissis/book_feet_of_clay.html (De-activated link)
(Reference: Short Review:
Feet of Clay-Saints,
Sinners, and Madmen: A Study of Gurus by Anthony Storr.) (De-activated
link)
71. Heuvel,
Curt van den. Review on Feet of Clay-Saints, Sinners, and
Madmen: A Study of Gurus by Anthony Storr.
http://www.lds-mormon.com/foc.shtml
(Reference:
Heuvel, Curt van den. Review on Feet of Clay-Saints, Sinners, and
Madmen: A Study of Gurus by
Anthony Storr.)
72. Review: Fawn
Brodie - No Man Knows My History.
http://www.lds-mormon.com/brodie.shtml
(Reference: Review: Fawn Brodie - No Man Knows My
History.)
73. Review: Robert D. Anderson, Inside the Mind of
Joseph Smith: Psychobiography and the Book of Mormon.
http://www.lds-mormon.com/josephsmithmind.shtml
(Reference: Review: Robert D.
Anderson, Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith: Psychobiography and the
Book of Mormon.)
74. Bahubali - Sunset view.
http://www.geocities.com/tamiljain/bahubali/pages/bahubali.htm
(Reference: Bahubali
- Sunset view.)
75. Sharma, Ashok Kumar. (1990) World Famous Prophecies & Predictions. (1/e) New Delhi, India: Family Books Private Limited. Paper: 128.
Paperback Edition.
(Reference:
Sharma, Ashok Kumar. (1990) World Famous Prophecies
& Predictions. (1/e) New Delhi, India: Family Books Private
Limited.)
76. History of Astrology - told as timelines: 1.
Timeline for the Antiquity.
http://w1.1564.telia.com/~u156400111/asmusdoc/history/timeline1.htm
(Reference: History
of Astrology - told as timelines: 1. Timeline for the Antiquity.)
77. Davids, T. W. Rhys. (Translated from the Pâli) Digha Nikaya XIII :
Tevigga Sutta - On Knowledge Of The Vedas.
http://www.vipassana.info/dob-13tx.htm
(Reference:
Davids, T. W. Rhys. (Translated from the Pâli)
Digha Nikaya XIII : Tevigga Sutta
- On Knowledge Of The Vedas
78. How Well Do Dogs and
Other Animals Hear?
http://www.lsu.edu/deafness/HearingRange.html
(Reference: How Well Do Dogs and Other
Animals Hear?)
79. Sensing Pitch or Sound Frequencies.
http://www.school-for-champions.com/senses/hearpitch.htm
(Reference: Sensing Pitch
or Sound Frequencies.)
80. Crowell, Benjamin. (2002) Vibrations
and Waves. www.lightandmatter.com
(2/e). ISBN 0-9704670-3-6. Pages: 92.
Chapter: 2 Resonance Pages: 21-38.
http://www.lightandmatter.com/bk3.pdf
(Reference: Crowell, Benjamin. (2002) Vibrations
and Waves. www.lightandmatter.com
(2/e). ISBN 0-9704670-3-6. Pages: 92.
Chapter: 2 Resonance Pages: 21-38.)
http://www.geocities.com/neravey/velangani.html
(Reference: Velangani Mada Temple.)
82. Lim, Y.S. (Wednesday,
June 19, 2002) Temple of rare Buddhist relics. Penang, Malaysia: The Star.
http://penang.thestar.com.my/content/focus/2002/6/19/ysma.asp
(Reference: Lim,
Y.S. (Wednesday, June 19, 2002) Temple of
rare Buddhist relics. Penang,
Malaysia: The Star.)
83. Pope warns of a world without spirituality. (Saturday, July 27, 2002) Canada:
The Globe and Mail.
(Reference: Pope
warns of a world without spirituality. (Saturday, July 27, 2002) Canada: The Globe and Mail.)
Pope
John Paul II -
"The
question will not go away: on what foundations, on what certainties should we build our lives and
the life of the community to which we belong?
"On what foundations must we build the new historical era that is
emerging from the great transformations of the 20th century? Is it enough to rely on the technological
revolution now taking place ... without reference to the individual's spiritual dimension or to any
universally shared ethical values?
"Is it right
to be content with provisional answers to the ultimate questions, and to abandon life to the impulses of instinct,
to short-lived sensations or passing fads?"
The
Pope said the 20th century has often tried to do without the cornerstone of
Christianity and Christian teaching. But he said any attempt to build the city of man without
reference to Him would "actually [be] building that city against
man."
"Christians
know that it is not possible to reject or ignore God without demeaning
man."
"to
build brick by brick, the city of God within the city of man."
84. Murthy, N.K.Narasiha. Dadheechi.
http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/greatpersonalities/dadheechi/index.htm
(Reference:
Murthy, N.K.Narasiha. Dadheechi.)
85. Pastor Walls, Mike. The
Defeat Of A Christian (Part 1).
http://www.markbeaird.org/sermons/defeat_of_a_christian_1.html (De-activated link)
(Reference:
Pastor Walls, Mike. The Defeat Of A Christian (Part 1).)
Let
me define what is meant by flesh. It is not the skin that stretches over our
bones. It is "flesh"
is very often used to designate the bodily appetites, propensities, and
passions, which draw men away from yielding themselves to the Lord and to the
things of the Spirit. The flesh, or
carnal principle, is opposed to the spirit, or spiritual principle.
The
reasons why I believe that our flesh is the worst enemy are as follows.
You
had your fleshly nature since birth. You develop your habits both bad and good
since birth.
It
is the nature of most people to travel the path of least resistance.
We
must remember it is
not just us that do wrong; it
is our sin nature that
causes us to do those things we ought not.
86. Besant,
Annie Wood and Das, Bhagavan. (1979) Bhagavad
Gita. 7th
Reprint. Adyar, Madras, India: The Theosophical Publishing House. ISBN:
0-8356-7051-1. Pages: 460. Hardcover Edition.
(Reference:
Besant, Annie Wood and Das, Bhagavan. (1979) Bhagavad
Gita. 7th
Reprint. Adyar, Madras, India: The Theosophical Publishing House.)
87. Kimball, Charles. A
Concise History of India. Chapter 1. Dravidians and Aryans Before 500 B.C.
http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/india/in01a.html
(Reference: Kimball, Charles. A Concise History of
India. Chapter 1. Dravidians and Aryans Before 500 B.C.)
88. Must All Buddhists Be Vegetarians?
http://www.kmspks.org/vege.doc
(Reference: Must All Buddhists Be Vegetarians?)
89. Myths and legends on
Ganesh, Hindu god.
http://perso.club-internet.fr/ganapati/anglais/adetmyth.html
(Reference: Myths and
legends on Ganesh, Hindu god.)
90. The New Paganism: How Christianity is being replaced by
'green' religion, goddess worship, globalism. (Thursday,
August 01, 2002) USA:
The WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28468
(Reference: The New
Paganism: How Christianity is being replaced by 'green' religion, goddess
worship, globalism. (Thursday, August 01, 2002) USA: The WorldNetDaily.com.)
…the
belief that the
earth itself is a conscious, living organism…
91. Onishi, Norimitsu. (Tuesday, July 24, 2001) On Monks' and Nuns'
Islands, 'You Have Only God'. USA: NY Times,
Kebran Gabriel Journal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/24/international/24ETHI.html (De-activated link)
Onishi, Norimitsu. (Sunday,
August 12, 2001) Remote monastery offers an escape from life's
pleasures. USA:
New York Times.
http://www.tylerkelly.net/benedict/uploads/ethiopian_monastery.html (Alternate link)
(Reference:
Onishi, Norimitsu. (Sunday, August 12, 2001)
Remote
monastery offers an escape from life's pleasures. USA: New York Times.)
92. The Milky Way - our galaxy.
http://www.star.le.ac.uk/edu/mway/
(Reference: The Milky Way - our galaxy.)
93. Names of Ganesh.
http://perso.club-internet.fr/ganapati/anglais/anoms.html
(Reference: Names of
Ganesh.)
94. Cults of Ganesh in Hinduism; Tantrism.
http://perso.club-internet.fr/ganapati/anglais/aculte.html
(Reference: Cults of Ganesh
in Hinduism; Tantrism.)
95. Sister Upalavanna. (English
translation) Majjhima Nikaaya III.124 Bakkula
Sutta: The Wonderful Things About Venerable Bakkula. Sri Lanka: Metta Net, and Vipassana.info.
http://www.vipassana.info/124-bakkula-e.htm
(Reference:
Sister Upalavanna. (English translation)
Majjhima Nikaaya III.124
Bakkula Sutta: The Wonderful Things About Venerable Bakkula. Sri Lanka: Metta Net, and Vipassana.info.)
96. Ganesh in Hinduism:
Background.
http://perso.club-internet.fr/ganapati/anglais/ageneral.html
(Reference: Ganesh in
Hinduism: Background.)
97. Pilgrims' Way: the Place
of the Buddha.
http://www.abm.ndirect.co.uk/fsn/44/way.htm
(Reference: Pilgrims' Way: the Place of
the Buddha.)
98. Angulimala, the Buddhist
Prison Chaplaincy Organisation.
http://www.angulimala.org.uk/angintr.htm
(Reference: Angulimala, the Buddhist Prison
Chaplaincy Organisation.)
99. Sister Upalavanna. (English translation) Majjhima Nikaaya I.36.
Mahaasaccaka sutta. The Major Discourse to Saccaka. Sri Lanka: Metta Net, and Vipassana.info.
http://www.vipassana.info/036-mahasaccaka-sutta-e1.htm
(Reference:
Sister Upalavanna. (English translation)
Majjhima Nikaaya
I.36. Mahaasaccaka sutta. The Major Discourse to Saccaka. Sri Lanka: Metta Net, and Vipassana.info.)
100. The Majjhima Nikaya, or "Middle-length
Discourses" of the Buddha.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/index.html
(Reference: The Majjhima
Nikaya, or "Middle-length Discourses" of the Buddha.)
101. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Majjhima
Nikaya 36. Maha-Saccaka Sutta. The Longer Discourse to Saccaka. (excerpt)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/mn036.html
(Reference:
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Majjhima Nikaya
36. Maha-Saccaka Sutta. The Longer Discourse to Saccaka. (excerpt))
102. An Unknown Truth: Great Souls being
persecuted.
http://www.prodigyweb.net.mx/santhigi/an_unknown_truth.htm (de-activated link)
http://www.prodigyweb.net.mx/santhigi/cosmic/marcos/unknown.htm (alternate link)
(Reference: An
Unknown Truth: Great Souls being persecuted.)
103. Subbarayan, K. Sankara, the Jagadguru.
http://www.svbf.org/sringeri/journal/vol1no3/sankara.html
(Reference:
Subbarayan, K. Sankara, the
Jagadguru.)
By
example and precept Acharya Sankara exhorted people to sharpen the sword of knowledge to cut asunder the veil of ignorance and
emerge into the realm of abiding joy and peace, their birthright.
The
supreme psychologist that he was, the Acharya knew that man grows into reason via emotion. Hence he cautioned people against a straight
flight to reason. Emotional
maturity is essential.
The
Acharya knew that human temperaments vary and these decide the natural choice
of their favourite deity (ishta-devata). Hence in everyone’s Ishta Devata,
Sankara saw the supreme deity.
Sankara,
the peerless commentator on the Bhagavad Gita, follows in letter and spirit,
the command of Gitacharya Sri Krishna that the vidvan, or the enlightened one, should never disturb the faith of the ignorant
but that he himself should go to the level of the seeker and give him an upward
push.
As
in the case of Swami Vivekananda of modern times, acceptance
was his motto, never
condemnation. All places of worship will be naturally
acceptable to any true Sankarite.
…many
have found deliverance through Sankara’s teachings and then have re-discovered their own faiths.
The
famous saying of Sankara about the unsurpassed unselfishness and pure love of
the mother reverberates through the ages: "There may be many bad sons, but not one single bad mother." (Kuputrojaayete Kvachidapi Kumaataa na
bhavati).
In
his celebrated Brahmasutra Bhashya, the Acharya cites the examples of
Dharmavyadha, Viduran and others who were born with the knowledge of Brahman acquired in previous births. He mentions that the effects cannot be prevented from working
on account of their present birth.
The
Acharya has stated that the knowledge that arises out of the study of the Vedas
could also be had through the Puranas and the Itihasas, which were not esoteric
texts but readily within the reach of all.
He
boldly declared: "It has been established that everyone has the right to the knowledge (of Brahman) and that the supreme goal is attained by that
knowledge alone."
104. Na. Vijayashankar. Justice
delayed is Justice denied.
http://www.itsecurity.gov.in/cyber_laws/more/justice_delayed.htm
(Reference: Na.
Vijayashankar. Justice
delayed is Justice denied.)
Indian Judicial system is notorious for the delays that defeat the very
purpose for which an aggrieved person approaches a court. It is not without reason that there is a
proverb in Kannada that in a Court battle, " To win is to lose and to lose is to die!".
105. Sri Aurobindo.
The Bhagavat Gita, paraphrase.
http://bur.oivta.ru/IntegralYoga/Sri_Aurobindo/Bhagavat-Gita/Gita.html (De-activated link)
http://www.aurobindo.ru/workings/sa/13/gita_parafras.htm (Alternate link)
(Reference: Sri
Aurobindo. The Bhagavat
Gita, paraphrase.)
106. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Trans.) The Patimokkha: The Bhikkhus' Code of
Discipline.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/vinaya/bhikkhu-pati.html
(Reference:
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Trans.)
The
Patimokkha: The Bhikkhus' Code of Discipline.)
107. Drummond, Loren. Sexual Addictions.
http://www.umkc.edu/sites/hsw/issues/sexaddict.html
(Reference:
Drummond, Loren. Sexual Addictions.)
I.
What is Addiction?
addiction
- "the
act of devoting or giving up one's self to a practice; the state of being
devoted; devotion. (Webster's
Dictionary 1965, p.11)
devoted
- "to give up wholly, or direct the aattention chiefly; to vow anything to
a deity" (p. 237).
Addiction
is a state of the total person.
A
way of living marked by compulsiveness and/or dependence.
Compulsiveness
is driven to the point of a pathological relationship to any mood-altering
experience with a marked propensity to culminating in life damaging consequences
are the stuff of which addictions are made (Bradshaw 1988 p.15). These life
damaging consequences may, and will include:
familial
problems,
work
or career problems,
health
problems,
self
esteem or approval problems,
financial
problems - when the addict either spends inordinate amounts of money chasing
her "high" or whenever work is missed due to this attempt at mood
alteration.
Peele,
(p. 981, p. 24) suggests that addictions:
1. Tend to eliminate psychological
pain/reduce personal awareness of such when the "addict" is acting
out.
2. Causes one to be less aware of, or pay
less attention to problems in his/her life and thus precludes their dealing
with problems constructively.
3. When not participating in the addiction,
mental pain is experienced upon thinking about his/her life.
4. Reduced self regard, personal disapproval
and lowered self-esteem generate further practice of the addictive behavior.
5. The cycle is repeated - returns to phase
one of cycle.
Addictions
are thus comprised of these elements:
• Devotion, to the point of
compulsiveness, to a mood-altering experience;
• a cyclical preoccupation with achieving
the desired effects in spite of life damaging consequences.
108. Abnormal Psychology: Sexual Disorders.
http://www.byu.edu/~psychweb/bnc/ab/ab-n18.htm
(Reference: Abnormal Psychology:
Sexual Disorders.)
Woman
Stalker – A Profile
have
a history of rejection
intense
insecurities about the status with men
voyeur/"peeping
Tom" - one who achieves sexual arousal through clandestine viewing of
others.
view
favorite targets undressed
The
"danger" of potentially being caught seems to heighten the arousal,
and the avoidance of overtly approaching the favorite target, with the
associated risk of rejection, simultaneously makes it seem safer.
109. Anderson, Mary Jo. (Saturday, August 10, 2002) Catholic bishops call for
rare council. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/seeitnow.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28554
(Reference:
Anderson, Mary Jo. (Saturday, August 10, 2002)
Catholic
bishops call for rare council. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.)
"The 'root causes' are the bishops themselves. It is a failure of fidelity to the teachings of the Church. Our bishops have
abandoned their role as shepherds in order to accommodate the popular culture."
…a
council is needed to answer painful questions:
- "What has happened to the life and ministry of bishops and
priests that makes us vulnerable to the
failings that have humiliated us all?
- What things
need to be going on so that in this cultural milieu priests and bishops
will preserve
their celibate chastity
along with all the other virtues that constitute the life of holiness
proper to pastors?
- How can the
purification upon which we shepherds
have embarked help us, in turn, support our people
in achieving greater holiness?"
"Notice
the absence of
wishy-washy bishop speak.
These men know there's
a problem, and they're going to face it squarely."
…the
1961 Vatican directive that prohibited the ordination of homosexuals.
…
on the identity, life and ministry
of bishops and priests; on matters of sexual morality
in general …on
celibate chastity as an authentic form of human sexuality
renewed by grace and a share in Christ's own spousal love for His Church."
…support
the ordination of
women, a policy counter to Catholic teaching. Catholic theology teaches that the priest is "like Christ" who is
the "bridegroom" to the Church.
The marital imagery between Christ and Church is inconsistent with women priests,
according to Church doctrine.
Part
of the call for "restructuring" of the Church includes permitting Catholic priests to marry. The bishop's letter calling for a plenary
council, however, outlines a more stringent observance of celibacy
"to foster
the acts of virtue required of pastors
and the means
needed to achieve those virtues,
especially celibate
chastity (e.g., daily celebration
of the Mass, frequent Confession, daily
meditation, regular acts of asceticism, obedient submission to Church teaching and discipline,
simplicity of life)."
"purification
of the entire Catholic community ... a holier priesthood, a
holier episcopate and a holier church."
110. Sex - it's monkey
business. (Thursday, August 08, 2002) Australia: The Age.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/07/1028157959784.html
(Reference: Sex -
it's monkey business. (Thursday, August 08, 2002) Australia: The Age.)
The
extra-marital monkey-business of men and women could be explained by studies on
gibbons which are abandoning
monogamy in favour of multiple partners
Studies
of gibbon species in Thailand, once known to mate for life,
have shown the primates moving towards multiple partners
due to changes in social
structures and habitat pressures.
"We
discovered there is a
variation from monogamy to polygamy in
densely populated gibbon areas,"
Sompote Srikosamart, associate professor of biology at Thailand's prestigious
Mahidol University, told AFP.
Gibbons
are primates, and they are closely related to humans, he
explained.
"What
we learn from gibbons may reflect the condition that explains the dream of humans to be monogamous. But while the ethical rule is
that we are monogamous, it is obvious that we are polygamous."
Study
of the primates may give an insight into the behaviour of humans,
Sompote said, but he stressed that a behavioural correlation was not
scientifically proven.
Sompote
said that as far back as 1980 he has conducted social studies on wild gibbon
populations in eastern Thailand's Khao Soi Dao National Park, which showed the primates' predilection for
polygamy.
But
the issue was revived by new reports that the animals were moving further towards having multiple partners.
And,
similar to human
trends, increased
gibbon populations in some national parks led to growing habitat pressure and a
variation in social organisation.
"We
started to discover that in quite a few groupings, there was one male and more
than one female, or one female and multiple males," he said. "Whether
they breed or not is another matter."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vocabulary.
Predilection: an established preference for something
111. Lord Hanuman
http://www.hanumanmission.com/lord/hanuman.html
(Reference: Lord Hanuman.)
112. Gods And Symbols:
Shri Hanumanji
http://www.urday.com/hanuman.htm
(Reference: Gods And Symbols: Shri Hanumanji.)
113. Fruit
of
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may19/sh5.htm (De-activated link)
(Reference: Fruit of Paradise.)
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may19/sh5.htm (De-activated link)
Sharma, Girish. (Wednesday, October 17, 2001) Banana
Builds Blood. India: India Express.
http://indiaexpress.com/mind/health/banana.html
(Reference:
Sharma, Girish. (Wednesday, October 17, 2001) Banana Builds Blood. India: India Express.)
The
monkey God Hanuman is referred to have lived in Kadalivana or the banana garden on the banks of Kuberapuhkarni.
114. Acharyas / Principal Teachers
http://www.urday.com/jain2.htm
(Reference: Acharyas / Principal Teachers.)
115. The Victory of the Soul
http://www.urday.com/jain3.htm
(Reference: The Victory of the Soul.)
Jainism
To
attain Moksha, one should control desire and hatred. He should renounce the
world and become detached. The soul can get liberated only if one practices
non-violence, penance, abstains from laziness, speaks the truth, and maintains
celibacy and good conduct. As a result of this, all these imbalances shall
cease to exist and one can attain the divine state or 'Nirvana'.
||
SANTI NIVVANAMAHIYAM ||
The Fruits Of Karma (Deeds)
JAMIYAM
JAGAE PUDHO JAGA KAMMEHIM LUPPANTI PANINO |
SAMMEV
KADEHIM GAHAEE, NO TASSA MUCHCHEJJA APATHYA ||
All
creatures in this universe are locked in the vicious circle of life and death
only because of their 'Sanchit' or accumulated past deeds. Accordingly, one
takes birth in different Yonis (forms). One cannot be freed from the vicious
cycle without suffering for the karmas commited in the past life. For example,
if a vessel is filled with water, it gradually sinks because of the weight,
similarly the human body gradually ceases to exist due to accumulation of bad
karmas such as lies, immorality, violence, avarice, greed and sensual pleasure.
Similarly, when the soul is freed from the bondage of Karma, it gets liberated
forever and attains the divine state .
Win The Soul With The Soul
JO
SAHASSAM SAHASSANAM SEGAME DUJJAYA JIYE
AEGAM
JINEJJA APPANAM, AESA SE PARAMO JAO ||
One
can fight and defeat his enemies on the battlefield but he should possess the
ability of 'winning' or freeing the soul from the body. This would be the
person's real victory.
Liberation From The Demerits
KOHAM
MANAM CHA MAYAM CHA LOBHAM CHA PAPVADHANAM
VAME
CHATTARI DOSE U ECHCHANTO HIYAMAPPANO ||
The
person who wants to attain the divine state shall have to relinquish 4 demerits
that induce sin and subsequently misery.
(i)
Anger, (ii) Ego, (iii) Eros (Pleasure Instinct) and (iv) Greed.
One
should win over anger by peace, ego by politeness and humbleness, pleasure
instincts by simplicity and greed by contentment. Uncontrolled anger and ego
(pride), ever increasing greed and pleasure instincts enhances the chances of
rebirth.
116. Encyclopedia – Indra/Indrani
http://www.mypurohith.com/Encyclopedia/EnclopI.asp
(Reference: Encyclopedia –
Indra/Indrani.)
117. Stackhouse,
M L et al (Ed.) (1995) On Moral Business:
Classical and Contemporary Resources For Ethics in Economic Life. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company. Pages: 59-62, 384 – 395
(Reference:
Stackhouse, M L et al
(Ed.) (1995) On
Moral Business: Classical and Contemporary Resources For Ethics in Economic
Life. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.)
118. Kissane, Karen. (Thursday,
August 08 2002) Gambling: the factor that almost destroyed a
life. Australia: The Age Company Ltd.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/07/1028157962859.html
(Reference:
Kissane, Karen. (Thursday, August 08 2002)
Gambling:
the factor that almost destroyed a life. Australia: The Age Company Ltd.)
119. Zoech, Irene. (Saturday,
August 10, 2002) 'Ordained' woman to fight papal expulsion. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-379265,00.html (De-activated link)
(Reference:
Zoech, Irene. (Saturday, August 10, 2002) 'Ordained'
woman to fight papal expulsion. UK: Times Newspapers
Ltd.)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-379265,00.html (De-activated link)
The
Pope and the Roman Catholic Church oppose the ordination of women
on the grounds that Jesus chose only men to be His Disciples.
…
women could not
participate in theological training to become deacons or clerics who perform many of the same pastoral duties
as priests.
“Whether man or woman, you need to feel a call for becoming a
priest. And you simply have to like what you are doing. And we do like working
as priests. I feel at home in churches. I feel at ease. You need to have
talent, passion for this job.”
“There are many very good (male) priests, but
there are also many bad ones. And
not all the women that will be ordained as priests in the future will be good
priests . . . We women want to change the Church for the better.”
“Not everybody is the same and likes the same. The road is broad that
leads to God. I hope that when
there is a new Pope he will treat the people’s belief in God with great respect. It is important to
listen and not only speak.”
120. Raman,
B. (Monday, March 19, 2001) Sting
Operations.
Paper no. 212. South Asia Analysis Group.
http://www.saag.org/papers3/paper212.htm
(Reference:
Raman, B. (Monday, March 19, 2001) Sting Operations. Paper no. 212. South Asia Analysis Group.)
…but,
in many countries, it is
illegal to use them clandestinely against another person in his or her house or
office.
Only the FBI can mount a sting operation. No private individual, not even a journalist,
can.
"Individuals, any and all entities must and shall comply with all
applicable local, state, federal laws and regulations before performing or
engaging in any recording, covert surveillance or any transmission of radio
frequencies.
Be
aware of your local laws prior to using ANY covert devices.
…but in India there are no laws regulating the use of covert
investigative/surveillance equipment by private individuals.
Despite
the legal safeguards in the US, there have been growing complaints of the misuse of such covert equipment not only
by private individuals, but also by the law enforcement agencies, resulting in
a violation or distortion of the rules of natural justice and particularly of
the basic constitutional or legal guarantee that no person can be made to
incriminate himself by using force or deceitful means.
Sting
operations could be mounted only against persons against whom some evidence of
criminality already exists and a sting operation is considered necessary for
getting conclusive evidence.
Permission for sting operations must be obtained from appropriate
courts or the Attorney-General. This safeguard has been laid down since those who mount a sting
operation themselves commit the offences of
impersonation, criminal trespass under false pretences and making a person
commit an offence.
The
Supreme Court has ruled: "The first duties of the officers of the law are to prevent, not to
punish crime….”
121. The Associated Press. (Saturday, August 10, 2002) Rockets
to the moon, Von Braun's team remembers. USA: CNN.com.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/space/08/10/german.rocket.team.ap/index.html
(De-activated link)
http://www.jerspage.com/rocket%20men.html (Alternate link)
(Reference: The
Associated Press. (Saturday, August 10, 2002)
Rockets to the moon, Von
Braun's team remembers. USA: CNN.com.)
…the
only way to get the kind of funding and resources necessary to develop his
rocket science would be through the military.
"What's the definition of slave laborer?" Jacobi said. "In a certain sense we were slave laborers. Under certain
dictatorships you have to do certain things."
122. Rao, Joe. (Friday,
August 09, 2002) Viewer's Guide: Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks
Sunday & Monday. USA: SPACE.com.
http://space.com/spacewatch/perseids_spacewatch_020809.html
(Reference: Rao,
Joe. (Friday, August 09, 2002)
Viewer's
Guide: Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Sunday & Monday. USA: SPACE.com.)
123. Goodstein, Laurie. (Sunday, August 11, 2002) Ousted Members Contend
Jehovah's Witnesses' Abuse Policy Hides Offenses. USA: The New York
Times Company.
(De-activated link)
http://www.cephasministry.com/jw_sexual_child_abuse..html (Alternate link)
(Reference:
Goodstein, Laurie. (Sunday, August 11, 2002)
Ousted Members
Contend Jehovah's Witnesses' Abuse Policy Hides Offenses. USA: The New York
Times Company.)
"Groups
that tend to be very tight-knit and in-grown historically have a higher
incidence of sexual abuse and incest," … "That's an ethnological
fact. When a religion
tries to be thoroughly holy or godly, it's not going to acknowledge that people aren't living up to the ideals of the faith."
124. Ahmed, Rashmee Z. (Sunday, August 11, 2002) Alcohol and Indians do
not really mix. India: The Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_ID=18798134
(Reference:
Ahmed, Rashmee Z. (Sunday, August 11, 2002)
Alcohol
and Indians do not really mix. India: The Times of India.)
The
findings of a new study published in the British Medical Journal
confirm what
many doctors in India already know:
Indians may be particularly susceptible to alcoholic liver disease, an
alarming possibility for a country with a drinking population of 20 per cent
and where having a drink is becoming increasingly socially acceptable.
Eighty
per cent of the Asian deaths documented were of Sikhs, five to 10 per cent
Hindus and five per cent or less Muslims,...
The
figures,… confirm the
Asian community’s worst fears.
Indians
here (London) are drinking more with the second generation cultivating a raging
thirst in an attempt to fit in with young Britons’ addiction to a wider after-work and binge-drinking culture.
Indians
who died of alcoholic liver disease were in their mid-40s
and at least 10 years younger than the white men and women who also succumbed.
125. A Diversity of Skin Types.
http://www.cdc.gov/excite/skincancer/mod08.htm
(Reference: A Diversity of Skin Types.)
126. An Introduction to Skin Cancer.
http://www.maui.net/~southsky/introto.html
(Reference: An Introduction to Skin
Cancer.)
…both
the total amount of sun received over the years,
and overexposure resulting in sunburn can cause skin cancer
The
effect UV light has on your skin is dependent both upon the intensity
and the duration of your exposure. How your skin reacts to the
amount of exposure received is related to your genetic background. Even if you
rarely sunburn however, sensitive areas such as your lips, nose, and palms of
the hands should be protected.
127. Losal, Venerable Lama Yeshe. 'Living
Dharma' - Meditation is the Key to Fulfillment.
http://www.samyeling.org/Buddhism/Teachings/3Meditation/3meditation.html
(Reference:
Losal, Venerable Lama Yeshe.
'Living
Dharma' - Meditation is the Key to Fulfillment.)
128. Mitchell, Steve. (Friday,
July 26, 2002) Prison rapes spreading deadly diseases. USA: UPI Medical Correspondent.
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20020726-051559-1423r
(Reference:
Mitchell, Steve. (Friday, July 26, 2002)
Prison rapes
spreading deadly diseases. USA: UPI Medical Correspondent.)
Prison
rape has become such a common occurrence in federal and state prisons
across the United States that it could have deadly consequences for the inmate population as well as the public at large,
experts in the field told United Press International.
…prison
rape has been associated with the spread of potentially fatal diseases
such as AIDS and tuberculosis.
"The
AIDS incidence within prisons is alarmingly high,"
…95
percent of people in prison will eventually be released back into society,
so if they contract AIDS or other diseases while incarcerated they will be a tremendous burden to society due to healthcare costs and the threat they
pose for spreading disease.
…views
AIDS as an
unadjudicated death sentence because people who receive only a short sentence
for their crime but contract AIDS while in prison have essentially had their
sentence extended to death.…the
people most likely to be raped in prisons are nonviolent and first-time offenders
and these are the most likely to be released back into the general population,
which ultimately poses a disease risk to society. In addition to AIDS, herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases have been spread in prisons and hepatitis C
is an epidemic in certain
prisons…
Men
as well as women run the risk of being raped while in prison…
…women
have become pregnant while imprisoned, which often is an indication they have
been raped by male
guards…
Prison
rape "threatens the rest of society, by increasing the spread of HIV and
other diseases, and by
making individuals, brutalized within prison, more likely to
commit new crimes after they are released,"
A
major part of the
problem is prison officials
condone rape among inmates…
"There
have been correctional officials who have tried to deal with this but in general the system pretends it doesn't exist,"
Indeed, sometimes it is used by guards to control or punish inmates.
"Correction
officers turn a blind eye,"
…accounts
of officers watching rape on surveillance cameras or
hearing screams in the night and not doing anything to
help the victims.
129. Upagupta: The Buddhist Monk.
http://www.hindukids.org/grandpa/upagupta.html
(Reference: Upagupta: The Buddhist
Monk.)
"You can't call your body your own!" Buddha said in his discourse. "When the body is cast away, it becomes
food for the vultures. Light the lamp within you, only then, will you find true peace."
130. Gandhi, Mahatma. (Gandhi, M K) (Translation) (1998) The Bhagvadgita. (8th printing) Ahmedabad: Navjeevan
Trust Delhi, India: Orient Paperbacks. ISBN: 81-222-0007-9. Pages: 312.
(Reference:
Gandhi, Mahatma. (Gandhi, M K) (Translation) (1998) The Bhagvadgita. (8th printing) Ahmedabad: Navjeevan Trust Delhi, India: Orient Paperbacks.)
131. Buddhanet.net: Buddhist information and
education network.
(Reference: Buddhanet.net: Buddhist information and
education network.)
132. Wetering, J Van de. (1973) The Empty Mirror: Experiences in a Japanese
Zen Monastery. London, UK: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
(Reference:
Wetering, J Van de. (1973) The Empty Mirror:
Experiences in a Japanese Zen Monastery. London, UK: Routledge & Kegan Paul.)
133. Horseback 'Jesus' gathers his flock. (Monday, August 19 2002) Australia: The
Sydney Morning Herald.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/18/1029114050435.html
(Reference: Horseback
'Jesus' gathers his flock. (Monday, August 19 2002) Australia: The Sydney Morning Herald.)
More than 4000 followers
have travelled from all over the former Soviet Union, and some as far away as
Australia, to listen to his sermon and be baptised in the river that runs by Petropavlovka.
His
most loyal followers have abandoned modern life. A core of several hundred have
built log huts and yurts …
No
drinking, swearing or smoking is allowed, and there is little contact with the
outside world.
134. Post, Jerrold M. Narcissism and the
Charismatic Leader-Follower Relationship.
http://www.lds-mormon.com/josephsmithmind.shtml
(Reference:
Post, Jerrold M.
Narcissism and the
Charismatic Leader-Follower Relationship.)
135. Munn, Michelle. (Friday,
August 16, 2002) Military finding it hard to recruit. USA: Los Angeles Times.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/134514579_recruit16.html
(Reference:
Munn, Michelle. (Friday, August 16, 2002) Military
finding it hard to recruit. USA: Los Angeles Times.)
136. Sutra Book. Bodhi Zendo.
http://www.bodhizendo.bodhisangha.org/Centre_in_India/Information/Sutra_Book/sutra_book.html
(Reference: Sutra
Book. Bodhi Zendo.)
137. Chinese Traveler Fa-Hein in India.
http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/itihas/fa-hien.htm
(Reference: Chinese Traveler
Fa-Hein in India.)
We
know of a truth that the
opening of (the way for such) a
mysterious propagation is not the work of man;
138. Fa-Hien. (Translated and
annotated by Legge, James) (March,
2000)
Record
of Buddhistic Kingdoms.
http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext00/rbddh10.txt
(Reference:
Fa-Hien. (Translated and annotated by Legge, James) (March, 2000)
Record of
Buddhistic Kingdoms.)
139. Pope warns against playing God. (Monday, August 19, 2002) Australia: The Age.
http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/2002/08/19/FFXJN6P915D.html (De-activated link)
Connolly, Kate. (Monday
August 19, 2002) Millions hear weary Pope warn against 'playing
God'. UK: The Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,776730,00.html (Alternate link)
Connolly, Kate. (Monday
August 19, 2002) Millions hear weary Pope warn against 'playing
God'. UK: The Guardian;
ALS News Center.
http://www.rideforlife.com/MT/archives/stem_cell_research/000109.html (Alternate link)
(Reference: Pope
warns against playing God. (Monday, August 19, 2002) UK: The Guardian.)
140. Tolstoy,
Leo. (Translated by Garnett, Constance) (1877) Anna
Karenina. The Project Gutenberg Etext. Pages: 1495.
http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext98/nkrnn11.txt
(Reference:
Tolstoy, Leo. (Translated by Garnett, Constance) (1877) Anna Karenina. The Project
Gutenberg Etext.)
141. Owen, Richard. (Wednesday,
August 21, 2002) Expert attacks latest tests on Turin Shroud. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-389723,00.html (De-activated link)
(Reference:
Owen, Richard. (Wednesday, August 21, 2002) Expert
attacks latest tests on Turin Shroud. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.)
The
shroud, preserved in Turin Cathedral, is held by many Christians to be the cloth
in which Jesus Christ was wrapped after the Crucifixion. Venerated for
centuries as the Holy
Shroud, it preserves the image of a tall man with crucifixion marks which only came to light when the 4.37m-by-1.11m (14ft 4in-by-3ft 7in) cloth was first photographed at the end of the 19th
century.
The
existence of a Holy Shroud was first recorded at Edessa (now Urfa in modern Turkey)
in the 2nd
century and again at Constantinople
in the 10th
century.
In
the 14th
century the “burial cloth of Christ” was allegedly brought to France by Crusader knights. A linen cloth purported to be the shroud was
later entrusted to an order of nuns in Chambéry,
who repaired it after a fire in 1532.
142. Reuters. (Tuesday,
August 20, 2002) Woman loses stoning death appeal. USA: Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/08/19/nigeria.stoning.reut/index.html?related#top_of_page (De-activated link)
(Reference:
Reuters. (Tuesday, August 20, 2002) Woman
loses stoning death appeal. USA: Cable News Network LP, LLLP.)
143. Reuters. (Tuesday,
August 20, 2002) World fury at stoning sentence. USA: Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/08/20/nigeria.stone.reut/index.html
(De-activated link)
(Reference:
Reuters. (Tuesday, August 20, 2002) World
fury at stoning sentence. USA: Cable News Network LP, LLLP.)
144. Anderson, Mary Jo. (Sunday, October 22, 2000) Evidence favors Shroud of
Turin as real thing. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=17688
(Reference:
Anderson, Mary Jo. (Sunday, October 22, 2000)
Evidence
favors Shroud of Turin as real thing. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.)
The
Shroud was dated 1260-1390 AD.
…
the historical date when the revered linen was
first discovered in Europe during the 1350s in the sleepy hamlet of Lirey,
France.
Furthermore,
forensic evidence confirms that the red stains are blood, type AB, and that this
blood has elevated levels of bilirubin, presumably caused by the trauma of scourging.
scourge.
Main Entry: 2scourge
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): scourged; scourg·ing
Date: 13th century
1 : FLOG,
WHIP
2 a : to punish severely b : AFFLICT c : to drive as if by blows of a whip d : CHASTISE
- scourg·er noun
145. Sister Upalavanna. (Translated from the Pali) Majjhima
Nikaaya III.125 Dantabhuumi Sutta The Sphere of Training.
http://www.vipassana.info/125-dantabhumi-e.htm
(Reference:
Sister Upalavanna. (Translated from the Pali)
Majjhima Nikaaya III.125
Dantabhuumi Sutta The Sphere of Training.)
146. Horner, I.B. (Trans.) (Thursday, September 19, 2002) Majjhima Nikaya 125.
Dantabhumi Sutta. The Discourse on the "Tamed Stage".
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/mn125.html
(Reference: Horner,
I.B. (Trans.) (Thursday, September 19, 2002)
Majjhima
Nikaya 125.Dantabhumi Sutta. The Discourse on the "Tamed Stage".)
147. Davids,
T. W. Rhys.
(Translated from the Pali) Introduction
to the Tevigga Sutta. http://www.vipassana.info/dob-13in.htm
(Reference: Davids,
T. W. Rhys.
(Translated from the Pali)
Introduction to the
Tevigga Sutta.)
148. Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro.
(Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya III.120. Moneyya Sutta. Sagacity.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an03-120.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro.
(Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya III.120. Moneyya Sutta. Sagacity.)
149. Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro.
(Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya IV.181. Yodhajiva Sutta. The Warrior.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an04-181.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro.
(Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya IV.181. Yodhajiva Sutta. The Warrior.)
150. Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro.
(Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya V.75. Yodhajiva Sutta. The Warrior (1).
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an05-075.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro.
(Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya V.75. Yodhajiva Sutta. The Warrior (1).)
151. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya V.76. Yodhajiva Sutta. The Warrior (2).
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an05-076.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya V.76. Yodhajiva Sutta. The Warrior (2))
152. Ireland, John D. (Translated from the Pali) Udana III.1. Kamma Sutta. Former Action.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/udana/ud3-01a.html
(Reference: Ireland, John D. (Translated from the Pali)
Udana III.1. Kamma Sutta. Former Action.)
153. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Udana III.1. Kamma Sutta. Action.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/udana/ud3-01.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Udana III.1. Kamma Sutta. Action.)
154. Sri Karunakara Guru. An
Unknown Truth. Great Souls being persecuted. India:
Santhigiri Ashram.
http://www.prodigyweb.net.mx/santhigi/cosmic/marcos/unknown.htm
(Reference: Sri
Karunakara Guru. An
Unknown Truth. Great Souls being persecuted. India: Santhigiri Ashram.)
155. The journey to
Johannesburg. (Thursday, August, 29, 2002) UK: BBC News.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2164240.stm
(Reference: The journey to
Johannesburg. (Thursday, August, 29, 2002) UK: BBC News.)
156. Carr, John. (Thursday,
August 22, 2002) Greeks lay claim to Alexander's legacy. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-390785,00.html (de-activated link)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alexander-macedon/message/120
(Alternate link)
(Reference: Carr, John. (Thursday,
August 22, 2002)
Greeks lay
claim to Alexander's legacy. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd; Yahoo Groups: alexander-macedon - Alexander of Macedon Forum.)
According
to tradition, Alexander the Great’s architect, Deinocrates, wished to please
his master by carving a colossal figure of him out of the entire southern tip
of Mount Athos. Deinocrates envisaged the conqueror waist-deep in the sea,
holding a city in one hand and a harbour in the other.
Alexander
himself, perhaps fearful of provoking the gods’ envy, vetoed the plan.
Deinocrates instead designed what is now the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
Empire-builder and living god
Born
356 BC in Pella, Macedonia, Alexander was educated by Aristotle.
His
father Philip II won control of mainland Greece after defeating several city
states in battles in which the 16-year-old Alexander first commanded an army.
In
a ten-year campaign Alexander vanquished the once-dominant Persian empire,
scoring decisive victories at Issus and Gaugamela against the numerically
stronger Persian army under Darius III.
He
extended his empire to include all of modern Turkey, Egypt and northwest India,
making great efforts to assimilate local cultures into his empire. When he
married a Persian princess he forced 80 officers to do likewise.
After
visiting a desert oracle in Egypt he demanded to be treated as a living god.
Despite
having several wives, Alexander was widely rumoured to be homosexual. He was
especially close to a fellow Macedonian, Hephaestion.
Alexander
died in 323BC aged 33. The empire was divided between his senior generals, some
of whom went on to found long-running dynasties.
157. Matuszak, Sascha. (Friday, August 23, 2002) What Taiwanese Fear. USA: Antiwar.com.
http://antiwar.com/matuszak/ma082302.html
(Reference: Matuszak, Sascha. (Friday, August 23, 2002) What Taiwanese Fear. USA: Antiwar.com.)
In the richer areas of
East Asia, the
people care not a whit what the foreigner is doing or who he is doing it with.
The poorer the region, the more the
police and the
populace begin to take notice.
Now,
much of this
"interest" is perfunctory/ obligatory.
But
its the dirty, poor, desperate underbelly that scares them. Its the arrogance
and belligerence of a totalitarian leadership, the need to "regain
face" and end years of humiliation, the need to reclaim that scares
China's neighbors. ASEAN worries about it, the Koreas, Japan and especially
Taiwan.
This
is what Taiwanese speak of when they say "sharing a house with a beggar." Taiwanese don't fear war as much as they fear
a peaceful reunification that comes too quick.
An irrational beggar might attack, regardless of the consequences, but
this is a simpler situation than the beggar that moves in and sets up shop,
demanding a seat at the table.
Several thousand years of Chinese culture would require the rich man to feed
his beggar cousin. This is what Taiwan fears, much more than missiles and
threats.
158. Veon, Joan. (Friday,
August 23, 2002) Putting teeth in the environmental agenda. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28703
(Reference: Veon, Joan. (Friday,
August 23, 2002)
Putting
teeth in the environmental agenda. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.)
The
key concept behind sustainable
development is that the earth has finite resources with too many
people. This concept was
developed by the Brundtland Commission in the mid-1980s at the request of the
U.N. General Assembly.
The
environmental agenda and its underlying principles which were made public 10
years ago in Rio are pagan-based. For the first time in human history – and
since the handing down of Mosaic Law centuries ago – a group of high-minded
globalists, bent on recreating the Tower of Babel, decided to play God. The
Earth Summit's Programme of Action, "Agenda 21," basically
inverts/perverts Genesis
1, 2 and 3 by making the earth
dominant over man and demoting man to the status of a plant or animal and a
destroyer of the ecosystem. A sub-component of sustainable development is
biological diversity or bio-diversity.
The
thesis behind "Agenda 21" is that the world has too many people and
finite resources. Therefore, the resources must be protected and controlled so
that you and I don't use them all up with the United Nations becoming the
enforcer and protector of all of the earth's resources.
Did
you know that you and I already know part of the sustainable development
message? Within the last 30 years we have heard that there are too many people
and that the population must be reduced. Schools now endorse abortion, condom
distribution and homosexuality (no procreation) as a way to reduce the
population. Universities, colleges and vocational institutions now teach
"Agenda 21" in environmental classes. Most houses recycle plastic
bottles and tin cans. Once a week, the neighborhood knows if you are a good
global citizen by the recycling bin in front of your house. But sustainable
development is much more than this.
How
would you like to be on a permanent Weight Watchers type of diet in everything
you do? The bottom line to this TOTAL REORDERING OF THE PLANET is to "change unsustainable patterns of
consumption and production." Some
of this re-ordering will be reasonable – better use of resources through better production patterns – but the rest will put each one of us into a
global straitjacket. How would you like to be fined for throwing away food or
buying something that you did not need?
The
words of an old hymn say it all, "There's not a plant or flower below But makes thy glories
known, And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from thy Throne."
159. Uhlig, Robert. (Friday,
August 23, 2002) New brain tumour alert on mobiles. UK: Telegraph Group Limited.
(Reference: Uhlig, Robert. (Friday,
August 23, 2002) New
brain tumour alert on mobiles. UK: Telegraph Group Limited.)
As
recently as June a study found for the first time that normal levels of mobile phone radiation had a biological
effect on human brain cells, damaging the blood-brain barrier.
160. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.
Section 15. Psychiatric Disorders. Chapter 191. Personality Disorders. Topics
[General]
http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section15/chapter191/191a.htm
(Reference: The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.
Section 15. Psychiatric Disorders. Chapter
191. Personality Disorders. Topics [General])
Cyclothymic personality
In
persons with this personality disorder, high-spirited buoyancy alternates with gloom and pessimism; each mood lasts weeks or longer.
Characteristically, the rhythmic
mood changes are regular and occur without justifiable external cause. This personality disorder is a spectrum
variant of manic-depressive illness (bipolar disorder), but most cyclothymic
persons do not develop bipolar disorder. Cyclothymic personality is considered a temperament, present in many
gifted and creative people.
Treatment
Treating
a personality disorder takes a long time. Personality traits such as coping mechanisms, beliefs, and behavior
patterns take many years to develop, and they change slowly. Changes usually occur in a predictable
sequence, and different treatment modalities are needed to facilitate them. Reducing environmental stress can quickly
relieve symptoms such as anxiety or depression.
Behaviors, such as recklessness, social isolation, lack of assertiveness, or
temper outbursts, can be changed in months. Group therapy and behavior
modification, sometimes within day care or designed residential settings, are
effective. Participation in self-help groups or family therapy can also help
change socially undesirable behaviors. Behavioral change is most important for
patients with borderline, antisocial, or avoidant personality disorder.
Interpersonal
problems, such as dependency, distrust, arrogance, or manipulativeness, usually take > 1 yr to
change. The cornerstone for effecting interpersonal changes is individual
psychotherapy that helps the patient understand the sources of his
interpersonal problems in the context of an intimate, cooperative,
non-exploitative physician-patient relationship. A therapist must repeatedly
point out the undesirable consequences of the patient's thought and behavior
patterns and must sometimes set limits on his behavior. Such therapy is
essential for patients with histrionic, dependent, or passive-aggressive
personality disorder. For some patients with personality disorders that involve
how attitudes, expectations, and beliefs are mentally organized (eg,
narcissistic or obsessive-compulsive types), psychoanalysis is recommended,
usually for >= 3 years.
General principles
Although
treatment differs according to the type of personality disorder, some general
principles apply to all. Family members can act in ways that either reinforce or diminish the
patient's problematic behavior or thoughts,
so their involvement is helpful and often essential.
Drugs have limited effects. They can be misused or used in suicide attempts. When anxiety and
depression result from a personality disorder, drugs are only moderately
effective. For persons with personality disorders, anxiety and depression may have positive
significance, ie, that the person is
experiencing unwanted consequences of his disorder or is undertaking some needed self-examination.
Because
personality disorders are particularly difficult to treat, therapists with
experience, enthusiasm, and an understanding of the patient's expected areas of
emotional sensitivity and usual ways of coping are important. Kindness and direction alone do not change
personality disorders.
161. US firm turns cremated bodies into diamonds. (Friday, August 23, 2002) India: Sify News.
http://headlines.sify.com/1111news4.html?headline=US~firm~turns~cremated~bodies~into~diamonds~
(Reference: US
firm turns cremated bodies into diamonds. (Friday, August 23, 2002) India: Sify News.)
"The
traditional methods of burial or having ashes in an urn just didn't sit right
with him. But he realised that man is made of carbon and diamonds are made of carbon so he just put the two ideas together."
Technicians collect the carbon created when a body is cremated and have
it turned into graphite. The graphite is then sent to a lab in Germany that
creates the stones by simulating the intense pressure and temperature needed to
make diamonds.
"An
urn is beautiful in its own right, but you certainly can't take it wherever you
go."
162. Boutin, Paul. (Monday,
August 19, 2002) Study: Power Lines Probably Risky. USA: Wired News.com.
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,54637,00.html
(Reference: Boutin, Paul. (Monday,
August 19, 2002) Study: Power
Lines Probably Risky. USA: Wired News.com.)
…the
most credible statement yet on the connection between electric power lines and
a variety of health problems.
"To
one degree or another, all three of the DHS scientists are inclined to believe
that EMFs (electric and
magnetic fields) can cause some degree of increased risk of childhood leukemia,
adult brain cancer, Lou Gehrig's disease and miscarriage," states a leaked copy of the final
report from the California EMF Program, a study begun in 1993 on behalf of the
California Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
But
the authors, a trio of professional epidemiologists with backgrounds in
physics, medicine and genetics, also wrote that they were not convinced
of a connection between
EMFs and many other health problems, ranging from cancer to suicide.
"No
one can say this thing is settled. But what they're saying is that after all this time, they think there's
something there."
…35-year
lifetime of the equipment.
163. Uhlig, Robert. (Thursday,
June 20, 2002) Mobile phone radiation alters brain cells. UK: The Telegraph.
(Reference: Uhlig, Robert. (Thursday,
June 20, 2002)
Mobile
phone radiation alters brain cells. UK: The Telegraph.)
Normal
levels of mobile phone radiation have for the first time been found to have a
biological effect on human brain cells, according to a two-year study by
government scientists.
Research
by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland found that microwaves from cellphone handsets damaged the
blood-brain barrier, which prevents materials from the blood entering the
brain. It warned that this
might have implications for human health.
However,
Prof Darius Leszczynski, who led the team, said that the research had so far
been conducted only in laboratory conditions.
He
said: "We need further study looking at real people to see if the
blood-brain barrier is affected. What is happening in the human brain is an enigma. If it did happen it
could lead to disturbances, such as headaches, feeling tired or problems with
sleeping."
Cells
from blood vessel walls in the brain were placed in culture dishes and
subjected in the laboratory to mobile phone radiation of two watts per kilogram, the maximum allowed
internationally for mobile phones.
After an hour's exposure biochemical changes were seen in the cells that could
alter the activity of about 400 proteins.
In
particular, one
enzyme, called HSP 27, which helps to regulate blood-brain barrier
permeability, was affected. Prof
Leszczynski said HSP 27 affected structures in the cells called stress fibres. The distribution of stress
fibres in turn affected leakage of the blood-brain barrier.
Prof
Leszczynski said:
"If the same thing happened in real life, in people, then it could affect
blood-brain barrier permeability by increasing it." As a result, molecules
that caused damage to neurons might be allowed to invade brain tissue.
"What
I believe is that we will find these leaks occur in humans, too. What we do not
know is the extent of these leaks and whether they have any effect on our
health," said Prof Leszczynski.
He
added that a French team also presenting findings at the conference had shown that
blood-brain barrier leakage increased in rats exposed to mobile phone
radiation.
But
he added that it would be wrong to assume at this stage that mobile phones were
hazardous to human health. It was possible that the human body might be able to cope with the
effects.
Dr
Michael Clarke, scientific spokesman at the National Radiological Protection
Board, said: "It is important work and part of the jigsaw to see whether
mobile phone radiation really has any health effect.
"But
we need to remember that all sorts of things - tea, caffeine, red wine, sugar - have biological
effects without necessarily damaging health."
164. hAnluain, Daithí Ó. (Monday, July 22, 2002) What Buddhists Know About
Science. USA: Wired News.com.
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,53820,00.html
(Reference: hAnluain, Daithí Ó. (Monday, July 22, 2002)
What Buddhists
Know About Science. USA: Wired News.com.)
Thong Len is a meditative technique developed by Tibetan
Buddhists almost 800 years before
the discovery of anesthesia. It's explained in that classic of Tibetan Buddhist
thought, the Tibetan
Book of Living and Dying. It works by imagining someone else's pain, like a
burn, and drawing it into oneself. As
you take the pain from others, your own hurt disappears.
Adepts
of the technique are constantly practicing Thong Len, every minute of the day, drawing pain from those around them and
enhancing their own sense of well-being.
They've been described as "shit filters," taking negative energy out of the world and
replacing it with positive.
…humans
perceive only what they are looking for, not what's there.
…Tibetans
have discovered many scientific
truths through empirical observation. They also have many other techniques that
still mystify scientists, but seem to work, like Thong Len.
Science is unable to explain them and is loath to embrace Tibetan
techniques in
the absence of proof.
"We
know by the year about 2020, the greatest disabling phenomenon for the health
of the human race will be depression,"… "Not
cancer, not heart disease, but depression."
While
Tibetan Buddhism and other ancient practices like Taoism
have developed scientifically accurate explanations of some phenomena, the
Dalai Lama has also said Buddhists can abandon scripture that has been reliably
disproved by science. No creationist controversies here, then.
The
Dalai Lama has an intense non-specialist interest in science, and he believes
there are points of contact (with Buddhism) in cosmology, neuroscience,
physics, quantum physics, and modern psychology. He has even opened a school of
science at his monastery in India.
"I
feel it is basically the Buddhist tradition to try to see reality. Science has a different method
of investigation. One relies on mathematics; Buddhists work mainly through
meditation. So different approaches and different methods, but both science and
Buddhism are trying to see reality," he
said.
"When
I meet with scientists, it has nothing to do with religious faith. It's just
theory or the experience of experiment. So, today's meeting is using reason
only, not faith. I'm not trying to convert scientists to Buddhism, and they are
not trying to convert me into a radical materialist!" (Someone who believes all phenomena are
physical only.)
…
eminent Australian philosopher Frank Jackson
sought an explanation to the Dalai Lama's rejection of radical materialism….
Why would you resist
going down the materialist path?"
The Dalai Lama
replied: "I
believe that the nature of what we experience as mind is something that has to
be understood in terms that have direct and intimate connections to our
understanding of the wider world, the cosmos, the origin and evolution of the
universe."
"When
we speak of consciousness and mind it is, conceptually, an extremely difficult
problem. We find it extremely difficult to articulate. But at the personal
level we all experience it on a day-to-day basis," said the Dalai Lama.
"So
I feel that in this interface between the two different intellectual
traditions, the two investigative traditions, there might be two levels of
dialogue. One is for this issue of what exactly is mind, what exactly is consciousness? What is its
nature? This is a hugely complex
issue, and maybe we can for the time being bracket it, and seek instead what we can do to create happy minds."
165. Glossary.
http://www.sathyasai.org/refs/gloss.html
(Reference: Glossary.)
Aadhishesha
(also Shesha). Divine serpent with a thousand heads upon which the earth rests; used by demi-gods and demons together to
churn the ocean of milk. Also reposing bed of
Vishnu.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cross-reference
Snake
Worship.
http://www.gurjari.net/ico/Mystica/html/snake_worship.htm
Shesha,
Adisesha or Seshnaga, whose name literally means 'residue', is believed to have been born of what was left after the universe and its
inhabitants had been created.
Revered as the king of the snakes, he has a 1,000 heads ('sahasrashirsha')
which form a massive hood. He is believed to be Vishnu's couch, and his hood shelters the god during the periodic
deluges. Earth is said to rest on Seshnaga. He is believed to spew venomous fire that destroys all creation at the
end of each kalpa, and is worshipped as a manifestation of Vishnu.
(Cross-reference: Snake Worship.)
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Residual energy, to be precise. That that hasn’t taken any other form.
More powerful than any form.
166. Thurman, Robert A. F. (Translated by) (1976) Vimalakirti
Nirdesa Sutra. USA: The Pennsylvania State University.
http://hjem.get2net.dk/civet-cat/mahayana-writings/vimalakirti-nirdesa-sutra.htm
(Reference: Thurman, Robert A. F. (Translated by) (1976) Vimalakirti
Nirdesa Sutra. USA: The Pennsylvania State University.)
Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra-
Another key sutra in Mahayana (Sometimes referred to as the "crown jewel of the Mahayana"), this is about Vimalakirti Nirdesa, the lay Bodhisattva and
regarded as the main Sutra on the topic of non-duality.
167. Raven’s Reviews: Eiji Yoshikawa.
http://tatooine.fortunecity.com/leguin/405/ae/eijiy.html
(Reference: Raven’s
Reviews: Eiji Yoshikawa.)
Musashi
is set in the early 17th century, just after Tokugawa Ieyasu unified Japan,
ending generations of constant warfare. With the land at peace (however uneasy
at times), the samurai were forced to adapt to a new age which needed something
more than mere warriors. Miyamoto Musashi (1584?-1645)
was a product of this time, a man of samurai descent who strove to perfect his swordsmanship as a
path to achieving his full human potential. He
spent most of his life as a wanderer, perfecting
the Art of the Sword by studying works on strategy, by challenging other swordsmen and by more
esoteric forms of enlightenment.
The
Way of the Samurai (Book I of the Pocket Books paperback version) begins with
the aftermath of the Battle of Sekigahara. Two youths from Miyamoto, Shimmen Takezo
and Matahachi Hon’iden, had joined the army to earn names for themselves.
However, they were nearly killed when their side lost, and are forced to go
into hiding from Tokugawa’s soldiers. Matahachi falls afoul of a seductress and
fails to return to his family--and to his fiancee, Otsu. Takezo tries to return
to Miyamoto to let the Hon’idens know that Matahachi is still alive, but he
gets blamed for his friend’s disappearance. His punishments at the hands of a Zen monk, Takuan Soho, begin his enlightenment, and kindle his desire to live and become a
real human being, rather than dying as a brutal, ignorant beast. Reborn, he changes his name to Miyamoto Musashi, and sets out on his life-quest of becoming a master swordsman.
The
paperback edition continues with The Art of War, The Way of the Sword, The
Bushido Code, and The Way of Life and Death. These later sections continue
Musashi’s early career, including his long feud with the Yoshioka School and
his growing rivalry with another swordsman, Sasaki Kojiro. The fates of
Matahachi and Otsu also play important parts in the novel. The story should be
read in order from the beginning; the paperbacks provide short summaries of
previous volumes, but the volume breaks are rather arbitrary and a reader will
need the context of the previous sections to avoid being confused. Musashi has
the episodic format typical of much Japanese storytelling, but it was written
to be a single, long novel, not a series of stand-alone stories.
The
novel ends while Musashi is still relatively young (28 or 29), but even by that
age, he had earned a enduring place in Japanese legend. This swordsman
continued to perfect his art, and near the end of his life, he composed The Book of Five Rings, a treatise on strategy. This
work, which remains popular today with Japanese and gaijin alike, has a style
and purpose similar to that of Sun-Tzu’s The Art of War, one of the works that Musashi revered.
168. The Sword Polisher from Eiji Yoshikawa's Epic
Novel Musashi.
http://home.att.net/~hofhine/Polisher.html
(Reference: The Sword Polisher from Eiji
Yoshikawa's Epic Novel Musashi.)
"That's
interesting. I happen to have made the acquaintance of your master and his
excellent mother, Myoshu." Musashi went on to tell how he had met them in
the field near the Rendaiji and later spent a few days at their house.
Kosuke,
astonished, scrutinized him closely for a moment. "Are you by any chance
the man who caused a great stir in Kyoto some years ago by defeating the
Yoshioka School at Ichijoji? Miyamoto Musashi was the name, I believe."
"That
is my name." Musashi's face reddened slightly.
Kosuke
moved back a bit and bowed deferentially, saying, "Forgive me. I shouldn't
have been lecturing you. I had no idea I was talking to the famous Miyamoto
Musashi."
"Don't
give it a second thought. Your words were very instructive. Koetsu's character comes through in the
lessons he teaches his disciples."
"As
I'm sure you know, the Hon'ami family served the Ashikaga shoguns. From time to
time they've also been called upon to polish the Emperor's swords. Koetsu was
always saying that Japanese
swords were created not
to kill or injure people but to maintain the imperial rule and protect the nation, to subdue
devils and drive out evil. The sword is the samurai's soul; he carries it for
no other purpose than to maintain his own integrity. It is an ever-present
admonition to the man who rules over other men and seeks in doing so to follow
the Way of Life."
The
Polisher Kosuke goes on to describe the sad state of disregard of many swords
even during the height of the samurai era and provides some interesting insight
into the preservation of swords...
"At
Suwa Shrine in Shinano Province there are more than three hundred swords. They
could be classed as heirlooms, but I found only five that weren't rusted.
Omishima Shrine in lyo is famous for its collection, three thousand swords dating
back many centuries. But after spending a whole month there, I found only ten
that were in good condition. It's disgusting!" Kosuke caught his breath
and continued. "The
problem seems to be that the older and more famous the sword is, the more the
owner is inclined to make sure it's stored in a safe place. But then nobody can
get at it to take care of it, and the blade gets rustier and rustier."
"The owners are like parents who protect their children so
jealously that the children grow up to be fools. In the case of children, more
are being born all the time, doesn't make any difference if a few are stupid.
But swords . . ."
Pausing to suck in the spit, he raised his thin shoulders even higher and with
a gleam in his eyes declared, "We already have all the good swords
there'll ever be. During the civil wars, the swordsmiths got careless, no,
downright sloppy! They forgot their techniques, and swords have been
deteriorating ever since."
"The
craftsmen today may try to imitate the older swords, but they'll never turn out
anything as good. The only thing to do is to take better care of the swords
from the earlier periods."
169. Musashi, Miyamoto. (Translated by Harris,
Victor.) A
Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho)
http://www.samurai.com/5rings/
(Reference: Musashi, Miyamoto. (Translated by Harris,
Victor.)
A Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho))
170. Dying and being reborn (Quotations from
Vasishtha).
http://www.digiserve.com/mystic/Hindu/Vasishtha/ego_death.html
(Reference: Dying and
being reborn (Quotations from Vasishtha))
(p.
517)
The abandonment of egosense is the cessation of ignorance; this and
nothing else is liberation.
(pp.
270-271)
The
infinite self cannot possibly be squeezed into the mind... The consciousness that, through the process of
self-limitation, is confined to finitude (and therefore to concepts and
percepts) is known as the mind...
(pp.
297-297)
Thus
of the mind and the
ego-sense -- if one ceases the other ceases to be. Hence, instead of entertaining the notion of bondage and that of liberation,
abandon all cravings and through wisdom and dispassion, bring about the
cessation of the mind. If even the wish, "May I be
liberated" arises within you, the mind is revived...
(pp.
445-447)
Cudala:
Why did you not abandon everything in total renunciation?
Shikihidhvaja:
I have renounced the kingdom, the palace, the country and my wife, too.
How is it then that you think that I have not renounced everything?
Cudala:
Wealth, wife, palace, kingdom, the earth and the royal umbrella and
your relatives are not yours, O king: renouncing them does not constitute total
renunciation! There is something else which seems to be yours and which you
have not renounced, and that is the best part of renunciaiton. Renounce that
totally and ... attain freedom from sorrow.
Shikihidhvaja:
Paraphrased: Then I will abandon the forest where I now live and everything within
this forest, and I will abandon the hut that serves as my home. Surely now I
have completely renounced everything!
Cudala:
You have not renounced everything, O king... You have something, as it
were, which you have not renounced, that is the best part of renunciaiton. When
that is also utterly abandoned without leaving a residue, then you will attain
the supreme state, free from sorrow.
After some thought, Shikihidhvaja said:
There is only one more thing left ... and that is this body... I shall
now abandon that too and destroy it, and thus achieve total renuncation...
Cudala:
O king, why do you vainly endeavour to destroy this innocent body? ...
The body is not responsible for the experience of pleasure and pain. Further,
destroying the body does not mean total renunciation. On the other hand, you
are throwing away something which is an aid to such renunciation! If you are
able to renounce that which functions through this body and which agitates this
body, then you have truly abandoned all sin and evil and then you will have
become a supreme renouncer. If that is renounced, everything (including the
body) is renounced. Otherwise, the sin and evil, even if they remain submerged
temporarily, will arise again...
Shikihidhvaja:
Holy sir, please tell me what that is which should be renounced.
Cudala:
... It is the mind alone which is referred to variously as buddhi, the
cosmos, egosense, prana, etc. Hence its abandonment alone is total
renunciaiton. Once it is abandoned, the truth is experienced at once. All
notions of unity and diversity come to an end; there is peace.
171. Anderson, John Ward. (Wednesday, May 02, 2001) 'Death Fasters' Put
Spotlight on Turkish Prisons. USA: Washington Post Foreign Service.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A23511-2001Apr30
(Reference: Anderson, John Ward. (Wednesday, May 02, 2001)
'Death
Fasters' Put Spotlight on Turkish Prisons. USA: Washington Post Foreign Service.)
"This is not a suicide,"
said Sener, 22, who today marked the 169th day of her hunger
strike. "… But this
is about death, and it can take time.
For us, victory is close, and so is death."
…what
critics say is Turkey's shameful prison system, particularly its policy of
holding political prisoners in isolation. International human rights organizations say the practice of isolation is
inhumane and often leads to abuse of prisoners by guards.
Away from the prisons,
Sener said, the activists "decided to show people what it looks like to die cell by cell, but outside the prison."
Like the others, Sener drinks water mixed with salt, sugar or powdered juice to maintain her
strength and hold death at bay.
Even
the duration of the
hunger strike is creating some controversy,
with medical authorities saying it is impossible for people to live so long without food, noting that in most mass hunger strikes, people begin to die after about 65 days.
After
Turkish police stormed 20 prisons in December -- a four-day operation
code-named Return to Life that left 30 inmates and two officers dead -- there
were conflicting reports that the hunger strikers had been force-fed. Others were isolated in hospitals and gave up
their fasts after being told that they were the only ones continuing the
strike, doctors said.
The
December police action was designed to wrest control of Turkey's prison system
from radical leftist groups that ran dormitory-style prisons like ideological indoctrination camps. Guards
were not allowed inside.
After police retook the facilities, state officials transferred about 1,000
inmates to new
prisons designed to isolate inmates in individual cells, potentially for years.
The cells, each with its own electric, water and sewerage systems
controlled by guards, were in prisons that often had no communal facilities for
group meals, exercise or other activities. Critics
complain that the
facilities were designed for "brainwashing" political prisoners,…
Most doctors are refusing the
state's call to
intervene and physically force food on the fasters, citing the World Medical
Association's 1991 declaration on the ethical treatment of hunger strikers, which states, "It is the duty of the doctor to respect the autonomy which the
patient has over his person."
Hakan
Gurvit, a physician who is monitoring the condition of numerous inmate hunger
strikers and the four activists at the Istanbul house, said many are suffering from starvation-induced Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a neurological disorder
that can result in "forgetfulness worse than even the most advanced stages
of Alzheimer's disease." Even if the hunger strike were ended today, he said, "dozens will be permanently
disabled."
172. Anderson, Scott. (Sunday,
October 21, 2001) The Hunger Warriors: Investigating a Different
Kind of Suicide Mission. USA: The New York Times Company.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/21/magazine/21HUNGER.html?pagewanted=all#top
(De-activated link)
http://www.bianet.org/2002/01/17_eng/news5633.htm
(Alternate link)
(Reference: Anderson, Scott. (Sunday,
October 21, 2001)
The Hunger Warriors:
Investigating a Different Kind of Suicide Mission.
USA: The New York Times
Company.)
Until
a few months ago, Fatma would stand by the window or sit in the yard
outside to watch the constant stream of ships…
For the past
250 days, she
has existed on a
diet of water, tea, salt and sugar.
Now, with her weight
hovering around 70 pounds, she can no longer walk and can sit up only with
assistance, and if she wants to gaze
out at the Bosporus, aides must carry her bed out to the yard and prop her up
with pillows. Fatma exists
at the very precipice of death, and
she knows it. On certain days, she can even discuss the end, how it might
happen, with a
trace of humor.
In
a matching single bed a few feet away lies another starving young woman,
28-year-old Yildiz Gemicioglu. Far more than Fatma's, Yildiz's body bears the external signs of advanced malnutrition: her cheeks are blotched
with acne-like sores, her slightest gestures are jerky and exaggerated from
muscular atrophy and when she smiles it seems to pain her.
One,
a 44-year-old man named Osman Osmanagaoglu, appears the most frail. After 275 days without food, his face is so
sunken that it has already taken on the look of a death mask, and he suffers
memory lapses that sometimes leave him struggling to recall where he was born
or the name of his father.
A hunger strike might seem to be an act of ultimate desperation, a
weapon of last resort for the powerless, but the reality is a bit more complex. Politically
motivated hunger strikes tend to occur in a very specific kind of society and
at a very specific time: namely, in places with a long history of official
repression, but where that repression has gradually begun to loosen. If it is
the institutionalized nature of abuse that fuels the strikers to such extreme
action, it is the cracks of liberalization that lead them to believe that such
a course might shame the government into change -- and often they are right.
Mahatma Gandhi's hunger strikes against British rule in India helped turn
British public opinion and hastened Indian independence. Even the 1980-81
hunger strike by the Irish Republican Army -- abandoned after 10 men died --
could be considered a partial success in that it strengthened a perception of
the Thatcher government as callous and swelled I.R.A. recruitment. What is
remarkable about the Turkish hunger strike, by contrast, is both the apparent
smallness of the issue that sparked it and that it continues despite all
evidence that it is and will remain a failure.
…the
abandonment of a new
generation of modern prisons in
which inmates are housed in one- or three-man cells
and a return to the dormitory-style prisons of the past.
''This
is a death fast,'' explains Resit Sari, 44, a member of the
second wave. ''We stay on until we die, and when we do, another group will take
our place, and another one after that. It goes on until the government agrees
to our demands or all of us are dead.'' To underscore that determination, Resit
offers a chilling
statistic; according to him, not a single striker has voluntarily quit the death fast since it
began.
…I
have found myself pondering a somewhat macabre set of questions.
What makes people willing to die for a cause?
How do they sustain their zeal when death is not going to be quick, but
rather requires intensive planning, weeks and months of waiting as the awful
day nears?
Not
least, how does such a
group of prospective martyrs maintain its esprit de mort when it is constantly
exposed to the temptations of the outside, ''living'' world?
…chosen a path that harms no one but themselves.
When
I talk with Fatma, she has a tendency to slide herself across her bed to get
closer to my chair, to
gaze unblinkingly up into my face.
It takes me a while to realize that this is not boldness or flirtatiousness on
her part but rather a
symptom of her failing health. She moves closer because her hearing has grown weak. She stares into visitors' faces because she has difficulty focusing.
''I used to read a lot, but I had to stop, because it hurt my eyes,'' she tells me. ''Now I can only read newspaper headlines, the biggest ones.''
Instead
of reading, Fatma spends her days chatting with her roommate, Yildiz, or
talking with friends on her cellphone or, increasingly,
drifting off into long naps. At this advanced stage of starvation, both nausea
and pain are almost constant, but
when I ask Fatma if she has ever considered quitting, she gives me a quizzical,
amused look.
''It must have crossed your mind,''
I persist. ''When
the pain has been especially bad, when
a friend has died.''
Fatma
gives a slight shake of her head. ''Never. We have to continue on until victory -- and victory is
coming.''
What has
evolved is, if not yet a full-bore democracy, at least a kind of police-state
lite
173. Sapsted, David. (Wednesday,
November 21, 2001) Vicar's yoga position is 'not in my church
hall'. UK: The Telegraph.
(Reference: Sapsted, David. (Wednesday,
November 21, 2001)
Vicar's
yoga position is 'not in my church hall'. UK: The Telegraph.)
…
the ultimate aim of yoga was to enable
participants to "ascend
to a higher spiritual plain".
Yoga,
based on a Hindu system of exercise and philosophic meditation, has supporters
in the medical profession who say it can relieve stress as well as help with
spinal and muscular ailments.
"It does involve an approach to life but it is not one that in any way interferes with
Christian teaching,"
The concept is to BE STILL. You can sit or stand or lie down or
whatever, as long as the posture is held without moving for a sufficient period
of time. You can even still normally in a chair, in the western style of
sitting. Certain adepts of ancient Egypt used to sit in the same posture as
modern day chair sitting. You can also sit in yogic postures. The lotus posture
or padma-asana being the most idle or perfect. Other postures like siddha-asana
or vajra-asana are also there. There are many other yogic postures which you
can hold on for a certain time period, like sirsh- asana, the Kingly posture or
the King of the yogic asanas.
Why padma-asana is the most perfect?
Provides perfect management and synchronization of internal and
external energies. Moreover your legs are locked in. You cannot be toppled or
pushed or moved. In many other postures like siddha or vajra, you can be
pushed. There are spirits who find happiness, like little children, in pushing
or toppling a serious meditator, thereby breaking his concentration. There used
to be a spirit specially fond of Lord Mahavira, who frequently disturbed the
Lord’s meditation.
You can lie down straight as a dead body. Sava-asana. Make sure you
don’t fall asleep when the body is relaxed. Advanced practices were done by
certain ancient Egyptian adepts in the sava-asana.
You don’t hold your breath. You don’t worry about the breathing in the
initial stages. As the body relaxes, the heavy breathing also slows down to a
faint level. So don’t forcibly control breathing. In yoga, there is no use of
force or forced exertion. Slowly, slowly, …
Pranayama or controlled breathing is for advanced meditators, not for
novices or starters. But a certain period or number of times of controlled
breathing can be done at any time, even by novices.
So, to summarize, there is NO religious barrier, to sit still.
How can a running car be relaxed? You stop the car. So too the body.
Instead of running here and there, you sit still and relax.
After a sufficient level of sitting, how about the running thoughts?
How about relaxing the mind? So stop thinking slowly, by not following
thoughts. Concentrate on your breathing – inflow and outflow. Whenever you feel
that you are following thoughts, come back to concentrate on the breathing.
Slowly you practice thus. Vipassana in a nutshell!
Finally, a relaxed body. A relaxed mind. What else is needed to be happy?
Rome was never built in a single day! Hundreds and hundreds of days. Of
construction. Of training. Slowly brick by brick!
When we look from a certain angle, any serious job with a certain level of concentration involves Being Still. Devotional
prayer, chanting, eating, even typing have a certain level of stillness. You
sit still and type. Not dancing and typing. You sit still and say your prayers.
Not running here and there and saying your prayers. You sit still and eat. Not
running and eating. You lie down still to sleep. Not tossing this way and that
way.
Thus, BE STILL is everywhere. So any person of any religion can be
still, whether sitting, standing or whatever.
174. Martin, Nicole. (Monday,
November 26, 2001) More churchgoers approve of living in sin. UK: The Telegraph.
(Reference: Martin, Nicole. (Monday,
November 26, 2001)
More
churchgoers approve of living in sin. UK: The Telegraph.)
THE
practice of couples living together before, or instead of, marrying is becoming
increasingly acceptable even to more traditional churchgoers, according to a
report published today.
They
are becoming more tolerant of the changing face of family life,
which has seen a rise
in cohabitation and illegitimate births.
Alison
Park, co-author of the study, Just a Piece of Paper? Marriage and Cohabitation,
said: "Cohabitation is widely accepted as a prelude to marriage and as an
alternative, even where there are children involved.
There's
a clear suggestion that values will continue to shift in a more liberal
direction in years to come. Marriage is widely valued as an ideal, but is
regarded with much more ambivalence in terms of its role in partnering and
parenting.
Ms
Park said: "Views
have changed markedly over time and,
for many, marriage is no longer seen as having any advantage over cohabitation
in everyday life."
But
campaigners for traditional family values said it was wrong to welcome the more
liberal views because marriage still provided the most secure environment for children.
Robert
Whelan, director of Family and Youth Concern, said there was growing evidence
that children of
cohabiting couples were more likely
than children of married couples to perform badly at school, get involved in crime and use drugs.
He
said: "I am surprised that the whole nation no longer views marriage as a
precursor to having children. We know that cohabiting relationships don't last as long as marriages, which means that children in these situations
tend to spend many years with only one parent."
175. Dorries, Ben and Wardill, Steven. (Monday,
August 26, 2002) Bishop attacks celibacy. Queensland, Australia: The Courier Mail.
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,4970114%255E952,00.html (De-activated link)
(Reference: Dorries, Ben and Wardill, Steven. (Monday,
August 26, 2002)
Bishop
attacks celibacy. Queensland, Australia: The Courier Mail.) (De-activated link)
A
prominent Australian Catholic bishop has defied the Pope in a controversial
call for the
vow of celibacy to be made optional
in an effort to
reduce sexual abuse by clergymen.
Canberra
Bishop Pat Power, the Catholic Church's spokesman on sexual abuse matters, has
urged the church to review its celibacy rules in the wake of a raft of sexual
allegations against clergy in Australia and the US.
Last
night, Bishop Power said that sexual abuse in the church was "very
worrying" and non-celibate
clergy were far less likely to commit sexual offences.
"The priest living within the safety and the security and the
happiness of the family life would be less likely, I think, to be tempted in that way,"
he said.
Bishop
Power, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Canberra-Goulburn diocese, told ABC radio's
Sunday Profile program that celibacy provisions were now outdated.
He said there
was a view that they were originally introduced so church property would remain
in the church, and not be inherited by a priest's children or spouses.
He
said a wide-ranging review of celibacy by the Catholic church hierarchy should
also consider
re-admitting priests who had left the clergy to marry.
Spokeswoman
Hetty Johnston said pedophiles
would still prey on children in the church even if they could marry.
"If you are a pedophile and you wanted easy access to children,
community respect and trust, the best possible vocation would be (as) a
priest," she said.
University
of Queensland sexual abuse expert Leilani Garland said allowing priests to marry would not decrease
pedophilia or sexual abuse in the church.
Ms
Garland, who lectures in the school of social work and social policy, said sex abuse occurred in other professions where
there was no celibacy rule.
The argument that some priests were driven to abuse children because of sexual repression was wrong,
she said.
The
Pope's avoidance of the US is seen as symptomatic of the gulf between the free-minded US Church and
Rome.
176. Weiss, Jeffrey. (Saturday,
August 24, 2002) Religious Left says the Religious Right is
wrong. USA: The Dallas Morning News.
http://www.dallasnews.com/religion/stories/082402dnrelconference.8f331.html
(De-activated link)
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/3955720.htm
(Alternate link)
(Reference: Weiss,
Jeffrey. (Saturday, August 24, 2002)
Religious Left
says the Religious Right is wrong. USA: The Dallas Morning News; Knight Ridder/Tribune Information
Services (KRT Wire).)
Rabbi
Judith Abrams, founder of a school for Talmudic studies in Houston, offered an
example that she said illustrated the futility of biblical literalism – particularly in English.
The first sentence of the Bible is generally translated as starting
with "In the beginning ..." But the Hebrew is more accurately
translated as "in a beginning,"
she said. The
difference between the definite and indefinite article is responsible for myriad interpretations offered by generations
of Jewish sages.
"In
Judaism, we say the Scripture speaks in 70 tongues," she said. "It's
deep. It's God-given. Like, infinite mind versus finite mind."
Dr.
Ali Asani, professor of the practice of Indo-Muslim languages and culture at
Harvard University, said the Muslim movements called "fundamentalist"
are actually the product of recent history.
"Tolerance and pluralism are
central to the message of the Quran –
when properly understood," he
said.
Oil
money has made a specific strain of Islam – one that asserts an absolute
superiority of the Quran and a particular interpretation of the text – much
more influential that it would otherwise be, he said.
177. Urquhart, Frank. (Monday,
August 26, 2002) Scots scientists challenge rules of evolution. Scotland: The Scotsman.
http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/index.cfm?id=946432002
(Reference: Urquhart,
Frank. (Monday, August 26, 2002)
Scots scientists
challenge rules of evolution. Scotland: The Scotsman.)
A
MAJOR discovery of a so-called missing link by researchers at a Scottish
university has raised serious doubts about how the cells in the human body and other forms of life first evolved.
Until now, it has been accepted thinking among biologists that the
complex cells of the human body evolved from primitive cells such as bacteria.
These contained only a tiny specialised nucleus which held and protected the
genes of every cell.
Only later in evolution, it was believed, did cells acquire hundreds of
mitochondria - the
minute energy generators which power and keep complex cells alive.
But
that view is now being challenged by scientists at Dundee University and
researchers at the National History Museum in London, who have used
state-of-the-art microscopy techniques to identify an unexpected link in the
evolutionary process.
They have discovered tiny mitochondria lying undetected in the cells of
primitive parasites.
Dr
John Lucocq, of Dundee University, said the team’s discovery represented a new
missing link in scientific knowledge.
He
added: "Scientists believe that the complex cells of our body evolved from
simple cells like bacteria.
"Primitive cells first evolved a tiny specialised compartment
called a nucleus - which is basically a bag for holding and protecting the
genes of every cell.
"Only later in evolution did they acquire hundreds of minute
energy generators that keep our complex cells alive - better known to
biologists as mitochondria.
"The
main evidence for these two steps in evolution came from primitive parasite
cells that contain a nucleus but show no traces of the power-generating
mitochondria."
He
said his team began to have doubts about accepted scientific thinking when
recent research suggested that the typical components of a cell’s "power
pack" - mitochondria - might be present in primitive cells. Advanced microscopy techniques confirmed their
suspicions.
Dr
Lucocq said: "We used powerful state-of-the-art high-resolution electron
microscopes at the University of Dundee to reveal mitochondria that were less than ten times
smaller than the mitochondria of other cells.
"We
now think the tiny mitochondria of these parasites are ‘left-overs’ that have
shrunk during evolution, making them more difficult to recognise."
He
added: "This discovery changes the way we think about how cells evolved.
"If
these parasites are a sort of living fossil, then this is a bit like a ‘missing
link’ human ancestor turning out to be a present day human."
178. This Lama saved Soviet leader's life twice. (Sunday, August 25, 2002) India: The Times of
India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_ID=20148911
(Reference: This
Lama saved Soviet leader's life twice. (Sunday, August 25, 2002) India: The Times of India.)
Moscow:
A black cat, an age
old symbol of bad omen,
proved to be a "talisman" which brought luck to the former Soviet
Communist Party bigwig Leonid Brezhnev, saving his life twice in an eerie
coincidence.
The
cat, which was presented to Brezhnev by Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama
during the former's 1969 Delhi visit, was said to possess extraordinary foresight,
which would ward off any imminent dangers to Brezhnev's life.
The
Lama had warned that the death of the cat would also herald the death of its
master, and asked Brezhnev to feed the cat personally with raw meat everyday,
popular youth daily Komsomolskaya Pravda reported in its weekend supplement.
The
cat, who was named Lama, showed his extraordinary powers a
few weeks after its arrival in Moscow, on the morning when Brezhnev was
scheduled to be part of a motorcade to welcome three Russian cosmonauts, who
were back from a successful mission in space.
Lama
showed signs of nervousness the whole morning, and recognising it as a sign of
alarm, Brezhnev asked his escort to pull his car back to the rear of the
motorcade and allow the cosmonauts to enter the Kremlin before him, just in
time to see an assailant fire 14 bullets into the car carrying the cosmonauts.
On
the second occasion as well, the cat was restive and would not let Brezhnev go
to office at his usual time, holding on to his trousers and mewing piteously.
Brezhnev
instructed his guards to go ahead, as they were in a hurry, intending to follow
them later. But luck would have it otherwise.
En
route the Kremlin, the car collided with a trailer, and while the rest of the
passengers suffered minor injuries, the man sitting in Brezhnev's usual place
was crushed to death almost instantly, the media report said.
Even
if he had been doubtful before, Brezhnev was convinced of the cat's
extraordinary power when he was informed of this incident, it said.
The
story ends as eerily as it begins. Lama died in the spring of 1982,
crushed to death by a car.
In
keeping with the Dalai Lama's prediction, Brezhnev passed away the same year, succumbing to a
prolonged illness, it said.
179. Peta, Basildon. (Tuesday,
August 27, 2002) US, Australia branded 'axis of evil' by
greens. New Zealand: The New Zealand Herald.
(Reference: Peta,
Basildon. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002)
US,
Australia branded 'axis of evil' by greens. New Zealand: The New Zealand Herald.)
Campaign
groups at the Johannesburg Earth Summit have branded the United States,
Canada and Australia an "axis of
evil" for their reluctance
to co-operate with the rest of the world in tackling global poverty and
environmental degradation.
As
Washington opposed the setting of any targets beyond previously agreed UN goals
such as halving
the proportion of the world's people who live on less than a dollar a day or
lack access to drinking water, Tony
Juniper, the vice-president of Friends of Earth International, said other governments
must press ahead on new agreements "for people and the planet".
Mr
Juniper said the
US, Australia and Canada had high standards of living, high rates of material
consumption, and high per-capita impact on the environment. "They have been most unconstructive in recognising their impact as rich consumer countries," he added.
The
US had withdrawn from the Kyoto treaty on climate change, while Australia and
Japan had shown little interest in it, Mr Juniper said. The US decision to
increase steel tariffs and introduce agricultural subsidies exemplified its lack of commitment to free trade and helping
poor countries.
Flooding
throughout central Europe, China and south Asia had caused thousands of deaths
and billions of dollars' damage. Globalisation had made the "rich richer and the poor poorer", and chemically-intensive agriculture and
biotechnology had "resulted
in looming starvation, social dislocation and a threat to the entire world's
food supply".
180. Graphic: Probing the Great Pyramid puzzle. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002) UK: Times Newspapers
Ltd.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-395796,00.html (De-activated link)
(Reference: Graphic: Probing the
Great Pyramid puzzle. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002) UK: Times Newspapers
Ltd.)
181. Henderson,
Mark. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002) Robot
seeks answer to pyramid mystery. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-395665,00.html (De-activated link)
(Reference: Henderson,
Mark. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002)
Robot seeks
answer to pyramid mystery. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd.) (De-activated link)
A
mysterious passage in the Great Pyramid at Giza will
be explored by a robot next month in an attempt to unravel one of the final
secrets of the
last remaining wonder of the Ancient World.
The
Pyramid Rover will be sent to find out what lies beyond a blocked, 8in-square
shaft that has puzzled researchers since its discovery in 1872.
The
custom-built machine will climb 210ft along the channel, which leads upwards
from an unused and apparently unfinished room
known as the Queen’s
Chamber, until it reaches a stone
plug with two copper handles which ended a previous attempt to chart the
passage a decade ago.
On
arrival, it will use the world’s smallest ground-penetrating radar antenna to
look beyond the blockage for the first time since the pyramid, built to house the remains of the Pharaoh Cheops, or
Khufu, was completed about 4,500 years ago. If the radar reveals a structure of interest
behind the seal, such as a third great chamber, Pyramid Rover will pass a
fibre-optic camera through cracks to capture the first pictures.
The
entire procedure, which is headed by Zahi Hawass, director of Egypt’s Supreme
Council of Antiquities, and Mark Lehner, director of the Giza Plateau Mapping
Project, director of the Giza Plateau Mapping Project, will be screened live on the National Geographic
Channel, starting at 1am on Tuesday, September 17. It will be repeated at 7pm
that night.
The Pyramid of Khufu
contains two
great rooms: the King’s Chamber, holding Khufu’s tomb, and the Queen’s Chamber,
which is smaller and directly below it and
which, despite its name, was probably not meant for his wife.
It is unique not only for its size, but also because it was built with
two small shafts running diagonally upwards from the two chambers. The shafts
running from the north and south wall of the Queen’s Chamber are especially
curious because they
are blocked at each end.
There
are many theories as to their purpose. It seems unlikely that they were for air or water, being blocked at both ends. Some experts believe that they are “star shafts” pointing to Sirius and the
constellation Orion: it is widely
thought that the
layout of the three pyramids at Giza mimics the stars in Orion’s belt.
Another
explanation is that they are “soul shafts”, built to allow a soul to escape to heaven. Again, however, the passages are blocked, and
archaeologists do not think that the Queen’s Chamber ever held a tomb. One
popular theory is that the room was originally designed for Khufu before it was
decided to build a larger chamber for the pharaoh and abandon the lower room.
Some experts even believe that the southern shaft, the longer of the
two, leads to a third, undiscovered chamber. It ends 54ft from the outer face,
leaving ample space for a room, and the seal is made of Tura limestone, a rock
found only in the central chambers.
Kate
Spence, of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at Cambridge
University, said that Pyramid Rover’s mission ought to shed important new light
on the mystery, even if all it does is to debunk some of the most outlandish
theories.
“Opinion
is very divided as to what the shafts are for,” she said. “It’s the only pyramid that has this sort of
shaft so we have nothing to go on in terms of comparison. The huge question is
why they are blocked. It is
incredibly difficult to say.
“My
own expectation is that there won’t be anything behind the blockage, but we
just don’t know. It’s
possible they just stopped building, but if that’s the case, why did they plug it so elaborately?
“The great thing is that whatever they find, even if they find there’s nothing
there, that’s absolutely fascinating. You can’t lose. It’s going to be
interesting whether there’s nothing there or a chamber full of treasure and
statues.”
Pyramid Rover will build on the achievements of Rudolf Gantenbrink, a
German scientist whose robot, Upuaut 2, explored the southern shaft and
discovered the blockage in the early 1990s.
The new probe, based on models used to search for World Trade Centre survivors
after September 11, is less than 5in high and wide and about 1ft long.
Its
ground-penetrating radar has a range of more than 3ft through concrete and much
farther through the more porous limestone of the pyramid. It also carries an
ultrasonic transducer that can measure the thickness of the stones.
A
force gauge will detect whether the blocking stone moves, and other tools will
seek out cracks through which fibre-optic cameras can pass. A conductivity
sensor will also be applied to the copper handles to determine whether they
form an electrical circuit, which would show that they are linked on the other
side.
Theories about monument's unknown heart
Ventilation
or water shafts: at first the obvious explanation, this is now rejected because
the shafts are blocked.
Star
shafts: the top of the shafts appear to be aligned with Sirius and a star in
Orion’s belt, mirrored in the layout of the pyramids. The shafts, however, have
several bends, so do not point to any spot in the heavens.
Numerology:
the angles in the shafts conform to a numerological plan, the details of which
remain obscure.
Soul
shafts: the shafts were built to allow the pharaoh’s soul to escape. They are
blocked, however, and no pharaoh was buried in the Queen’s Chamber.
Secret
chamber: there is enough space to house another room. The passage,
however, is just 8in
square — too small for an access tunnel.
Stairway
to the stars: leading the “pyramaniac” fringe is Zecharia Sitchin, who believes
that the pyramid was the work of aliens from a mythical twelfth planet. Sitchin
claims these aliens created humans through genetic manipulation. Perhaps the
aliens were small
enough to use an 8in tunnel.
One should never watch
that, one is not allowed to.
One should never speak
that, one is not allowed to.
One should never do
that, one is not allowed to.
One should never think
that, one is not allowed to.
The pyramids are the resting places of certain highly advanced adepts.
Mere ignorant mortals disturbing them, watching inside their home etc may cause
many a misery to those who go in to disturb! Never disturb the adepts verbally,
visually, bodily or mentally. They are living “dead” adepts. They also have
spirits for guarding just like the “dwar-pala” on both sides of any Hindu or
Buddhist inner temple. Adepts of immense power who lived physically during the
Egyptian civilization. Alive even today! But, “not physically”.
Egyptians were killed as punishment for disclosing sacred burial
places.
(Reference: 15)
Opening up of the tombs releases the “evil” spirits, the spirits of
destruction. They need carrier bodies, human bodies, of the right attitude, way
of life and mentality for furthering their goal, their mission.
182. McCook, Alison. (Monday,
August 26, 2002) Good News, Bad News on Cancer for Caffeine
Lovers. USA: Yahoo! News.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020826/hl_nm/cancer_caffeine_dc_1 (De-activated link)
http://preventdisease.com/news/articles/news_caffeine_lovers.shtml
(Alternate link)
(Reference: McCook,
Alison. (Monday, August 26, 2002)
Good
News, Bad News on Cancer for Caffeine Lovers. USA: Yahoo! News; preventdisease.com.)
NEW
YORK (Reuters Health) - Caffeine in the form of a lotion may help to prevent
skin cancer, according to the results of a new study. But a separate study
found that caffeine may actually promote cancer.
In
the "good news" study, skin cancer was prevented in mice at risk of
developing the disease if a lotion containing caffeine was applied to their
skin. In the "bad news" study, when a dish of hamster cells was
exposed to tumor-inducing radiation, adding caffeine appeared to inhibit the
cells' ability to repair themselves, increasing their likelihood of becoming
cancerous.
Both
studies appear in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences (news - web sites).
These
studies add to a growing body of contradictory results about the links between
caffeine and cancer. For example, one study showed that caffeine may help fight off cancer by blocking an enzyme that is
crucial for cell growth, thereby potentially inhibiting the uncontrolled growth that characterizes cancer. In contrast, another report showed that
drinking coffee did not reduce women's risk of developing colorectal cancer.
In
the first of the two recent studies, Dr. Allan H. Conney of Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey, and his colleagues exposed mice to ultraviolet light twice a week for 20 weeks. As a result of
this exposure, the mice--initially tumor-free--had an increased risk of
developing skin cancers over the next several months.
Five
days a week for the next 18 weeks, the researchers rubbed an inactive lotion
onto the backs of some of the mice, one that contained caffeine onto the backs
of others, and a lotion with the compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an ingredient of green tea, onto the rest. The investigators then
measured how many tumors the mice developed.
Conney's
team found that mice treated with a caffeinated lotion developed 44% fewer
non-cancerous tumors and 72% fewer cancerous tumors than those given the
inactive treatment. Mice that received the EGCG-filled substance had a
reduction in their non-cancerous and cancerous tumors of 55% and 65%,
respectively.
In
the second study, Dr. Theodore Puck and his colleagues exposed hamster cells to
low doses of
radiation--levels similar to those found in
the basements of
some buildings and in mines. This type of radiation, known as alpha radiation, has been linked to the development of lung
cancer.
Exposure
to radiation caused a certain number of mutations--alterations to the cells' genetic material that can increase
the risk of developing cancer--the
authors note. Cells
contain natural mechanisms to repair many of these mutations; however, when Puck and his team added
caffeine to the samples, the cells were much less able to repair these
mutations than when they were caffeine-free.
Speaking
with Reuters Health, Puck said that researchers still do not know why caffeine
might inhibit cellular repair. He added that his experiment also shows how radiation exposure can induce mutations, and recommended that investigators continue
working to pinpoint
the sources of this radiation, and try to eliminate them.
"We
can detect sources of mutations in the environment with extremely good
sensitivity," he said. "And that makes it possible to remove them
from the environment."
SOURCE:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2002;10.1073/pnas.152433699,
182429899.
183. Dutt, Ela. (Tuesday,
August 27, 2002) Indian-American brigadier general keeps US
troops fit. India: The Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=20341155
(Reference: Dutt,
Ela. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002)
Indian-American
brigadier general keeps US troops fit. India: The Times of India.)
"We cannot remain as a guest in somebody's house forever. We have
to take the bull by the horn and be part of it.
And I did not want to be a second-class citizen. I know we are people of different colour and race,
but we must not hide,"
"Every country or every person or any organisation has always a
soft or weak side. And a smart enemy always looks for that. That's where they hit us.
"We were prepared so that not even a golf ball could come from
outside, but we were not prepared for it to come from inside. So the enemy did
outsmart us."
He
was not happy with Indian Americans' reactions after the attacks.
"It
was like a last minute sprint. Now that they had done nothing much for the country
up till now, they wanted to come into the picture and contribute to the
society. That catching up is always bad. You can never catch a running train or bus."
184. Debate rages over biblical mystery. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002) UK: BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2218763.stm
(Reference: Debate rages over
biblical mystery. (Tuesday, August 27, 2002) UK: BBC News.)
The
ancients called the Dead Sea, with its great sulphur deposits, "Hayam Hamasriach" - the Stinking Sea.
…site
of Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found a
century ago.
… Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead
Sea, 13 kilometres east of Jerusalem.
… Jesus' brother James the Just…
Most
scholars believe the Qumranites to have been Essenes - a Jewish sect
which broke away from the Jerusalem establishment and thrived between the 2nd Century BC and the
2nd Century AD.
The
Essenes followed a mystical interpretation of the ancient scriptures, and were
especially strict
about laws of ritual purity.
They
are believed to have been the authors and compilers of the Dead Sea scrolls.
The
apocalyptic themes and mysticism in the scrolls along with their date from the
time of Jesus suggests the Essenes may have been a link between Judaism and
Christianity.
At
least one scholar believes they have found the grave of the leader of the Qumran sect, whom the Dead Sea scrolls call the "Teacher of Righteousness".
… some scholars have identified John as an active leader of the Essenes.
185. Biblical Mysteries: Ark of the Covenant.
https://www.shopnetdaily.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=228
(Reference: Biblical
Mysteries: Ark of the Covenant.)
After
God presented the Ten Commandments to Moses more than 3,000 years ago, the
sacred tablets were sealed inside the golden Ark of the Covenant. What happened
to it? No one knows for sure. The Holy Ark just disappeared.
…several
theories about the Ark's whereabouts. Some authorities say the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba brought it to Ethiopia. Others claim a group
of monks moved the Ark to Elephantine Island. The Knights of King Arthur's court may have played a part, too. But how?
…studies
ancient texts and uses modern science to uncover the hidden trail to the Ark.
Discover what Egyptian tombs reveal about the Ark's location. Clues lead to Ramses III
who may have obtained the Ark of the covenant along with the greatest treasures
of Jerusalem.
186. Burkett, Larry. (Monday, August 26, 2002) Bankruptcy: The last
resort? USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28731
(Reference: Burkett,
Larry. (Monday, August 26,
2002) Bankruptcy:
The last resort? USA: WorldNetDaily.com.)
But a vow is a vow
God's
Word clearly says that believers should be responsible for their promises and
repay what they owe. "When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying
it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you
should not vow than that you should vow and not pay" (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).
Individuals
or businesses may be faced with no alternative other than to seek court
protection from creditors. However, even with the alternative of court
protection, a Christian must be willing to accept the absolute requirement to repay every debt, unless the creditor has agreed to put all the
risk based on the financial performance of the business. Even after discharge, if the creditor allows
the debt to be paid, the debtor needs to arrange to pay off the debt, even if it takes an entire lifetime to satisfy the debt.
187. Whittle, Sean. (Translated from the
Pali) Anguttara Nikaya. I.1-10
Pariyadana Sutta. Overpowering.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an01-001.html (old link)
http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/an01-001.htm (new link)
(Reference: Whittle,
Sean. (Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara Nikaya. I.1-10
Pariyadana Sutta. Overpowering.)
188. What was new at Access to Insight. (October 2000).
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/oldnews/news0010.html
(Reference: What was new at
Access to Insight. (October 2000))
189. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Samyutta
Nikaya III.5. Atta-rakkhita Sutta. Self-protected.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/sn03-005.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Samyutta
Nikaya III.5. Atta-rakkhita Sutta. Self-protected.)
190. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya X.17. Natha Sutta. Protectors.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an10-017.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya X.17. Natha Sutta. Protectors.)
191. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya X.24. Cunda Sutta. Cunda.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an10-024.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya X.24. Cunda Sutta. Cunda.)
192. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya X.47. Sakka Sutta. To the Sakyans (on the Uposatha).
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an10-047.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya X.47. Sakka Sutta. To the Sakyans (on the Uposatha))
193. Ackerman,
Todd. (Sunday, September 01, 2002) Teens
saying no to sex for the health of it. USA: Houston Chronicle Medical Writer.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/topstory2/1557654 (De-activated link)
(Reference: Ackerman,
Todd. (Sunday, September 01, 2002)
Teens saying no
to sex for the health of it. USA: Houston Chronicle Medical Writer.) (De-activated link)
"Before
I got involved in this, I didn't do anything to prevent disease, I just
accepted that kids will have sex," said Sulak, 50. "But I no longer
think that's necessarily true. I think that's just the way those of us who grew
up during the sexual revolution tend to think. We don't give kids enough
credit. As I keep seeing, if we make them aware of the risks, they'll make good
decisions."
194. Steyn, Mark. (Tuesday,
September 03, 2002) 'Sustainable'
development? There's no such thing. Canada: National
Post.
http://www.nationalpost.com/commentary/story.html?id=9C8158E0-5320-4A4F-9AB4-6A98C85C31D1
(Reference:
Steyn, Mark. (Tuesday, September 03, 2002)
'Sustainable'
development? There's no such thing. Canada: National Post.)
"The
sign in the shopping mall said, 'No animals allowed.' As I read it, I didn't
know whether to laugh or cry. It reflected a failure to admit or unwillingness
to acknowledge our biological nature. We are animals and have a taxonomic
classification: Kingdom
-- Animalia, Phylum -- Chordata, Class -- Mammilia, Order -- Primates, Family
-- Hominidae, Genus -- Homo, Species -- saapiens.
"Our
reluctance to acknowledge our animal nature is indicated in our attitude to
other animals. If we call someone a worm, snake, pig, chicken, mule or ape, it
is an insult. Indeed, to accuse someone of being a "wild animal" at a
party is a terrible insult."
195. Samyutta Nikaya. The Grouped Discourses.
(selected suttas).
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
(Reference: Samyutta
Nikaya. The Grouped Discourses. (selected suttas))
196. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Samyutta
Nikaya III.24. Issattha Sutta. Archery Skills.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/sn03-024.html
(Reference:
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Samyutta
Nikaya III.24. Issattha Sutta. Archery Skills.)
197. Brunton,
Paul. (1985) A Message From
Arunachala. (Indian Reprint) New Delhi, India:
B.I.Publications Pvt. Ltd. Pages: 144.
(Reference:
Brunton, Paul. (1985) A Message From
Arunachala. (Indian Reprint) New Delhi, India:
B.I.Publications Pvt. Ltd. Pages: 144.)
198. Bullitt, John. (Thursday,
May 23, 2002) Frequently-asked Questions about Buddhism.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/bfaq.html
(Reference:
Bullitt, John. (Thursday, May 23, 2002)
Frequently-asked Questions
about Buddhism.)
Who is Maitreya (Metteyya)?
Have there been other Buddhas?
What's the difference between a Buddha and an arahant?
What's a "Private Buddha" (paccekabuddha)?
According to Theravada tradition, many Buddhas have come and gone over
countless eons. Every once in a great while, after a long period of spiritual
darkness blankets the world, an individual may be born who, through his own
efforts, rediscovers the long-forgotten path to Awakening and liberates himself
once and for all from the long round of rebirth, thereby becoming an arahant
("worthy one", one who has fully realized Awakening). If such a being
does not share his discovery with others he is called a "Silent" or
"Private" Buddha (paccekabuddha). If he delivers his message
(sasana)to the world he is called, simply, a Buddha. Some of a Buddha's
followers may themselves become arahants, but they are not Buddhas, since they
relied on a Buddha to show them the way to Awakening. (All Buddhas and
paccekabuddhas are arahants, but not all arahants are Buddhas or
paccekabuddhas.) No matter how far and wide the sasana spreads, sooner or later
it succumbs to the inexorable law of anicca (impermanence), and fades from
memory. The world descends again into darkness, and the eons-long cycle
repeats.
The
most recent Buddha was born Siddhattha Gotama in India in the sixth century
BCE. He is the one we usually mean when we refer to "The Buddha".[1]
The
next Buddha to appear is said to be Maitreya (Skt; Pali: Metteyya), a
bodhisatta currently residing in the Tusita heavens. Legend has it that at some
time in the far distant future, once the teachings of the current Buddha have
long been forgotten, he will be reborn as a human being, rediscover the Four
Noble Truths, and teach the Noble Eightfold Path once again. Although he plays
an important role in some Mahayana Buddhist traditions, whose followers appeal
to him for favorable rebirth and salvation,[2] he plays an insignificant role
in Theravada. I believe he's mentioned only once, in the Cakkavatti-Sihanada
Sutta (DN 26; The Lion's Roar on the Turning of the Wheel):
[The
Buddha:] And in that time of the people with an eighty-thousand-year life-span,
there will arise in the world a Blessed Lord, an Arahant fully enlightened
Buddha named Metteyya, endowed with wisdom and conduct, a Well-farer, Knower of
the worlds, incomparable Trainer of men to be tamed, Teacher of gods and
humans, enlightened and blessed, just as I am now. -- "The Long Discourses
of the Buddha" (formerly "Thus Have I Heard"), Maurice Walshe,
trans. (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1987), p 403.
Maitreya is often depicted in Chinese and Japanese art as that jolly
fellow with the large belly.[3]
Notes:
1.
DN 14 and DN 32 mention six previous Buddhas: Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Konagamana, and Kassapa. MN 116 includes a long list of past
paccekabuddhas.
2.
The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction (fourth edition) by R.H.
Robinson & W.L. Johnson (Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 1997), pp. 105-6.
3.
Ibid., p. 106.
I want to become a Buddhist. How do I do that?
It
begins with one deceptively simple act: making the inner commitment to
"take refuge" in the Triple Gem, to accept the Buddha, Dhamma, and
Sangha as your source of spiritual guidance.[1] This act is what makes one
nominally "Buddhist". But going for refuge also implies a willingness
-- if only provisional, at first -- to acccept the cornerstone of the Buddha's
teachings: the law of kamma. According to this universal principle, if you act
unskillfully and make poor ethical choices, you are bound to suffer the
consequences; if you choose wisely and act in line with the noblest ideals, you
stand to benefit accordingly.[2] In other words, your happiness ultimately
depends on the quality of your choices and actions; you alone are responsible
for your happiness. Your first act after seeking refuge should therefore be to
resolve to observe the five precepts -- the five basic principles of living
that can help prevent you from making grossly unskillful choices. This is where
the practice of Buddhism begins.
You
don't need a formal public ceremony or "initiation" to make any of
this official. You don't have to dress differently or wear a badge that says,
"I am now a Buddhist." The practice of the Dhamma is a private matter
and no one needs to know about it but you. Many Buddhists do, however, find it
invaluable to renew their commitment to the Triple Gem and to the precepts from
time to time in a more formal way, enlisting the help of a good friend, a
respected meditation teacher, or a member of the monastic community (Sangha) as
a witness.[3] Administering the refuges and precepts to laypeople is a duty
that Buddhist monks are glad to perform.
Many
people find it difficult to sustain their commitment to the Dhamma on their
own, without the support of like-minded friends and companions. (It can be hard
to stick to the precepts if you're surrounded by people who see no harm in telling lies,
or in having a secret
romantic affair now and then, or in going out drinking all night.) You may have to do a little patient
detective work to find this kind of support. Perhaps someone in your
neighborhood hosts a weekly meditation group ("sitting group") or
sutta study group in his or her home. If not, why not start one of your own? Or
perhaps there is a meditation center nearby that offers workshops and retreats.
And if there is a Buddhist monastery or temple in your vicinity, why not pay
the Sangha a visit?
Having
taken these first steps, you can proceed along the Buddhist path in your own
way and at your own pace. Although you can learn a great deal about Dhamma on
your own, your understanding will grow by leaps and bounds once you find a good
teacher -- someone whom you trust and respect, who keeps to the precepts, and
who understands the Dhamma and can communicate it clearly.[4] Other aids to
progress in understanding the Dhamma are these: deepening your understanding of
the precepts; studying the suttas;[5] getting to know monks or nuns (Sangha)
and become acquainted with their traditions; developing a keen, discerning eye
that can recognize which of today's popular spiritual teachings actually ring
true to what the Buddha taught;[6] and learning meditation. How you proceed is entirely up to you, but the
bottom line is this: learn
what the Buddha taught and put it into practice in your life as best you can.
If you ever decide that the Buddha's teachings aren't for you, you are free to walk away at any time and find
your own way.
There is no ceremony for renouncing the Buddha's teachings. Just remember: your
happiness is in your own hands.
Notes:
1.
See Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha by Thanissaro
Bhikkhu.
2.
See the opening verses of the Dhammapada.
3.
For the standard Pali formula for requesting the refuges and precepts, see A
Chanting Guide: Pali Passages with Translations.
4.
See "Admirable friendship (kalyanamittata)" in the Path to Freedom
pages.
5.
See "Befriending the Suttas: Some Suggestions for Reading the Pali
Discourses".
6.
See the Study Guide "Recognizing the Dhamma," prepared by Thanissaro
Bhikkhu.
What were the Buddha's views on homosexuality?
From
what I've read in the suttas, the Buddha gave no indication that one's sexual
orientation has any bearing on one's spiritual practice. The five precepts,
which form the most basic foundation of a moral life in Buddhism, encourage the
abstention from "sexual misconduct", a term that generally refers to
sexual activity between two people outside of a long-term committed relationship.
It has nothing to do with "orientation".
The
Buddha did, however, have strong words to say about sexuality/sensuality in
general, since it is one of the most powerful expressions of human craving and
attachment. And craving -- the second Noble Truth -- is a root cause of human
suffering. The
Buddha was very clear: if you're genuinely concerned about your long-term
happiness, then it's worth reassessing the value of engaging in activities --
be they heterosexual, homosexual, or non-sexual -- that feed your cravings:
Even if it's with pain,
you should abandon
sensual desires
if you aspire
to future safety from bondage.
Alert,
with a mind well-released,
touch release now here,
now there.
An attainer-of-wisdom,
having fulfilled the holy life,
is said to have gone
to the end of the world, gone
beyond. [Iti 101]
It
is worth noting that the
Buddha explicitly discouraged his followers -- men and women, alike -- from
dwelling on their sexual identity (AN
VII.48). Although in this particular sutta he was describing heterosexuals, the
message clearly applies to everyone.
What were the Buddha's views on abortion?
Practicing
Buddhists observe the five precepts as a foundation for the moral life that
spiritual progress requires. The first of these precepts is to "refrain
from destroying living creatures". Since Theravada Buddhism regards human
life as beginning at the moment of conception,[1] killing a fetus implies
killing a human being, making abortion patently incompatible with the first precept.
One
indication of the seriousness with which the Buddha regarded abortion is found
in the Vinaya, the collection of texts that define the conduct and duties of
Buddhist monastics. According to the Vinaya, if a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni should
facilitate an abortion -- or even recommend that someone get one -- he or she
breaks one of the four cardinal rules of monastic conduct, and is immediately
expelled from the Sangha.[2]
Notes:
1.
According to the Pali texts, conception occurs when three things are
simultaneously present: the mother (i.e., a fertile egg), the father (a sperm
cell), and the gandhabba (the kammic energy
of the being that
is seeking rebirth). If all three
successfully coincide, human consciousness arises in the fertilized ovum and rebirth
occurs. For a description of this process, see the Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta (MN
38). See Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation of this sutta (along with helpful
footnotes) in "The Middle Length Discourse of the Buddha" (Boston:
Wisdom Publications, 1995).
2.
This rule (Parajika #3), which applies equally to bhikkhunis as well as
bhikkhus, states:
Should any bhikkhu [or bhikkhuni] intentionally deprive a human being
of life, or search for an assassin for him, or praise the advantages of death,
or incite him to die (thus): "My good man, what use is this wretched,
miserable life to you? Death would be better for you than life," or with
such an idea in mind, such a purpose in mind, should in various ways praise the
advantages of death or incite him to die, he [she] also is defeated and no
longer in communion.
The
word-commentary to this rule makes clear that abortion counts as
"intentionally depriving a human being of life". See The Buddhist
Monastic Code, Vol. I
Are Buddhists vegetarian?
Some
are, some aren't. I know of no evidence in the Pali Canon to suggest that the
Buddha discouraged his lay followers from eating meat. Although some people may
point to the first of the five precepts as evidence that the Buddha asked his
followers to be vegetarian, this precept only concerns the intentional act of
depriving a living being of life, and says nothing about consuming the flesh of
an animal that is already dead. Many Buddhists (and, of course, non-Buddhists)
do eventually lose their appetite for meat out of compassion for other living
creatures, but from the strict Theravada Buddhist perspective, the choice of
whether or not to eat meat is purely a matter of personal preference.
Theravada
monks are forbidden to eat certain kinds of meat,[1] but because their food is
provided by the generosity of lay supporters,[2] who may or may not themselves
be vegetarian,[3] they are not required to practice strict vegetarianism. Nor
are Theravada monks required to eat everything that is placed in their
alms-bowl; a monk intent on pursuing vegetarianism may therefore simply ignore
the meat in his bowl. In parts of Asia where vegetarianism is unheard of,
however, vegetarian monks face a clear choice: eat meat or starve.
Taking
part in killing for food (hunting, fishing, trapping, butchering, etc.) is
definitely incompatible with the first precept, and should be avoided.
But
what if I eat -- or just purchase -- meat: aren't I simply encouraging someone
else to do the killing for me? How can letting someone else do the "dirty
work" possibly be consistent with the Buddhist principle of non-harming,
that cornerstone of Right Resolve? This is tricky. Although the suttas are
silent on this question, I personally believe it would be wrong to order
someone, "Please kill that chicken for me," since it incites that
person to break the first precept.[4] Surely this is unskillful kamma.
(Consider this whenever you're tempted to order, say, a fresh-killed lobster at
a restaurant; by placing your order you are, in fact, ordering its death.) But
purchasing a piece of dead animal meat is another matter. Although my purchase
may indeed help keep the butcher or restaurateur in business, I am not asking
him to kill on my behalf. Whether he kills another cow tomorrow is his choice,
not mine. This is a difficult but important point, one that reveals the
fundamental distinction between personal choices (choices aimed at altering my
own behavior) and political ones (those aimed at altering others' behavior).
Each of us must discover for ourselves where lies the boundary between the two.
It is crucial to remember that the Buddha's teachings are, first and foremost, tools to help us learn
to make good personal choices (kamma); they are not prescriptions for political
action.
We could not survive long in this world
without bringing harm of one sort or another to other creatures. No matter how carefully we trod, countless
insects, mites, and other creatures inadvertently perish under our feet with
every step. Where, then, do we even begin to draw the line
between "acceptable" and "unacceptable" harm? The Buddha's answer was very clear and very practical: the
five precepts. He didn't ask his followers to become
vegetarian; he
simply asked us to observe the precepts.
For many of us, this
is challenge enough. This is where we begin.
Notes:
1.
Theravada monks are forbidden to eat the flesh of humans, elephants, horses,
dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, hyenas, and panthers. A monk is
also forbidden to eat raw fish or meat, or any fish or meat that he sees,
hears, or suspects was killed specifically for him (see the description of
"staple foods" in The Buddhist Monastic Code). A monk who eats any of
those kinds of meat commits an offense that he must then confess to his fellow
monks. These rules do not imply that a monk must not eat meat -- only that a
monk must be careful as to which kinds of meat he does eat.
2.
See "The Economy of Gifts" by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
3.
Monastics within some schools of Mahayana Buddhism do practice vegetarianism.
See The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction (fourth edition) by R.H.
Robinson & W.L. Johnson (Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 1997), pp. 213-14.
4.
This is in keeping with the monks' rule about not eating meat that he sees,
hears, or suspects was killed specifically for him. See The Buddhist Monastic
Code
Are there any enlightened people in the world nowadays?
How can I tell who's really enlightened?
I
wouldn't be a Buddhist if I didn't think enlightenment were possible. The Buddha himself
observed that as
long there are people practicing correctly in line with the noble eightfold
path, there will continue to be enlightened beings in the world (DN 16). Even
better evidence of the reality of enlightenment lies in the "gradual" nature of the Buddha's
teachings. In the suttas, the
Buddha speaks again and
again of the
many rewards awaiting those who follow the Path, long before they reach nibbana: the happiness that comes from developing generosity; the happiness that comes from living
according to principles of virtue; the happiness that comes from developing loving-kindness (metta); the happiness that comes from practicing meditation and discovering the exquisite bliss of a quiet mind; the happiness that comes from abandoning painful states of mind; and so on. These can be tasted for yourself, to varying degrees, through Dhamma
practice.
Once you've personally verified a few of the Buddha's teachings, it becomes
ever-easier to accept the possibility that the rest of his teachings are
plausible -- including his extraordinary claim that enlightenment is accessible
to us.
It's
probably best not to spend too much time speculating on someone else's degree
of enlightenment, simply because our own delusion and defilements are bound to
cloud our vision. Your
time is far better spent looking inwards and asking yourself, "Am I
enlightened? Have I made an end of suffering and stress?" If the answer is negative, then you have more work to do. Some lines of questioning are, however, well
worth pursuing in regard to someone else's purity -- especially when deciding
whether or not to accept that person as your Dhamma teacher: "Does this
person seem to be truly happy? Does he or she live by the precepts? Is the
interpretation of Dhamma that he or she teaches a valid one? Can I learn
something of real value from him or her?" It can take a long and close
association with someone before you can begin to answer these questions with
any confidence (AN IV.192). But if you do find someone possessing this rare
constellation of good qualities, stay with that person: he or she probably has
something of lasting value to teach you.
FINALLY, ONE RULE OF THUMB THAT I'VE FOUND HELPFUL: SOMEONE WHO GOES
AROUND CLAIMING TO BE ENLIGHTENED (OR DROPPING HINTS TO THAT EFFECT) PROBABLY
ISN'T -- AT LEAST NOT IN THE SENSE THE BUDDHA HAD IN MIND.
See
also: "Recognizing the Dhamma" (Study Guide)
What's the relationship between "dana" and
"fundraising"?
They
are entirely unrelated -- or at least they should be. Alas, in recent years the
notion of dana seems to have been co-opted by many Buddhist organizations in
the West as just another fundraising gimmick, designed to appeal to our better
nature. How many times have we read fundraising letters from Buddhist
organizations that open with the familiar preamble: "Dana, or generosity,
is the ancient tradition that has kept the Buddha's teachings alive for over
2,500 years..."? How many times have we seen long "wish lists"
in these letters detailing exactly what material goods are needed? And how many
times have we heard meditation centers ask for "suggested donations"
to pay for their teachings? To my mind, these valiant efforts at drumming up
material support for Buddhist causes only dampen the true spirit of dana, that
weightless, heartfelt, and spontaneous upwelling of generous action that lies
at the very root of the Buddha's teachings.
Giving
of any kind is unquestionably good. The Buddha encourages us to give generously
whenever anyone asks for help [Dhp 224]. And even the smallest of gifts, when
offered with a generous heart, has tremendous value: "Even if a person
throws the rinsings of a bowl or a cup into a village pool or pond, thinking,
'May whatever animals live here feed on this,' that would be a source of
merit" [AN III.57]. But the actual rewards of giving depend strongly on
the climate in which the giving occurs. The giver and the recipient -- the
donor and the organization -- share an equal responsibility in fostering a
climate that makes the most of generosity. If both are serious about putting
the Buddha's teachings into practice, they would do well to consider the
following points:
First,
the benefits of giving multiply in accordance with the purity of the giver's
motives. A gift we give half-heartedly yields modest rewards for all concerned,
whereas a gift given with genuine open-handedness, "not seeking [our] own
profit, not with a mind attached [to the reward]," is of far greater value
[AN VII.49]. If we give with an expectation of receiving something from the
recipient in return -- membership benefits, a certificate of appreciation, a
book, a meditation course, etc. -- we shortchange ourselves, and dilute the
power of our generosity. Buddhist organizations should therefore be cautious
about rewarding gifts with these sorts of perquisites.
Second,
the Buddha does not encourage us to ask for gifts. In fact, he says quite the
opposite: he encourages us to make do with what little we already have [AN
IV.28]. This theme of contentment-with-little echoes throughout the Buddha's
teachings. To my mind, a fundraiser's long "wish list" of needed
items conveys a sense of dissatisfaction, and thus seems at odds with this
message. Donors most enjoy giving when they know that their gift -- no matter
how humble it may be -- is truly appreciated by the recipient. If I have only a
small gift to give, I wonder if it will be appreciated -- or even noticed -- by
an organization with ambitious fundraising goals or a long and expensive list
of needs. An organization can promote the Buddha's teachings most effectively,
and inspire the greatest confidence among its supporters, by keeping its needs
modest and its requests rare.
Third,
the purity of the recipient also matters [SN III.24]. When we give to virtuous
people -- those who, at the very least, abide by the five precepts -- we not
only acknowledge their intention to develop virtue (sila), but we also
reinforce our own resolve. Giving to virtuous people is thus a powerful kammic
force whose benefits extend far beyond the moment of giving itself. Generosity
and virtue are deeply intertwined; when we learn to exercise our generous
impulses skillfully, and give where the gift reaps the greatest fruit, we make
the most of them both. Whether we are giver or recipient, we stand to benefit
most from generosity when we take virtue seriously.
Finally,
an appeal to fledgling Buddhist groups and organizations: please be very, very
patient, and resist the temptation to make your organization grow. The success
of a Buddhist organization should never be measured in conventional commercial
terms: number of members, number of downloads, number of courses taught, amount
of money raised, etc. Its success can only be measured by how well it embodies the Buddha's
teachings. If it does good work that is rooted firmly in the principles of
virtue, people who recognize virtue when they see it will inevitably take
notice and be inspired to lend a hand with unbounded generosity. Any organization that can do this much passes
on to others, in the most direct way possible, the priceless tradition of generosity, which is the heart and soul of
Dhamma -- the greatest gift of all
[Dhp 354].
See
also:
"The
Economy of Gifts," by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Generosity"
in the Path to Freedom pages.
What's
wrong with selling Dhamma books?
What's wrong with selling Dhamma books?
What's the big deal about giving them away free of charge?
There's
nothing inherently wrong with selling Dhamma books. Indeed, commercially
distributed Dhamma books are often easier to find in bookstores than their
free, privately-printed cousins. But that accessibility comes at a steep price.
A publisher that lives by its bottom line is inevitably forced to make
editorial choices based on what will or will not sell books. The result of this
pressure is often a book that presents a watered-down version of Dhamma, a
Dhamma that may sound joyous, uplifting, and pleasing, but which lacks the
cutting edge of truth. It is unlikely, for example, that people would flock to
the bookstore and empty their wallets to read about the Buddha's crucial
teachings on renunciation, the drawbacks of sensuality, or the value of
reflecting on the unattractiveness of the body. The market for people willing
to spend money on this kind of truth is, alas, unprofitably small.
But
there is another, deeper reason to think twice about selling Dhamma books. Since the Buddha's time, the teachings have
traditionally been given away free of charge, passing freely from teacher to
student, from friend to friend. The teachings are regarded as priceless, and
have been conveyed to us across the centuries by an unbroken stream of
generosity -- the very foundation of all the Buddha's teachings. That tradition continues with the production
of free Dhamma books. From the author, the stream flows onwards through those
who give their time to editing, typesetting, and printing the book; through the
donors who sponsor the printing; and through those who take care of distribution
and mailing. If you are fortunate enough to receive a book borne on this stream
of generosity, you learn an important lesson of Dhamma long before you even
open the cover. The instant someone puts a price tag on a Dhamma book, you not
only have to pay money for it, but you get less in return: you get a book that
is merely about Dhamma, instead of one that is itself an example of Dhamma in
action. Which one do you think has greater value?
So
keep this in mind the next time you find yourself spending money in exchange
for the Dhamma -- whether it is in the form of a book, an audio tape, a CD-ROM,
a Dhamma talk, a meditation class, a retreat. The old adage still applies:
caveat emptor -- Let
the buyer beware.
See
also: What's the relationship between 'dana' and 'fundraising'?
199. Anguttara Nikaya. The
"Further-factored" Discourses (selected suttas).
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/index.html
(Reference: Anguttara
Nikaya. The "Further-factored" Discourses (selected suttas))
200. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) Anguttara
Nikaya VII.48. Saññoga Sutta. Bondage.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an07-048.html
(Reference:
Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali)
Anguttara
Nikaya VII.48. Saññoga Sutta. Bondage.)
201. Yaroshevsky,
Mikhail., Ruth English. (Translated from the Russian) (1990) A History of Psychology. Moscow: Progress Publishers. ISBN:
5-01-001919-1. Pages: 416.
(Reference: Yaroshevsky,
Mikhail., Ruth English. (Translated from the Russian) (1990) A History of Psychology. Moscow: Progress Publishers.)
Page 97
Huarte
considered that physiological
factors, in particular nutrition,
played a vital part in the formation of abilities.
He even quoted Scriptural authority in support of this idea: Christ (while a man) needed “delicate feeding” in order to reason wisely. It is hardly surprising that the Inquisition
put Huarte’s book on the
list of prohibited works. It
is needless to describe how blasphemous it sounded, in the ears of a feudal
society, to express in words the idea that people should be given their places in society according to their
natural gifts.
Page 307
A
particularly
Page 308
important
place was allotted to “the “Oedipus complex”, a
term used to describe a definite motivational-affective model for the relationship of a child
to its parents. Freud
considered that the
Greek myth of Oedipus, who killed
his father and married his mother, was the key to a complex of sexual feelings
which supposedly burdened
every man: a boy is attracted to
his mother, seeing in his father a rival who inspires both hatred and fear.
This concept aroused particularly acrimonious discussion.
Vocabulary
acrimonious
adj.
Bitter and sharp in language or tone; rancorous:
an acrimonious debate between the two candidates.
…
With
the aim of refining the technique of psychoanalysis, he (Sandor Ferenczi (1873
– 1933) would – if the patient resisted the pursuance of free associations – deprive him/her of food, sleep and opportunity
to satisfy other needs, the object being to raise the energy of the libido.
Page 311
Sublimation
is one of the mechanisms by which “forbidden” sexual energy discharges itself
in the form of an
activity which is acceptable to the individual and to society. Creative work is one form of
sublimation.
202. Writer says all pets have souls. (Saturday, September 07, 2002) New Zealand: New
Zealand Herald.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=2497141&thesection=news&thesubsection=general
(Reference: Writer
says all pets have souls. (Saturday, September 07, 2002) New Zealand: New Zealand Herald.)
Richard
Webster reckons his old childhood dog Bruce definitely had a soul.
Yesterday
the New Zealand author set out to prove to a mainly already converted audience
at an animal welfare conference, that all pets have souls, from cats and dogs to parrots.
He
said when he was a child his father accidentally ran over the family cat.
"Our
labrador Bruce lay on his grave for hours every day for the rest of his
life."
He
told how jealousy, one of
the unattractive human emotions, is shared by animals.
"Try giving more affection to one of your pets than you do to
another and you'll quickly discover how jealous the neglected pet will
become."
Pets experienced joy, sadness and other emotions and had a reasoning
ability which was more than just instinct,
Mr Webster said.
He
said Bruce would apparently take himself off to the vet whenever he wasn't
feeling well.
"We'd
get a phone call from the vet saying 'Bruce is here, please bring $45 and pick
him up'."
Mr
Webster said surely the
emotional and reasoning powers of animals indicated the presence of a soul.
203. Prisoners can starve themselves: US judge. (Saturday, September 07, 2002) India: The Times of
India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=21438663
(Reference: Prisoners
can starve themselves: US judge. (Saturday, September 07, 2002) India: The Times of India.)
Springfield
(Illinois): Prison
inmates can choose to
starve themselves
rather than endure
years of solitary confinement and that right outweighs the state's duty to keep them alive, a judge ruled.
Two
inmates have sometimes refused food to protest conditions at the
maximum-security prison in Pontiac. Both are serving long terms for violent
crimes and have been in solitary confinement because of bad behaviour.
In
his ruling Thursday, Livingston County Judge Harold Frobish allowed the prison
to keep feeding the inmates until the state decides whether to appeal.
"They are in this cubicle 24 hours a day, and
they read some and then they think. And that is all there is to do," Frobish said. "This is an existence where I find these
defendants suffer from extreme sensory deprivation. I find it is a miserable
existence."
"I find that if these defendants choose to die in the
circumstances rather than live this way, that they should have right to do
so," he concluded.
Inmates
John Barrell and Leon Snipes had burritos for lunch on Friday and the prison
has not tried to
force-feed them when they refused other meals,
said Brian Fairchild, spokesman for the Corrections Department.
204. Highfield, Roger. (Saturday, September 07, 2002) Heavens shed light on
Einstein theory. UK: The Telegraph.
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/09/07/weins07.xml
(Reference: Highfield,
Roger. (Saturday, September 07, 2002)
Heavens
shed light on Einstein theory. UK: The Telegraph.)
Einstein's
claim that gravity
acts at the speed of light is
to be put to the test tomorrow thanks to a rare alignment in the heavens.
Ever
since Albert Einstein proposed the general theory of relativity
in 1916, physicists have tested its principles.
He
was proved right on gravity's
ability to bend starlight, for
instance.
Now,
using an experiment conceived by a physicist at the University of Missouri,
Columbia, teams around the world have the chance to measure the speed of
gravity against the speed of light.
Dr
Sergei Kopeikin said: "While there is indirect evidence that this is true,
the speed has never been measured directly and that's what we're trying to do
in an experiment that will not be possible again for another decade."
On
Sunday, Jupiter will pass very close to a star-like quasar. The planet's
gravity should nudge the light emitted by the quasar, causing its apparent
position to shift by a distance that depends on the speed of gravity.
Dr
Kopeikin's test involves comparing the position of the primary quasar to the
position of other quasars unaffected by Jupiter. Final results should be
available in mid-November.
205. Scientist upsets physics laws with light
theory. (Thursday, August 08, 2002) India: Sify News.
(Reference: Scientist
upsets physics laws with light theory. (Thursday, August 08, 2002) India: Sify News.)
Sydney:
A
scientist in Australia said Thursday he had found evidence that the speed of light is slowing, a discovery that would unravel Einstein's
theory of relativity and revolutionize modern physics.
Paul
Davies, a theoretical physicist with the Australian Centre for Astro-biology at
Sydney's Macquarie University, put forward his thesis based on measurements of
light travelling billions of years from giant stellar objects
called quasars.
The
measurements, taken by an astronomer at the University of New South Wales,
found that a 12
billion-year-old stream of light had properties which appeared to violate
accepted laws of physics.
Davies
said the only possible explanation for the unusual data was that the speed of light had been faster six to 10
billion years ago than its current speed of around 300,000 km-per-second.
The
theory -- published Thursday in the scientific journal Nature, notably raises
the possibility that light
may have traveled at infinite speed at the time of the so-called Big Bang,
which physicists say marks the creation point of the universe.
"It's entirely possible that the speed of light would have got
greater and greater as you go back (through time) towards the Big Bang and if
so it could explain some of the great mysteries of cosmology," he said.
"If the speed of light were nearly infinite in the first split
second it would explain why the universe is so uniform, for example, on a large
scale," he said.
If
his theory stands up, Davies said, it would be the biggest scientific
revolution since Albert Einstein's theory of relativity -- which the new
hypothesis would demolish.
One of the most important elements of Einstein's theory that energy
equals mass multiplied by the speed of light squared (E=MC2) is that the speed
of light -- 'C' in the equation -- is an absolute constant.
"Einstein
would have absolutely hated this," Davies said. "His entire theory of relativity was
founded on the notion that the speed of light is an absolute fixed universal
number."
"If
these results hold out, we need to start re-examining the very nature of space
and time," he said.
"It also affects other branches of physics like
thermodynamics and quantum physics, the very basis of all our fundamental
physical theories -- if these
observations are correct -- seem to be in the melting pot," he said.
Davies
said it also needed to be
tested whether light was continuing to slow or whether it had hit a
cosmological "speed bump" billions of years ago.
206. Mind over matter: Granddaddy Einstein is right
again. (Tuesday, October 09, 2001) India: Sify News.
(Reference: Mind
over matter: Granddaddy Einstein is right again. (Tuesday,
October 09, 2001) India: Sify News.)
It
was an Indian physicist, Satyendra Nath Bose, who started things off,
expounding that light
came in packets of energy -- a
unit that is now called the photon.
Battling
against the scientific establishment of his day, Bose had trouble getting his
theory accepted or even published, so in 1924 he sent a paper to Einstein, the
foremost scientist of the day.
Einstein
enthusiastically took the theory a stage further, predicting that atoms and not just photons would behave the
same way at a very low temperature.
At
normal temperatures, molecules in a contained gas behave rather like billiard balls,
bouncing chaotically off each other and the wall of the container.
But
the behaviour of these particles changes radically if the gas is brought down
to a very cold temperature, close to absolute zero.
The
properties of the atom change, in accordance with the principle of quantum
mechanics.
The
chief factor here is the spin. Particles are
categorised into two forces named after the force of the spin: they are either bosons
(a unit named after Bose) or fermions (named after the
great Italian-American physicist Enrico Fermi).
In
these extreme conditions, fermions repel each other, while bosons cluster
stably together, seeking the lowest energy state. The bosons behave as one -- a
kind of "super atom" that is like a wave of coherent matter, rather
like the coherent light in a laser beam.
This
state is known as Bose-Einstein
Condensation (BEC).
Over
the decades, scientists had suspicions that BEC occurred in suprafluidity (the
state when a fluid loses all internal friction) and in superconductivity, when
a conducting material loses all resistance.
But
efforts to prove the existence of BEC were frustrated by the challenge of how
to trap gas atoms and then cool them to such extremely low temperatures.
The
breakthrough came when Cornell, Ketterle and Wieman found a way of devising an
"atom trap" in which lasers and magnets created a field in which to
contain a cloud of atoms of Rubidium (an alkali), which were then chilled to
less than 170 billionths of a degree above absolute zero (- 273.15 C, -459.67
F).
More
than 20 teams of scientists are now working on BEC, and the achievement using
rubidium has now been replicated in sodium, hydrogen and helium.
This
area of science is naturally in its infancy, but the theoretical --and
eventually practical -- potential is great.
BEC
is being intensely explored for insights into how atoms pair up and how this
strange state may manipulate light.
Another
oddity is that in
certain conditions, BEC appears to mimic the action of cosmic events.
By
switching the polarity of the magnetic field, the atomic forces can be switched
from attractive to repulsive, causing the condensate to dissolve in an action
remarkably similar to that of an exploding star called a supernova (the
phenomenon has been called the "Bose-nova").
Farther
down the track are possible applications in measurement, holography, computer
circuitry and nanotechnology, the science of working with particles smaller
than 100 millionths of a metre.
207. Petre, Jonathan and Southam, Hazel. (Sunday, November 25, 2001) Christians outraged over
All Saints prayer for Mohammed. UK: The Telegraph.
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2001%2F11%2F25%2Fnpray25.xml
(Reference: Petre,
Jonathan and Southam, Hazel. (Sunday,
November 25, 2001) Christians
outraged over All Saints prayer for Mohammed. UK: The Telegraph.)
The
prayer, originally written for All Saints Day, says that both Mohammed and Buddha
should be "celebrated" alongside the likes of Moses, David
and the Virgin
Mary because they "led God's people to God's light".
The
prayer begins by remembering "the saints in the security of our hearts . .
. these great women and men of God" who are "the ancient foundation
of our faith and our inspiration".
It
continues: "The
saints were not those who were perfect. They were parts of God's creation who struggled and often failed and yet managed to raise up our faith
in God and in one another.
Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Sarah, Hannah, Joshua, David, Moses, Mary the Mother of
Jesus. Buddha and Mohammed and all the prophets of old. They led God's people to God's light."
He added that the prayer
had come from an "official source" - the Episcopal Church in the United States, the American equivalent to the Church of England - and its aim was to "transform this world for the love of
Jesus".
208. Medved,
Michael. (Monday, September 09, 2002) Older-woman / younger-man fad is a mixed
blessing. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28873
(Reference: Medved, Michael. (Monday, September 09, 2002)
Older-woman
/ younger-man fad is a mixed blessing. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.)
…few
long-term romances have successfully commenced when the woman is a zesty 29 and
the guy is, say, all of 14.
For
the most part, older woman/much-younger man alliances indicate that the lady has left a trail of broken marriages or romances in her past, or else went through
youth without ever establishing a serious relationship.
In
fact, the trend of accomplished and desirable mature women choosing to connect
with far younger males indicates how much the old marital model has already broken down. These relationships flow from the fact that
older women are not only more attractive than ever before, but also more available. In other words, in previous generations the overwhelming majority of women above 40 lived within lasting marriages; widows represented the most important
exception to that rule.
Today, however, tens of millions of aging females have been
left unattached through divorce, desertion or career-driven delay of
significant relationships.
These women sometimes incline toward youthful suitors in full knowledge that the connection may not lead to a permanent
alliance or establishment of a family, but the advocates of such relationships …
insist that the sex is spectacular. It therefore makes sense that
"Tadpole" and other recent films showing older-woman / younger-man
phenomenon highlight torrid and risky sexual adventures rather than fully developed
romances.
Of
course, men have been pursuing and promoting such unencumbered "pure sex"
relationships forever.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Personal Review.
A satire on modern western society. The current state of events, of
family life, of relationship between man and woman. The East tries to imitate
the West. Where to, this society…How many divorces. How many separation. How
many fights over property, money, that other woman…What happened to modern man
in a western society?
209. No pardon for stoning case mum: Nigerian state
govt. (Monday, September 09, 2002) arabia.com.
http://www.arabia.com/afp/news/int/article/english/0,10846,284481,00.html
(De-activated link)
(Reference: No
pardon for stoning case mum: Nigerian state govt. (Monday,
September 09, 2002) arabia.com.)
(De-activated link)
She
confessed to having had extramarital sex and
an Islamic court sentenced her to be stoned to death.
…the
people of Katsina state "adore" the Sharia,
and called on rights activists, beauty queens and foreign leaders to mind their own business.
"The
people asked for Sharia and they want it to be applied on them, so why should someone who is in no way affected
by it protest?" he asked.
210. Weeke, Stephen. (Sunday,
September 08, 2002) Pope’s potential successor bows out. USA: NBC News.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/804497.asp?cp1=1
(De-activated link)
(Reference: Weeke,
Stephen. (Sunday, September 08, 2002)
Pope’s potential
successor bows out . USA: NBC News.)
(De-activated link)
…fulfilling a personal dream of living out his
life in prayer and contemplation in
Jerusalem.
…church
rules hold that any
Catholic man can be elected —
and he doesn’t even need
to be a priest. But it’s the “unwritten rules”
surrounding the election of the world’s highest religious office that speak
very loudly even when they are only whispered in the Vatican’s hallowed halls.
The unwritten rules tend to rule out candidates that are too old, and 75 is considered pushing that limit
nowadays. Good
health is now seen as essential,…
A
pope in poor health brings back memories of this pope’s predecessor, John Paul
I, whose reign lasted a mere 33 days before his heart failed.
Then
again, a successor should
not be too young either, the
Vatican whisperers say,…
…long papacies
as a hindrance to necessary church progress that can only evolve from a change in leadership.
211. Woodward, F.L. (Translated from the
Pali) (Revised: Sunday, May 12, 2002) Anguttara
Nikaya I.31-40 (excerpts). Adanta Suttas. Untamed. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an01-031.html
(Reference: Woodward,
F.L. (Translated from the Pali) (Revised: Sunday, May 12, 2002) Anguttara
Nikaya I.31-40 (excerpts). Adanta Suttas. Untamed.)
212. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Trans.) (Revised: Sunday, May 12, 2002) Anguttara
Nikaya I.49-52. Pabhassara Sutta. Luminous. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an01-049.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro. (Trans.) (Revised: Sunday, May 12, 2002)
Anguttara
Nikaya I.49-52. Pabhassara Sutta. Luminous.)
213. Malayalam the Language.
http://www.vidhyarambham.com/malayalam.htm
(Reference: Malayalam the Language.)
Malayalam
now consists of 53
letters including 20 long and short vowels and the rest consonants. The earlier style of writing is now
substituted with a new style from 1981. This new script reduces the different
letters for typeset from
900 to less than 90. This was mainly
done to include Malayalam
in the keyboards of typewriters and computers.
214. The Book - Ellam Ondre. (All is One)
http://www.cosmicharmony.com/EllamOndre/EllamOndre.htm
(Reference: The Book - Ellam
Ondre. (All is One))
215. Thera, Piyadassi. (Translated from the Pali) Majjhima Nikaya 116.
Isigili Sutta. The Discourse at Isigili.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/mn116.html
(Reference: Thera,
Piyadassi. (Translated from the Pali)
Majjhima Nikaya
116. Isigili Sutta. The Discourse at Isigili.)
216. Thera, Piyadassi. (Translated from the Pali) Digha Nikaya 32.
Atanatiya Sutta. Discourse on Atanatiya. www.accesstoinsight.org.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/digha/dn32.html
(Reference: Thera,
Piyadassi. (Translated from the Pali)
Digha Nikaya 32.
Atanatiya Sutta. Discourse on Atanatiya. www.accesstoinsight.org.)
217. Digha Nikaya. The Long Discourses. (selected
suttas). www.accesstoinsight.org.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/digha/index.html
(Reference:
Digha Nikaya. The
Long Discourses. (selected suttas). www.accesstoinsight.org.)
218. Prager, Dennis. (Tuesday,
September 17, 2002) Is God enough? USA: WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28960
(Reference:
Prager, Dennis. (Tuesday, September 17, 2002)
Is God
enough? USA:
WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.)
I
know that God
is necessary for morality, that without positing a transcendent objective
source for good and evil, these terms are no more than personal,
subjective descriptions of actions that we like or dislike.
I also know that faith in God is necessary in order for life to
have ultimate meaning, that without the Creator, there is no ultimate purpose to the universe, let alone to our lives.
However, as necessary as faith in God is for our ethics, our emotional and psychological well being,
our sense of purpose and our ability to stand firm in a world that pulls us in
every direction, God is not enough. We also need people.
Two
relatively recent events have brought this point home particularly strongly.
One was the plight of the Pennsylvania miners recently trapped in a mine.
Imagine
yourself in a mine, in water so cold that it could bring on hypothermia and
death. Imagine that it is dark. Imagine that the water is gradually rising,
leading to a slow and terrifying death by drowning.
That
is what the miners experienced. Why didn't any of them go crazy?
They
were kept sane largely because they had one another. As important as faith in
God was for any of them, the fact that they were not alone was as important.
The
other event was the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center towers and
perhaps the most frightening deaths therein – of those people who were forced
to jump from a hundred stories above ground. Nothing quite brings home the
horror of 9-11 as does the terror faced by those who jumped. And yet, I have no
doubt that those few who jumped holding onto someone else, quite possibly a
total stranger, suffered less than those who jumped alone. If they believed in
God, that, too, surely helped. But whatever the jumpers' faith, facing death
holding onto another human being brought more comfort.
It
was a Christian pastor (whose name unfortunately eludes me) who gave the best
theological justification for the notion that even God is not enough. After creating Adam, God makes the critically
important observation, "It is not good for man to be alone," and then
He creates woman. There is much to be learned from this statement – not least
that God Himself is saying that He is not enough, that the human being needs
more than God. We need other people.
At the same time, people are not enough either. We need God. Many theists and many atheists are so
committed to their respective worldviews that they cannot entertain the thought
that their belief does not answer all human needs. Humanists are so committed
to faith in humanity and to denying God's existence that they refuse to
confront the built-in need people have for the transcendent and that more than
people are needed for inner peace and happiness. At the same time, many
religious people mirror this view when they argue that faith in God is all that one needs, that the
true believer in God needs nothing more than God for a wholesome life.
Both
views are wrong. We
need God and we need people. That is the way we are made – by God, I believe. May we never be faced with the
terror faced by the miners and by the jumpers of 9-11. But if we are ever faced
with such a terror, may we be granted at that moment both faith in God, and
people to be with.
219. Thousands flock to see Buddha's footprint
guarded by frog. (Monday, September 16, 2002) UK: Ananova Ltd.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_671642.html?menu=news.scienceanddiscovery.phenomena
(Reference: Thousands
flock to see Buddha's footprint guarded by frog. (Monday,
September 16, 2002) UK: Ananova Ltd.)
They
believe the water in the puddle will relieve pain and bring good fortune and
say it is being guarded by a frog.
Many
visitors to the site have left incense, flowers and candles when they came to
pray while others have being asking the frog for this month's lottery numbers.
The
frog is said
to be weak and close to death
because many
people have being rubbing talcum powder into its skin in the hope of seeing the
lottery numbers.
220. Bean, James. (January
1998) The Mandaean Religion of Iraq, Part One.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualAwakening/message/1525
(Reference: Bean,
James. (January 1998) The
Mandaean Religion of Iraq, Part One.)
The
story of the Mandaeans (Man-day-yens) somewhat resembles the experience of
Native American tribes; may they survive; may their ancient wisdom be shared
with humanity.
In
the 1970's professor Kurt Rudolph wrote his definitive book on the nature and
history of the Gnostic religion called, "Gnosis." In the chapter
titled, "A Relic: the Mandaeans," he recorded that at the time there
were only about 15,000 Mandaeans left and the number of Mandaean priests were
rapidly dwindling. He described them as a community in somewhat of a state of
crisis not only due to a shortage of priests but also because of the growing
spiritual and cultural gap between the elders (who are the keepers of the
ancient Knowledge) and the younger generations of Mandaean laity. Kurt Rudolph
wrote, "The continued existence of the community will essentially depend
on whether or not it succeeds in solving the problem of a necessary adaptation
to the modern world. Only in this way will the oldest Gnostic religion, with
its two millennia of history in which it developed its independent Aramaic
idiom and lifestyle as did no other Gnostic sect of the past, be able to
survive in the future." ("Gnosis," Harper Collins) And those
words were written long before the rise of Saddam Hussein, the Gulf War, and
the current madness that curses that region.
Some
Mandaeans (literally, "possessors of secret Knowledge") live in Iraqi
cities like Baghdad and Basra. There's a large Mandaean population that resides
in smaller market towns and villages of the marshland in southern Iraq, and
near the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Iran also has a Mandaean population; many
of them dwell along the river Karun in Rhuzistan province. The Prophet Mohammed
called them "Sabians," i.e. "baptists or "baptizers,"
a name which occurs in the Quran and which enabled them to continue under
Islam. Islam also categorized them as "a people of the book," a
religion that possesses their own ancient scriptures. Another factor that has
traditionally enabled them to operate in the Islamic world is their affiliation
with John the Baptist. John the Baptist is one of their greatest prophets.
Though
the historic connection between John and the Mandaeans is hard to verify, it is
indeed possible they are descendents of disciples of John the Baptist, who
2,000 years ago had a large number of followers which believed him to be a
great Master if not the awaited Messiah. After John's death, the New Testament
portrays Jesus as being the spiritual successor, but other leaders in John's
community might have seen things differently. Like Jesus, others might also
have claimed to be John's successor and thus would have become the leaders of a
John-community that maintained it's independence from the Jesus Movement,
instead remaining what they were -- an unorthodox baptismal sect of the
Trans-Jordan.
According
to scholars of Mandaean studies like Werner Foerster, indeed the origins of the
Mandaeans do go back to the Jewish tradition of first century AD Palestine and
the region of the Jordan river. Foerster states in "Gnosis II,"
published by Oxford University Press, that in the context of the Jewish war of
independence and the consolidation of Orthodox Judaism after AD 70, "its
position as a minority opposition evidently led to the persecution of the community
and finally to its emigration from its native Jordan territory to the east, to
begin with in Harran and the median hill country, then in the southern regions
of Mesopotamia." Eventually the community settled in the region of the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers, where they could continue the ritual of baptizing initiates in "living waters" (rivers)
symbolizing the connecting of their souls with "heavenly Jordan rivers of
Light."
221. Bean, James. (January
1997) The Mandaean Religion of Iraq, Part Two.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualAwakening/message/1526
(Reference: Bean,
James. (January 1997) The
Mandaean Religion of Iraq, Part Two.)
"FAMILIAR,"
NEW TESTAMENT OR JESUS-LIKE SAYINGS
This
ancient religious community, also known as the Nazoreans, still uses a dialect of
the Aramaic language; they possess a huge quantity of wonderful scriptures,
mostly in the form of psalms or hymns.
Before
I begin a study of some visionary writings in the Mandaean scriptures I want to
share some examples of passages that sound somewhat "familiar" to our
ears -- new testament or Jesus-like passages. These would be words spoken by
those who came from the same Aramaic-speaking Semitic milieu as did Jesus and
other Messiahs of the middle east:
I
am a shepherd who loves his sheep; I protect the sheep and the lambs...I carry
them and give them water to drink from the hollow of my hand until they have
drunk their fill.
A
fisherman am I, who am the elect among the fisherman, the chief of all the
fish-catchers.
Give
bread, water and shelter to the poor and persecuted people who suffer
persecution.
Love
and support one another.
When
you see anyone who is hungry, then satisfy his hunger. When you see anyone who
is thirsty, then give him to drink, for whosoever gives, receives.
Whoever
releases a prisoner will find a Messenger of Life advancing to meet him.
My
chosen! Do not put your trust in the kings, rulers, and rebels of this world,
nor in military forces, arms, conflict, and the hosts which they assemble, nor
in silver and gold...their gold and their silver will not save them. Their
authority passes away and comes to an
end.
The
words "seek and you will find" appear on numerous occasions in the
Mandaean scriptures as well, in fact, much more often than in the New
Testament. And, the term "Place of Life," often used in the Mandaean
texts, also appears in the Gospel of Thomas.
THE
FIRST WAVE OF GNOSIS
There
was some kind of transformation in thinking that took place 2,000 years ago in
the middle east which lead to the birth of scores of new religious movements
both within and outside of Judaism, including the Sethians, the Essenes, and
various forms and expressions of Christianity. Many of these are categorized as
"Gnostic," meaning they focused upon spiritual/mystical Knowledge.
This was the time of the first wave of Gnosis in the western world -- the spark
was lit. Some souls started to believe that it was possible for them personally
to KNOW the Mysteries of God and the Heavens, and they sought spiritual wisdom
& guidance from various masters, sons of God, heavenly redeemers, mystics,
prophets and apostles that were around at that time. For the Nazoreans
(Mandaeans), John the Baptist was God's Teacher who had been sent "from
the Light" to baptize or initiate souls into the experience of the
Knowledge of Life, the "Great Life," a Name for God in the Mandaean
scriptures.
There
are some examples of visionary literature in the Dead Sea Scrolls, various
descriptions of things going on in the heavens. The Mandaean texts seem to be a
continuation of that visionary tradition of Light-mysticism and
Ascension-mysticism. In my view the Mandaean scriptures probably represent the
most heavenly or otherworldly documents of the west, brimming with
out-of-this-world visions of God, descriptions of the heavens, souls, angels,
and life after death. They speak directly to both the heart and soul of the
reader through hymns and prayers of incredible beauty.
THE
COMING OF THE MESSENGER OF LIGHT
The
role of the Heavenly Messenger is to give the mystic experience of LIGHT to
souls and eventually guide them back up to the Place of Light, the Mandaean
term for the highest heaven where the Great Life (God) resides. Here are a
couple of passages from Mandaean holy books on Manda-d-Hiya -- the great
heavenly redeemer:
The
Illuminator of the Worlds of Light
IN
THE NAME OF THE GREAT LIFE,
SUBLIME
LIGHT BE PRAISED
From
the Place of Light I came forth,
from
you, Bright Habitation.
I
come to touch hearts,
to
measure and try all minds,
to
see in whose heart I dwell.
Whoever
thinks of me, of him I think;
whoever
calls my Name, his name I will call.
Whosoever
prays my prayer from the earth,
his
prayer I will offer from the Place of Light.
I
came and found the truthful and believing hearts.
When
I was not dwelling among them,
yet
my Name was on their lips.
I
took them and guided them up to the World of Light.
I
became the Illuminator of the Worlds of Light.
I
became a king to the Nazoreans, who receive praise
and
stability through my Name.
And
by my Name they ascend to the Place of the Light.
As
for the elect righteous who put me on as a garment,
their
eyes were filled with Light,
and
Manda-d-Hiya [Knowledge of Life] was established
in
their hearts.
222. Bean, James. (January
1997) The Mandaean Religion of Iraq, Part Three.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualAwakening/message/1536
(Reference: Bean,
James. (January 1997) The
Mandaean Religion of Iraq, Part Three.)
EMBRACED
BY THE LIGHT
The
mystical encounters recorded in the scriptures of the Mandaeans may seem at
times like ancient near-death experiences (NDE's), the visions of souls who
were embraced the Light long ago:
When
I arrived at the water-brooks, a discharge of Radiance met me. It took me by
the palm of my right hand and brought me over the streams of death. Radiance
was brought and I was clothed in it. Light was brought and I was wrapped in
it...
[Prayer]
Son of the Good Ones, show me the way of the divine beings (spirits, angels)
and the ascent upon which your father rose up to the Place of Light.
He
[the discharge of Radiance] rose and took me with him and did not leave me in
the perishable dwelling. (Canonical Prayerbook)
This
is my interpretation. In the above account, after this soul crossed over to the
other side, it was met by a "discharge of Radiance," (according to
another translation) a deliverer or guide who not only escorted the soul into
the beyond, but also gave the soul its heavenly robe of Radiance -- a garment
made of Light. It's unclear to me if the soul literally was given a robe to put
on, or if perhaps this is another way of describing the process of leaving the
body at death, taking OFF the robe of the physical body, which caused the soul
to see itself as a being of Light. In any event, the soul then prays for its
helper and guide to be escorted upward to the Place of Light. In another
version of this account it says:
I
lifted mine eyes to heaven and my soul waited on the House of
Life.
And the Life (God) who heard my cry sent toward me a deliverer.
This
version also describes the encounter with the heavenly being (discharge of
Radiance) who escorted the soul over the waters of death, and accompanied it
during the ascension up to the Light-world. The hymn concludes with these
words:
Life
supported life, Life found its own. Its own self did Life
find,
and my soul found that for which it had looked. Renowned is Life
and
victorious. (Canonical Prayerbook)
VISIONS
OF THE GREAT LIFE IN THE PLACE OF THE LIGHT
Souls
in the Place of the Light are described as luminous beings living in a world of
infinite Light with a Supreme Being of Light. The heavens of hyperspace are
traversed by spiritual streams of "Living Waters," tributaries of the
Heavenly Jordan river of Light. And souls are described as radiant beings that
shine upon each other like stars do in the center of our galaxy:
They
are a thousand thousand miles distant from one another and yet one is illumined
by the other's Radiance.
The
primary name for the highest God in the Mandaean tradition is "The Great
Life." Many of the hymns in the Canonical Prayerbook begin with this
invocation:
In
the Name of the Great Life,
Sublime
Light be Praised
"Living
One," a term found in the Gospel of Thomas and in eastern Gnostic
writings, is used in Mandaean texts for God. The Great Life is also referred to
as the King of Light, a limitless Radiant Being of compassion and love:
He
is the Light, in Whom is no darkness,
the
Living One, in Whom is no death,
the
Good One, in Whom is no malice,
the
Gentle One, in Whom is no confusion,
the
Kind One, in whom is no venom of
bitterness.
(Gnosis II)
The
term "Great Spirit" is also used on several occasions in the Mandaean
scriptures.
223. Bean, James. (Friday,
May 03, 2002) Spiritual Eyes, Spiritual Ears -- I Will Give
You What No Eye Has Seen...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualAwakening/message/1537
(Reference: Bean,
James. (Friday, May 03, 2002)
Spiritual
Eyes, Spiritual Ears -- I Will Give You What No Eye Has Seen... )
Tatian's
Gospel Harmony, a second century text in Syriac (a dialect of Aramaic),
combined the four gospels into one mega-gospel. From "The Earliest Life of
Christ -- The Diatessaron of Tatian":
But
ye, blessed are your eyes, which see; and your ears, which hear. Blessed are
the eyes, which see the things which ye see. Verily I say unto you, Many
prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye seem and saw them
not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. (Gorgias Press: http://www.GorgiasPress.com )
Jesus
Restores the Hearing of a Deaf Man, from "The Humane Gospel of
Jesus," published by the Edenite Society:
And
Jesus departed unto another village where he found a man who was deaf from
birth. And this man did not believe in the sound of rushing wind, or the
thunder, or the cries of the beasts, or the birds which do complain of their
hunger and their hurt, nor did he believe that others heard all these things.
Hearing the deaf man speak, Jesus felt great pity, and he breathed into his
ears a deep breath and spake a few words no man understood, and at that moment,
the ears were opened, and the man did hear for the first time.
And
now the man rejoiced with overwhelming gladness in the sounds he before denied
were real. And he said unto Jesus, "Now, I hear all things, great one; it
is exceedingly joyful!" And Jesus perceiving his great joy and happy to
see the man glad, said unto him: "Yea, ye hear much, but ye hear not all
things. For I say unto ye, Canst thou hear the sighing of the prisoner in
chains, and the slave in bondage to evil men, or the language of the birds or
the beasts of the forest when they commune with each other? Or canst thou hear
the voices and singing of holy angels before God? Think now, how much thou
canst not hear and be thee humble in thy lack of, knowledge and understanding,
for I tell ye, earthly man hears only with ears of flesh, but the man of God
knoweth what others hear not."
MANY
OTHER 'EYE HAS NOT SEEN-EAR HAS NOT HEARD' SAYINGS GOSPEL OF THOMAS SAYING 17
AND PARALLELS
Jesus
says: 'I will give you what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no
hand has touched, and what has never occurred to the human mind.' (Coptic
Gospel of Thomas, Saying # 17)
"However,
as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what
God has prepared for those who love him.'" (I Corinthians 2: 9, New
Testament, Saint Paul quoting some 'written' document)
Since
ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God
besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for you. (Isaiah 64: 4)
And
this angel said to me, Isaiah, son of Amoz, I set you free; for you have seen
what no mortal man has ever seen before. Yet you must return to your garments
of the flesh until your days are completed. Then will you come up here.
(Ascension of Isaiah 11: 34)
Some
other pseudepigrapha contain "what no eye has seen, what no ear has
heard" sayings. According to certain early church documents there was a
version of the Apocalypse of Elijah that contained one that was close to 1 Cor.
2: 9 and GoT # 17.
Jesus:
"How privileged are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they
hear. I swear to you, many prophets" [Isaiah, Elijah?] "and righteous
ones have longed to see what you see and didn't see it, and to hear what you
hear and didn't hear." (Matthew 13: 16-17 = Q/Luke 10: 23 - 24)
And
the righteous who have walked in the way of righteousness will inherit the
glory of God. And his power will be given to them, which no eye has seen nor
ear heard. And they will rejoice in My kingdom. (Jesus, Testament of the Lord
in Galilee)
The
rest of you shall inherit the kingdom of heaven, whose delights no ear has
heard described, which no eye has seen and which has not appeared in the human
heart. (Jesus quoted in, Apocryphal Gospel of John)
As
then we also have taken refuge in Him, and have learnt that it is in Him alone
to give, let us beg from Him those things which He said that He would give us,
which eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard, and which have not entered into
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him....
(Jesus quoted in, Testament of Our Lord)
"....that
I may redeem you from death and annihilation, I will give you what you have not
seen with the eye nor heard with the ears nor grasped with the hand."
(Turfan fragments)
Thou
hast showed us that which the eye has not seen, and caused us to hear that
which the human ear has not heard. Thou has freed us from death and united us
with Life, released us from darkness, and united us with Light. Thou hast shown
us that which the eye has not seen, and caused us to hear that which the human
ear has not heard. (Canonical Prayer Book of the Mandaeans)
224. Samenow, Stanton E. (January 1984) Inside the Criminal Mind. Times Books. ISBN: 0812910826. Hardcover. 285 pages.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/0812910826/glance/ref=lib_rd_next_22/002-4165804-2684027
(Reference: Samenow,
Stanton E. (January 1984) Inside
the Criminal Mind. Times Books.)
Page 17
Psychologists
stress the importance of
parents as role models,
especially fathers
for their sons and mothers for their daughters.
225. Booth, General William. Purity
of Heart: Letters to Salvation Army Officers. 43 pages.
http://www.sabooks.org.uk/etexts/PurityOfHeart.pdf (old link)
http://www.voiceofthenazarene.org/pdfs/B-FOLDER/HDM0684.PDF (new link)
(Reference: Booth,
General William. Purity of Heart:
Letters to Salvation Army Officers. www.voiceofthenazarene.org.)
A MUST read book on PURITY. Contains songs of gratitude to the Holy
Lord! No notes taken of
this short book. Cover to cover reading. Yet, I am forced to include the songs
for singing the glory of the Lord.
Page 4
Matthew
5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart. for they shall see God.
Song 1
"Oh
for a heart to praise my God!
A
heart from sin set free!
A
heart that always feels the Blood,
So
freely spilt for me! "
Song 2
"A
heart in every thought renewed,
And
full of Love Divine;
Perfect
and right, and pure and good,
A
copy, Lord, of Thine!"
Page 6
Song 3
"His
saints are lovely in His sight,
He
views His children with delight;
He
sees their hope, He knows their fear,
And
looks, and loves His image there."
Song 4
"O
glorious hope of perfect love!
It
lifts me up to things above,
It
bears on eagles' wings;
It
gives my ravished soul a taste,
And
makes me for some moments feast
With
Jesus' priests and kings."
Page 8
Hebrews
12:14 -- Follow ... holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Page 11
Song 5
'Tis
done, Thou dost this moment save,
With
full Salvation bless;
Redemption
through Thy Blood I have,
And
spotless love and peace."
Song 6
"Come,
Holy Ghost, all Sacred Fire,
Come,
fill Thy earthly temples now;
Emptied
of every base desire,
Reign
Thou within, and only Thou.
"Thy
sovereign right, Thy gracious claim
To
every thought and every power;
Our
lives to glorify Thy name,
We
yield Thee in this sacred hour.
"Fill
every chamber of the soul;
Fill
all our thoughts, our passions fill,
Till
under Thy supreme control
Submissive
rests our cheerful will.
'Tis
done! Thou dost this moment come,
My
longing soul is all Thine own;
My
heart is Thy abiding home.
Henceforth
I live for Thee alone."
Page 12
Luke
1:74-75 That -- He would grant unto us, that we ... might serve Him without
fears in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.
226. Associated Press. (Thursday,
September 19, 2002) Internet Dealers of 'Date Rape' Drug Arrested. USA: FOX News Network.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,63594,00.html
(Reference: Associated
Press. (Thursday, September 19, 2002)
Internet Dealers of
'Date Rape' Drug Arrested. USA: FOX News Network.)
…
predators who could spike their drinks with the drug.
GHB
is a mixture of common industrial chemicals that Congress outlawed 2 years ago.
The drug and its derivatives GBL and 1,4 BD act as central nervous system
depressants and cause drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and loss of inhibition.
People
who use GHB refer to it as "G" and "Liquid X."
The
substance also is abused as a muscle growth hormone.
227. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) (Revised:
Thursday, May 17, 2001)
Anguttara Nikaya V.196.
Supina Sutta. Dreams. www.accesstoinsight.org.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an05-196.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro. (Translated from the Pali) (Revised: Thursday, May 17, 2001) Anguttara
Nikaya V.196. Supina Sutta. Dreams. www.accesstoinsight.org.)
228. Tudor, Steven. (1997) A
Guide to Researching and Writing Philosophy Essays. (plus a bit on philosophy
exams) 4th edition. Australia: The
Department of Philosophy, University of Melbourne.
http://www.philosophy.unimelb.edu.au/essaygu.html
(Reference: Tudor,
Steven. (1997)
A Guide to Researching
and Writing Philosophy Essays. (plus a bit on philosophy exams) 4th edition. Australia: The Department of Philosophy,
University of Melbourne.)
229. The
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) - Cyber Crime - IT ACT,
2000. Chapter IX. Penalties and Adjudication. 43. Penalty for damage to
computer, computer system, etc. India.
(Reference: The
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) - Cyber Crime - IT ACT, 2000. Chapter
IX. Penalties and Adjudication. 43. Penalty for damage to computer, computer
system, etc. India.)
230. McCullagh, Declan. (Monday, July 15, 2002) House OKs life sentences for
hackers. USA: CNET News.com.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/716731/posts
(Reference: McCullagh,
Declan. (Monday, July 15, 2002)
House OKs life sentences
for hackers. USA: CNET News.com.)
The
House of Representatives on Monday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would
allow for life prison
sentences for malicious computer hackers.
The
Bush administration had asked Congress to approve the Cyber Security Enhancement Act (CSEA) as a way of responding to electronic intrusions, denial of service attacks and the threat of
"cyber-terrorism."
231. Sister Upalavanna. (Trans.) Majjhima Nikaaya. II.4.6. Angulimaalasutta. To
Angulimala.
http://www.vipassana.info/086-angulimala-e1.htm
(Reference: Sister
Upalavanna. (Trans.)
Majjhima Nikaaya.
II.4.6. Angulimaalasutta. To Angulimala.)
232. Pilgrimages – Sravasti.
http://www.1uptravel.com/pilgrimages/sravasti.html
(Reference: Pilgrimages – Sravasti.)
Sravasti
(ancient Savatthi), the capital of Kosala Mahajanapada, was the biggest town in
the Gangetic plains during the Buddha's lifetime.
Situated
in Gonda district in eastern Utter Pradesh, Sravasti is also called SahetMahet.
How to Get There
Road
The
most convenient way to reach Sravasti is via Lucknow, the capital of Uttar
Pradesh, which is well connected by air and rail to all parts of India.
Rail
Balrampur
railway station,19 k.ms away.
During
the time of Sakyamuni, Sudatta, a rich and pious merchant, lived in Sravasti,
while on a visit to Rajgir, he heard the Buddha's sermon and decided to become
the Lord's disciple. But
he was caught in a dilemma and asked the Lord whether he could become a
follower without foresaking worldly life. To his query, the Master replied that
it was enough that he followed his vocation in a righteous manner. Sudatta invited the Lord of Sravasti and
began to look for a suitable place to build a vihara.
A beautiful park at the southern edge of
Sravasti attracted his attention. The park belonged to Jeta, son of the king of
Sravasti, Prasenjit.
The
park came to be known as Jetavana Vihara after Prince Jeta's donation to the
Sangha.
Sudatta
came to be known as Anathapindika (the incomparable alms giver).
The
ruins of Anandakuti and Gandhakuti exude an aura of sacredness because it was
here that the Lord stayed during his many visits to Jetavana Vihara. In
Sravasti, the Master expounded a major part of the Tripitakas. It was also in
Sravasti that the Lord performed the only miracle of his life in response to a
challenge from six non believers.
The Lord levitated on a thousand petalled
lotus, causing fire and water to leap out of his body and multiplied his person
in the air.
Mahet,
to the north of Jetavana, was once a heavily fortified city. All that remains
are two stupas known locally as Pakki Kuti and Kachchi Kuti;
the later identified as Sudatta's Stupa.
Pakki Kuti is said to be Angulimala's Stupa.
Less
than a kilometre away are the ruins of a medievel Jain temple, revered by the
Jains as the brithplace of the third Jain Tirthankara, Swayambunatha.
Sankissa
is identifed with the present village of Basantpur in Farrukhabad district of
Utter Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of river Kali, Sankissa is most
easily accessible from Agra which is 175 kms away on the Agra-Mainpuri road.
The nearest railhead is Pakhna which is 11.5 kms. away. Sankissa is the place where the Buddha descended from heaven along with Lord Brahma and Devraj Indra after giving a discourse to his mother,
Mayadevi. Emperor Ashoka erected a
pillar with an elephant capital to mark this holy spot.
233. Buddha's Eight Great Victories.
http://vayo.tripod.co.jp/eden08e.htm
(Reference: Buddha's Eight Great Victories.)
234. Transformers may step up cancer risk: Report. (Monday, September 23, 2002) India: The Times of
India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?artid=23010957
(Reference: Transformers
may step up cancer risk: Report. (Monday,
September 23, 2002) India: The Times of India.)
Hyderabad:
If your house is located in the vicinity of any one of the 9,600 electrical
transformers in the city, it increases your risk of developing cancer.
Recent
studies in England have shown that these transformers generate an
electromagnetic field (EMF), which can cause cancer.
Electrical
transformers are a big source of EMF with extremely low frequency electric and
magnetic fields surrounding it.
EMFs
near the transformers can be quite high, but due to its small structure, the
field strength diminishes rapidly with distance.
According
to Apollo Hospitals’ oncologist Dr Srinivas Chakravarthy, EMF may lead to
cancer by interfering with the transmission of calcium across the cell
membrane, a flow that governs such processes as muscle contraction, egg
fertilisation, cell division and growth.
“Therefore
it is advisable to place the transformer at certain distance away from the
residential area,” he said.
Though
most experts agree that limited, non-chronic exposure to EMF is not a threat,
it’s advisable not to live near a transformer. There is also no way to block
EMFs as they can penetrate even lead shielding and, hence, the only protection
is to maintain distance from the source.
Epidemiological
studies on humans in England indicated a link between EMFs and health problems,
Dr Chakravarthy said. “It is likely that many childhood cancers and brain
tumours come from exposure to EMFs,” he said.
The
power line feeding the transformer has between 8,000 to 13,500 volts. The
transformer then reduces the voltage to 120/240 volts needed by the nearby
homes. As these transformers are seen in almost every neighbourhood they are a
source of concern, he said.
235. Stop use of soaps, says skin expert. (Monday, September 23, 2002) India: The Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?artid=23064956
(Reference: Stop
use of soaps, says skin expert. (Monday, September 23, 2002) India: The Times of India.)
Sydney:
A study has revealed that soaps and hot showers are among leading causes of
eczema in people prone to skin diseases.
A
Melbourne skin expert has urged Australians to dump soap and hot showers to
fight rising eczema rates. Professor Robin Marks, head of dermatology at St
Vincent's Hospital, called on the public to defy "society madness"
and follow his 25-year example by never using soap on the body again.
"Everybody
should throw away soap. Why use it? Soap takes away the natural moisture in
your skin and brings about all the problems we see in the community. All the
soap is designed to do is remove oil from skin, but your body is trying to put
oil on your skin. It's a protective barrier", Marks was quoted by The News
as saying.
"Soap
is not necessary in modern Australian society. It's mythology", Marks
said, adding that the only use for soap was washing hands. The study also
uncovers the financial, physical and psychological strain on more than 2.5
million Australians who have eczema.
Professor
Marks said about 30 percent of children up to four, 15 percent of adolescents
and teenagers, and 7 percent of adults suffer from the disease. The study
showed seven in 10 sufferers blamed stress for the condition. A third said
eczema made them embarrassed and self-conscious about their skin. Many reported
it interfered with work, school, and social life.
236. Shabnam Minwalla. (Saturday, September 21, 2002) Neem has a cure for all
ills, say researchers. India: The Times of
India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?artid=22897006
(Reference: Shabnam
Minwalla. (Saturday, September 21, 2002)
Neem
has a cure for all ills, say researchers. India: The Times of India.)
Mumbai:
It may seem much ado about a commonplace tree that thrives along diesel-choked
highways and dusty backyards.
But,
come November, delegates from more than 50 countries will meet in Mumbai to
lecture on the leaves and contemplate the crown of the friendly neighbourhood
neem.
Most
Indians know that the hardy evergreen, with its ample canopy, has been
virtually deified in Hindu tradition —indeed, planting three neems was
considered an express route to heaven.
What
we don’t realise, however, is that it is, today, as much an object of academic
veneration.
“From
Canada to Australia, Kenya to China, scientists are working with neem in areas
like bio-pesticides, cancer research and oral hygiene,’’ says
Pramila
Thakkar of the Neem Foundation, one of the organisers of the World Neem
Conference. Agrees H.M.Behl of the National Botanical Research Institute in
Lucknow, “Our age-old home remedies and ayurvedic literature recognised the
effects of neem. But after the main metabolite was extracted in 1970s, there
has been a jump in scientific interest.’’
Little
wonder, then, that about 150 papers—many with forbidding names like
‘Comparative bioefficacy of neem formulations based on azadirachtin and neem
oil content against various stages of spodoptera litura’—are to be presented at
the conference.
Neem,
if its cheerleaders are to be believed, can banish pesky mosquitoes, vanquish
termites, protect the Taj Mahal from corrosive gases, act as a contraceptive
and tackle learning disabilities.
“It
is a miraculous tree,’’ says Dou Dou Faye, an entomologist who has been
popularising neem in Senegal. Adds Areaf Salehzadeh, an Iranian botanist,“We
will be seeing even more discoveries involving neem extracts.’’
None
of this will, however, come as a surprise to the farmer in Rajasthan or the
grandmother in UP. The tree that appears in biology textbooks as Azadirachta
indica is described in the Vedas as ‘sarva roga nivarini’ (one that cures all
ailments).
“Anyone
you meet in India has a neem story,’’ says Ms Thakkar, who spent her childhood
summers in Rajastan, playing under the shady tree. “As children they may have
bathed with the leaves or, once a year, been made to eat the bitter chutney for
stronger immunity. Whenever we talk to villagers about the properties of the
neem, they say, ‘Woh to maloom hai.’’’
Why
this informal knowledge hasn’t translated into a clutch of patents and
export-worthy products is another matter.“We want neem to do for India what
aloe vera has for Mexico or ginseng for Korea,’’ says Ms Thakkar, pointing out
that the development of bio-pesticides and fertilisers is an obvious thrust
area.
“The
research is largely in place and there is a clamour for organic,
environmentally-safe products. But the government is only bothered about IT and
computers.’’
Ms
Thakkar’s disgust is understandable, given the invariably sluggish official
response. Requests for a neem census and the elevation of the neem to the
‘national tree of India’ have been met with silence. Even the eminently
practical suggestion—that the authorities establish an agency to certify
organic neem plantations and boost exports of the oils and extracts —has been
ignored.
“In
this age of WTO, it’s essential that our traditional wealth and knowledge be
recognised and documented,’’ warns Ms Thakkar. “We know, for example, that neem
controls diabetes. But, just as the Koreans did with ginseng,we have to make a
concerted effort to organise and publish scientific research.’’
A
vital scheme, encouraging farmers to plant two neem trees and use them to make
pesticides, is also barely limping along. “Most farmers are worried about soil
degradation,’’ says Ms Thakkar, describing a pilot project in a 100 villages
near Nagpur, where farmers are enthusiastically making their own neem
pesticides.
“Although
these are cheaper, eco-friendly and organic, they are not even included in the
‘package of practices’ recommended by the agriculture ministry.’’ While the
Indian government dithers, others are surging ahead. Last December, officials
from China, who had been investigating various bio-pesticides, arrived at the
Neem Foundation office. They invited a team of experts to visit Yunan province
and, within months, had laid out vast neem plantations. On a smaller scale,
too, many individuals have discovered this “village dispensary’’.
So
Rosalind Grant, a farmer in Scotland, uses neem oil to protect her sheep and
cattle against infection. While some Canadian farmers use the paste on trees
that are prone to termites.
Says
M. Nishimura, a neem aficionado who has been propagating the tree in Japan:
“The time has come to link the demand for natural products in developed
countries with the ecological knowledge systems of third world countries.’’
Local neem enthusiasts are hoping that the authorities get this message. “Otherwise,’’
says Ms Thakkar wryly, “we might just end up buying neem products from the
west.’’
237. Van Biema, David. (Sunday, September 22, 2002) The Legacy of Abraham. USA: Time Inc.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,353510,00.html (De-activated link)
http://facstaff.uww.edu/rambadtd/globalp/Abraham%20folder/legacy.htm
(Alternate link)
(Reference: Van
Biema, David. (Sunday, September 22, 2002) The
Legacy of Abraham. USA: Time Inc.)
Jews
have circumcised for thousands of years—ever since God (as the Torah tells it),
having made a history-altering pact with Abraham, directed him to "cut my
Covenant in your flesh."
As
biblical pioneer of the idea that there is only one God, he
is on a par with Moses,
St. Paul and Muhammad,
responsible for what Thomas Cahill, author of the 1998 history The Gifts of the Jews, calls "a complete departure from everything that has gone before in the
evolution of culture and sensibility."
In other words, Abraham
changed the world.
Jews,
who consider him their own, are largely unaware of Abraham's presence in
Christianity, which accepts his Torah story as part of the Old Testament and
honors him in contexts ranging from the Roman Catholic Mass ("Look with
favor on these offerings and accept them as once you accepted ... the sacrifice
of Abraham") to a Protestant children's song ("Father Abraham had many sons/ And I am
one of them and so are you ... ").
…Abraham's
role in Islam, which acknowledges the Torah narrative but with significant changes
and additions. The
Koran portrays Abraham as the first man to make full surrender to Allah. Each of the five repetitions of daily prayer ends with a reference to
him. The holy book recounts Abraham's building of
the Ka'aba, the
black cube that
is Mecca's central shrine.
Several of the rituals performed in that city by pilgrims making the hajj recall episodes from his history. Those who cannot journey still join in
celebrating the
Festival of Sacrifice, in which a lamb or
goat is offered up to commemorate the same near sacrifice of a son that the
Jews feature at their New Year. It is the holiest single day on the Islamic calendar.
In
fact, excluding God, Abraham is the only biblical figure who enjoys the
unanimous acclaim of all three faiths, the only one … referred to by all three
as Father.
If
Abraham is indeed father of three faiths, then he is like a father who left a
bitterly disputed will.
Judaism
and Islam, for starters, cannot even agree on which son he almost sacrificed.
Then there is Abraham's Covenant with God. Many Jews (and some conservative
Christians) believe it granted the Jewish people alone the right to the Holy
Land. That belief fuels much of the Israeli settler movement and plays an ever
greater role in Israel's hostility toward Palestinian nationalist claims. "Our connection to the land goes back to
our first ancestor. Arabs have no right to the land of Israel," says Rabbi Haim Druckman, a settler leader
and a parliamentarian with the National Religious Party. This argument
infuriates Palestinian Muslims—especially since the Koran claims that Abraham was not a Jew but Islam's first
believer. "The people who supported Abraham believed in one God and only
one God, and that was the Muslims. Only the Muslims," says Sheik Taysir Tamimi, Yasser Arafat's
liaison for religious dialogue.
Not
exempt from the tripartite rancor, early Christians used their understanding of
Abraham, who they claimed found grace outside Jewish law, to prove that the older religion begged for replacement—a contention that helped propel almost two
millenniums of anti-Semitism.
Abraham
is thus a much more difficult—and more interesting—figure than at first he
seems. His history constitutes a kind of multifaith scandal, a case study for
monotheism's darker side, the desire of people to define themselves by
excluding or demonizing others. The fate of interfaith stalwarts seeking to
undo that heritage and locate in the patriarch a true symbol of accord should
be meaningful to all of us suddenly interested in the apparent chasm between
Islam and the West. Says Abraham author Feiler: "I believe he's a flawed vessel for reconciliation, but he's
the best figure we've got."
Feiler
began Abraham after the Sept. 11 attacks, seeking a unifying symbol in a time
of strife. Instead, the book records his growth from a dewy-eyed Abrahamic
novice to a more realistic observer. As he remarks, "When I set out on
this journey, I
believed ... the Great Abrahamic Hope was an oasis in the deepest deserts of antiquity, and all
we had to do was track him down and his descendants would live in perpetual
harmony, dancing Kumbaya around the campfire. That oasis, I realized,
is just a mirage." The sober understanding
Feiler ends up with, however, is a more realistic basis from which to seek reconciliation.
Abraham The Jew
Abraham
was born, according to tradition, into a family that sold idols—a
way of emphasizing the polytheism that reigned in the
Middle East before his enlightenment. The stirring first words of
the 12th
chapter in the Torah's Book of Genesis are God's to him and are often
referred to as the
Call: "Go forth from your native land/ And from your father's house/
And I will make of
you a great nation/ And I will bless those who bless you/ And curse him that curses you/
And all the families
of the earth shall bless themselves by you."
Abraham would appear ill suited to the job. To make a nation, one must have an
heir, and he is a childless 75-year-old whose wife Sarah is
past menopause. Yet he complies, and he and Sarah set off for a desert hinterland— Canaan—and a new spiritual epoch.
As they travel, God elaborates on his offer. Abraham's children will be as numerous as
grains of dust on the earth and stars in the sky. They will spend 400 years as
slaves but ultimately possess the land from the Nile to the Euphrates. The pact
is sealed in a mysterious ceremony in a dream, during which the
Lord, appearing as a
smoking torch, puts himself
formally under
oath. He requires a different
acknowledgment from Abraham: he must inscribe a sign of the Covenant on his body, initiating the Jewish and Muslim customs of circumcision.
He is now committed, God notes later, to "keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice."
Abraham's
life becomes very
eventful. He travels to Egypt and
back and alights in Canaanite towns that may correspond to present-day Nablus,
Hebron and Jerusalem. He grows rich, distinguishing himself sometimes as a warrior king
and sometimes as an arch-diplomat. At one point, three strangers appear at his
tent. A model of Middle Eastern hospitality, he lays out a feast. They turn out
to be divine messengers
bearing word that God intends to destroy Sodom,
where his nephew Lot lives. Abraham initiates an extraordinary haggling session,
persuading the Lord
to spare Sodom if 10 righteous people can be found. They can't.
Meanwhile,
the Torah portrays Abraham's domestic life as a soap opera. Convinced she will
have no children, Sarah offers him her young Egyptian slave Hagar to produce an
heir. It works. The 86-year-old fathers a boy, Ishmael. Yet God insists
that Sarah will conceive, and in a wonder confirming Abraham's faith, she bears
his second son, Isaac. Jealous of Hagar's and Ishmael's competing
claims on her husband and his legacy, Sarah persuades Abraham to send them out into the desert.
God saves the duo and promises Hagar that Ishmael will sire a great nation
through 12 sons (assumed by tradition to be 12 Arab tribes). But he stipulates
that the Covenant will flow only through Isaac's line.
Then,
in one last spectacular
test of his faith, God directs
Abraham to offer up "your son, your only one, whom you love, your
Isaac" as a human sacrifice. With an obedience that has troubled modern thinkers from Kierkegaard ("Though
Abraham arouses my admiration, he at the same time appalls me") to Bob Dylan ("Abe says, 'Where do you want this
killin' done?' God says, 'Out on Highway 61'")—but which seems transcendentally right to
traditionalists—the father commences to comply on a mountain called Moriah. Only at the last instant does God stay the father's hand and renew his pledge
regarding Abraham's descendants.
At
age 175, Abraham dies and is laid out next to Sarah,
who preceded him, in a plot he has bought in a town later called Hebron.
Both sons attend his funeral.
That
is the story. What is its importance? Despite every effort and argument, there
is no way to know what
century Abraham lived in, or
even whether he actually
existed as a person. (If he did live, it would have been between 2100 B.C. and 1500 B.C., hundreds of years before the date most
historians assign to the
actual birth of the religion called Judaism.) But Abraham
represents a
revolution in thought. While he is not a
pure monotheist (he never
suggests that other gods do not exist),
he is the Ur-monotheist, the first man in the Bible to abandon all he knows in order to choose
the Lord and consciously move ever deeper into that choice,
until the point of no
return on Moriah.
The
implications of his breakthrough are almost infinite. To have "one God that counts" instead
of a constellation of gods who require occasional ritual appeasement, as Cahill
notes in The
Gifts of the Jews, means that
Abraham's relationship to God "became the matrix of his life," as it would be for millions who followed. A universal God
made it easier to imagine a universal code of ethics.
Positing a deity intimately involved in the fate of one's children overturned
the prevalent image of time as an ever cycling wheel,
effectively inventing the idea of a future. Says Eugene Fisher,
director of Catholic-Jewish relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops: "Whether you call it submission in Muslim terms,
conversion in
Christian terms or t'shuva (turning toward God) for the Jews, monotheism is a radically new understanding, the underlying concept of Western
civilization." So linked is
Abraham's name with this new path that each of the subsequent two monotheistic
religions reached back hungrily to enfold him—and belittle the others' claims
on him.
Abraham The Christian
The
church of the holy sepulcher in Jerusalem is arguably the most Christian place
on earth, and the gray rock mass of Golgotha (or Calgary) inside, the most
Christian place in the church. Traditions dating back to the 300s A.D.
record that Jesus
was crucified here. Just above the
rock's Plexiglas-protected expanse is a chapel shared by the Greek Orthodox and
Roman Catholic churches. The Catholic side boasts three mosaics.
In the center is
Mary Magdalene; to the left is Christ, removed from the Cross; and to the right is none other than
... Abraham, about to
slay Isaac. Notes Feiler: "The image of Jesus sprawled on the
unction stone is nearly identical to the image of Isaac on the altar." The New Testament book Romans proposes Isaac's binding and release as a prophetic foreshadowing of the Resurrection.
The man credited with that insight
is the Apostle Paul. Jesus mentions Abraham in the Gospels,
but it was Paul who did the fine mortise work, citing the patriarch in his New
Testament epistles more than any other figure except Christ. Perhaps the most
strongly self-identifying Jew among the Apostles, Paul clearly felt an urgency
to connect his new movement with the Jewish paterfamilias. He did so primarily
through Abraham's original response to God's Call and through the old man's
embattled faith, or "hope
against hope," as Paul famously
put it, that God would bring him a son. Such faith, Paul wrote, made Abraham "the father of all who believe."
Yet
Paul's Abrahamic bouquet to his birth religion contained poisoned thorns. One
of his themes was that a believer no longer needed to be Jewish or to follow Jewish law to be
redeemed—the way now lay through
Christ. Abraham's story served these arguments well. His Covenant long predated
the Jewish law as brought down from the mountain by Moses, and so, wrote Paul, "the promise to Abraham and his descendants ... did not come
through law."
Nor, Paul argued, did it come through tribal inheritance. The God of the Hebrew Bible deemed Abraham to be "righteous" years before his circumcision, he wrote,
which meant that his
listeners didn't need to become circumcised Jews to be Abraham's inheritors. Baptism in faith
would more than suffice. Paul waffled as to whether Christianity rendered
Judaism's Abrahamic Covenant null and void. But his successors assumed so. The
2nd century church father Justin Martyr wrote that far from an indication of grace, circumcision
marked Jews "so that your land might become desolate, and your cities
burned," something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Bereft of a divine warrant for their
well-being, Jews were at the mercy of their neighbors' worst instincts. In a
remarkably frank assessment, the Greek Orthodox bishop of Jerusalem tells
Feiler, "What
the church did with Abraham was bitter and cruel."
Abraham The Muslim
No
faith is as self-consciously monotheistic as Islam, and its embrace of Abraham
is correspondingly joyful. If many Jews know him best as a dynastic grandfather
whose grandson Jacob actually founds the nation of Israel, Muslims regard him
as one of the four most
important prophets. So pure is his submission to the One God that Muhammad later says his
own message is but a restoration of Abrahamic faith. The Koran includes scenes from Abraham's
childhood in which he chides his father for believing in idols and survives,
Daniel-like, in a fiery furnace to which he is condemned for his fealty to
Allah. And in the Koranic version of Abraham's ultimate test, Abraham tells his
son of God's command, and the boy replies, "O my father! Do that which
thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast."
Notes the Koran approvingly: "They had both surrendered," using the verb whose noun form
is the word Islam. For
passing such trials,
Allah tells Abraham, "Lo, I have appointed thee a leader for
mankind!"
But
not as a Jew. Somewhat
like Paul, Islam concluded that God chooses his people on grounds of commitment
rather than lineage, meaning that Abraham's only true followers are true
believers—i.e., Muslims.
Moreover, if Allah ever had a pact with the Jews as a race, they backslid out
of it in episodes such as the worship of the golden calf in the Torah's book of
Exodus. Indeed, the Koran advises Muslims proselytized by either Jews or
Christians to answer, "Nay ... (we follow) the religion of Abraham."
Then
there is the matter of Isaac and Ishmael. Unlike the Torah, the Koran does not
specify which son God tells Abraham to sacrifice. Muslim interpreters a
generation after Muhammad concluded that the prophet was descended from the
slave woman Hagar's boy, Ishmael. Later scholarly opinion determined that
Ishmael was also the son who went under the knife. The decision effectively
completed the Jewish disenfranchisement. Not only was their genealogical claim
void, but their forefather lost his role in the great drama of surrender.
The Contested Patrimony
Things
devolved from there. Jews, stung, took steps to cement Abraham's Jewish
identity. The Talmud describes him anachronistically as following Mosaic law
and speaking Hebrew. And they severely downgraded Ishmael. Initially, says
Shaul Magid, professor of Midrash at New York City's Jewish Theological
Seminary, Jewish parents named their boys after Abraham's Arab son, but the
custom evaporated as they began living under Muslim rule. By the 11th
century the great biblical scholar Rashi, citing earlier authorities, described
Ishmael as a "thief" whom "everybody hates," an insult that
can still be found in his prominently placed commentary in many Torah editions
today and that is taught in many Orthodox religious schools. Ibn Kathir, a 13th
century Koranic commentator, struck back by claiming the Jews had
"dishonestly and slanderously" introduced Isaac into the Torah story:
"They forced this understanding because Isaac is their father, while
Ishmael is the father of the Arabs." That sentiment too survives today on
the Muslim side.
It
is enough to make a grown man cry, which Feiler nearly does. "They took a biblical figure open to
all," he writes, "tossed out what they wanted to ignore, ginned up
what they wanted to stress and ended up with a symbol of their own uniqueness
that looked far more like a mirror image of their fantasies than a reflection
of the original story." To
his horror, he realized that Abraham "is as much a model for fanaticism as he is for moderation."
The
Tomb of the Patriarchs, a massive stone structure built by King Herod 2,000
years ago, is the grim living metaphor for dueling Abrahamisms. Despite God's
promise that this land would be his people's one day, Abraham in Genesis makes
a point of paying Ephron the Hittite 400 silver shekels for a cave in Hebron to
serve as a burial plot. He and Sarah were laid there, and later, Scripture
adds, so were Isaac and his wife Rebecca, his grandson Jacob and his first wife
Leah. Herod erected a grandiose monument at what he thought was the site. For
most of the past few hundred years, its Muslim owners, who called it the Mosque
of Abraham, allowed Jews to pray near the entrance. When the Israelis took
control in 1967, believers of both faiths worshipped side by side. Then in 1994
a radical Israeli settler, Dr. Baruch Goldstein, mowed down 29 Muslims at
prayer in the tomb. Custody shifted to a complex scheme granting each side
access to parts or all of the tomb on different days but avoiding their
meeting. Since the latest intifadeh, the arrangement continues, but the site,
hedged about with checkpoints and razor wire in a neighborhood under strict
military curfew, presents a message of piety inextricable from violence and
mistrust.
There
is an eerie effortlessness to the way in which fights picked by scriptural
revisionists hundreds of years ago feed today's psychology of mutual
victimhood. The Jewish Theological Seminary's Magid describes a 1st
century tradition in which Ishmael is a bully and Isaac "becomes the
persecuted younger brother." That belief has persisted. "The Muslims
are very aggressive, like Ishmael," an Israeli settler tells Feiler.
"And the Jews are very passive, like Isaac, who nearly allows himself to
be killed without talking back. That's why they are killing us, because we
don't fight back." Arafat's religious liaison Sheik Tamimi snaps that any
Jewish claims based in Genesis are "pure lies, aimed at achieving
political gains, at imposing the sovereignty of Israeli occupation on the holy
places."
Hopes For Reconciliation
It
is a staple premise of the interfaith movement, which has been picking at the problem
since the late 1800s, that if Muslims, Christians and Jews are ever to respect
and understand one another, a key road leads through Abraham. Says Fisher of
the Conference of Catholic Bishops: "We can't not talk to each other about
him." But identifying a path does not make it passable. Part of the
problem, says Jon Levenson, a Harvard Jewish-studies professor who has examined
affinities and conflicts in the Abrahamic traditions, is that even before they
went to work on him, his story featured a theme of exclusivity. "If you want a symbol for universal
humanity, go to Adam," he says. "Don't go to Abraham, because his
whole story is about the singling out of one guy to found a new family, a
distinct family marked off from the rest of humanity. He was always a
particularist." Another stumbling
block between Jews and Muslims is that they are working from two different
texts.
Nonetheless,
moderate Islamic leaders have periodically enlisted Abraham as a bridge
builder. In 1977 Egypt's President Anwar Sadat, announcing before the Israeli
Knesset the brave initiative that would become the 1979 Camp David peace
accords, invoked, "Abraham—peace
be upon him—great-grandfather of the Arabs and the Jews." Sadat noted that Abraham had undertaken his
great sacrifice "not
out of weakness but through free will, prompted by an unshakable belief in the
ideals that lend life a profound significance," clearly hoping that both sides would approach
Arab-Israeli cohabitation in the same spirit. The accords went through, although
this time a sacrifice was completed. Sadat was assassinated in 1981.
More
recently, seeking a way to reach out to the U.S. that would pass the scrutiny
of his nation's dogmatic clerics, moderate Iranian President Muhammad Khatami
proposed a "dialogue of civilizations," with Abraham as common
ground, in 1998. (The U.N.'s Kofi Annan subsequently adopted the gesture.)
Observers assumed Khatami was crafting a smoke screen for political talks. But
the former professor of Eastern and Western philosophy seems to regard Abraham
as a mascot for his comparatively humanistic, open-minded brand of Islam.
A
more thoroughgoing theological initiative has been undertaken by the Catholic
Church. Christianity's position on Abraham had remained depressingly consistent
since Justin Martyr's condemnation of the circumcised, but theologians at the
Second Vatican Council of 1962-65, shaken by the Holocaust, reread Paul's
letters. They noted that at one point Paul calls the Covenant between God and
the Jews irrevocable and that in one passage he compares Christians to a wild
olive branch grafted onto the tree of Judaism. "If the Covenant between
God and the children of Abraham dies," says Fisher, "the branch
withers with the roots. Christians would be orphans." The resulting Vatican
II document rolled back centuries of anti-Judaism and began a rehabilitation of
the notion of Abraham as a Jew. No one has pursued its spirit more avidly than
Pope John Paul II, who in March 2000 pressed a prayer card between blocks of
Jerusalem's Western Wall: "God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his
descendants to bring your name to the nations ... we wish to commit ourselves
to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant."
The
Effect Of Sept. 11
Such
rapprochement, especially involving Muslims, has been trickier in the past 12
months. Interfaith advocates say that after the attacks, many plans for
Jewish-Muslim conversations fell through. One group that bucked the trend was
the Children of Abraham Institute, a Charlottesville, Va., association that
organizes intensive three-way scriptural studies modeled on Abraham's
hospitality to the strangers at his tent. It has held meetings in Denver and at
England's Cambridge University and has sent representatives to lecture in Cape
Town, South Africa, and parley with imams in Malaysia. It has the ear of the
incoming Archbishop of Canterbury. At one of its gatherings last October,
University of Virginia professor of Islamic studies Abdulaziz Sachedina
expressed an interfaith ideal when he contended that people of faith can
"control" their respective interpretations of Abraham's story
"so that it doesn't become a source of demonization of the other."
As
the anniversary of Sept. 11 passed, several new enterprises inaugurated similar
efforts. In Portland, Ore., a group called the Abraham Initiative began a
two-year, citywide interfaith program. The venerable, Protestant-founded
Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York is starting an open-ended Abraham
Program involving lectures and trifaith panels. A participant in several such
efforts is Feiler. At the end of Abraham, its author announces that
understanding how each faith, and seemingly each generation, concocts its own
Abraham has liberated him to create his own, whom he whimsically calls "Abraham
No. 241." This Abraham, he says, "is perceptive enough to know that
his children will fight, murder (and) fly planes into buildings." But he
also knows that "his children still crave God, still dream of a moment
when they stand alongside one another and pray for their lost father and for
the legacy of peace among nations that was his initial mandate from
heaven."
It
is a historical oddity and a hopeful sign that as the three religions battled
over Abraham, they continued (without admitting it) to swap Abraham stories.
The borrowings and counterborrowings, as old as the conflicts, make far more
pleasant reading. The most heartening may be an Islamic tale cited by Feiler
whose roots, scholar Reuven Firestone hypothesized, reach into both Judaism and
Christianity. It is set after Abraham's near sacrifice of his son, whichever
son it was. The moment of truth is just past; the father's hand is stayed. As
the boy lies stunned on the altar, God gazes down with pride and compassion and
promises to grant his any prayer. "O Lord, I pray this," the boy
says. "When any person in any era meets you at the gates of heaven—so long
as they believe in one God—I ask that you allow them to enter paradise."
—With
reporting by Azadeh Moavevi/Tehran, Nadia Mustafa/New York, Matt Rees and Jamil
Hamad/Hebron and Eric Silver/ Jerusalem
238. Sokoloff, Heather. (Monday, September 23, 2002) Priest who imitates Elvis
threatens Anglican schism. Canada: National
Post.
http://www.nationalpost.com/home/story.html?id={359C052A-7348-4EDE-AB08-DF56A55B9F0C} (De-activated link)
Refer link to Reverend Dorian Baxter
http://www.oldies1011.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.elvispriestley.com
(Reference: Sokoloff,
Heather. (Monday, September 23, 2002)
Priest
who imitates Elvis threatens Anglican schism. Canada: National Post.)
(De-activated link)
(Refer link to Reverend
Dorian Baxter.)
Reverend
Dorian Baxter, in Elvis costume at his home in Newmarket, Ont., yesterday, has
run afoul of Anglican bishops for his unusual approach to the ministry.
He
has been singing Elvis songs to sinners since his first
ministerial posting, to Thunder Bay in 1984. There, he formed a Christian rock
band, Jesus Rock of Our Salvation. Wearing red Michael Jackson jackets, in this
case to symbolize Jesus'
blood, the band performed in
Thunder Bay's seediest bars, singing Elvis and gospel tunes such as Amazing
Grace to combat what he called the Satanic imagery espoused by rock bands like
AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Mötley Crüe.
The
group was so successful that, occasionally, patrons asked Rev. Baxter to
baptize them on a bar stool.
''I
refuse to resign from holy orders,'' he said. ''I have led tens of thousands of people to Jesus through the music of
Elvis. This man sung gospel better than anyone I know.
I've told the bishops all they need to do is buy a few of his CDs. I don't know
what they are complaining about.
''I
think they forget that, when Jesus lived in Galilee, he preached in the pubs, to prostitutes
and drinkers.''
Rev.
Baxter does not hold up
Elvis, who died in 1977, as a model of Christian living. However, he believes Elvis
died with a
pure heart and an unfailing faith in Christ, expressed in his soulful music.
For
weddings, Rev. Baxter drives couples to the event in his 1988 white Cadillac,
blaring Elvis tunes and dressed as a late 1970s version of you-know-who.
However, he drops the Elvis persona for the ceremony, changing into his priestly vestments to perform a traditional Anglican service
according to Church protocol.
He
may sing I
Can't Help Falling in Love with You
for the bride and groom, but otherwise maintains the sanctity of the service.
''I only do Elvis after the ceremony,
when I put on a wild red velvet suit and do a bang-up good show.'' Often
requested is his version of Blue Suede Shoes: ''One for the Father, Two for the
Son, Three for the Holy Spirit and your life has just begun.''
The
act is much the same for funerals. ''The ceremony is very serious, but
afterwards we celebrate that person going to heaven.''
Although bishops had
previously tolerated the Elvis act, even accepting over $100,000 he raised for
parishes with Elvis-themed fundraisers, recently they have attempted to
discredit him, said Rev. Baxter.
He left Collingwood to
participate in Elvis celebrations in Memphis, where news of his treatment
garnered him a
Graceland welcome fit for a king, he
said, adding that all of the controversy has left him with solid international
bookings and a planned BBC documentary on his ministry.
239. Cole, A. (1998) Mothers and Sons in
Chinese Buddhism. Stanford, USA: Stanford University Press.
(Reference:
Cole, A. (1998) Mothers and Sons in Chinese Buddhism. Stanford, USA:
Stanford University Press.)
A
well researched book on the relationship between mother and son, according to
the Buddhist perspective.
240. Temple belongs to wealthiest Hindu sect. (Tuesday, September 24, 2002) New Delhi, India:
The Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?artid=23194666 (De-activated link)
(Reference: Temple belongs to
wealthiest Hindu sect. (Tuesday, September 24, 2002) New Delhi, India:
The Times of India.)
New
Delhi: The temple which was attacked by militants Tuesday belongs to India's wealthiest Hindu sect, the Swaminarain.
Members
of the exotic sect are confined mainly to the Gujarati-speaking
diaspora and are devotees
of Hindu god Lord Krishna and his mythical sweetheart Radha.
The
Swaminarains owe their movement to Swamy Shahajananda who,
before his demise
in 1830, launched the sect to
preach harmony.
Shahajananda,
also known as Swaminarain
(Lord of the Universe), was
the first Indian
saint-reformer to meet a high-ranking Christian cleric in the person of Bishop
Heber of the Church of England.
During
the meeting he had pressed for religious tolerance.
The
reclusive Swaminarains, who built their Akshardham
temple in Gandhinagar without using any metal,
are, however, part of India's mainstream Hindu religion and also preach universal brotherhood.
The
theology of the Swaminarains centres on the deification of their guru and his main disciple,
Gunatitananda, in a complex, highly-personalised mystical hierarchy.
The
complex ritual and extreme asceticism of
its monastic leaders, who are prohibited from touching or even speaking to a woman, gives the movement a distinct character and
makes it highly visible in western India.
241. Indian
troops end temple siege. (Wednesday, September 25, 2002) UK: BBC News.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2279661.stm
(Reference: Indian troops end
temple siege. (Wednesday, September 25, 2002) UK: BBC News.)
The Swaminarayan organisation,
part of the Hindu faith, was formally established in 1907.
It preaches religious
tolerance and practical spirituality.
242. Detractors
From The Simplicity Of Salvation.
http://www.earthharvest.org/salvation.htm
(Reference: Detractors From The Simplicity
Of Salvation.)
"The absorption of the raindrop into the ocean is symbolic of the absorption of the person into the impersonal
universe. After people attain enlightenment, they lose
their identities and become one with the all. Absorption is the
goal of the monist Hindu"
243. Bruce, Tammy. The New Thought Police - Book Review. Hardcover. 300 pages.
http://www.shopnetdaily.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=305
(Reference: Bruce,
Tammy. The New Thought
Police - Book Review.)
From rigid speech codes
on college campuses to the knee-jerk use of such labels as "racist,"
"homophobic," and "hateful" in an attempt to socially
ostracize people with opposing viewpoints, speaking one's mind today has become increasingly dangerous.
244. Wabi
Sabi.
http://profile.sh/pages/WabiSabi (De-activated link)
(Reference: Wabi Sabi.)
Since wabi-sabi represents
a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic system, it is difficult to
explain precisely in western terms. According to Leonard Koren, wabi-sabi is
the most conspicuous and characteristic feature of what we think of as traditional Japanese beauty and it "occupies roughly the same position in the Japanese pantheon of aesthetic values as do the Greek ideals of beauty and perfection in the West."
Wabi-sabi is a beauty of
things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.
It is the beauty of things
modest and humble.
It is the beauty of
things unconventional.
The concepts of wabi-sabi
correlate with the concepts of Zen Buddhism, as the first
Japanese involved with wabi-sabi were tea masters, priests, and monks who
practiced Zen. Zen Buddhism originated in India,
traveled to China in the 6th century, and was first introduced in
Japan around the 12th century. Zen emphasizes "direct, intuitive insight into
transcendental truth beyond all intellectual conception." At the core of wabi- sabi is the importance of transcending ways of looking
and thinking about things/existence.
- All things are
impermanent
- All things are
imperfect
- All things are
incomplete
Material
characteristics of wabi-sabi:
- suggestion of
natural process
- irregular
- intimate
- unpretentious
- earthy
- simple
245. Kulkarni, V M (1931) Naturopathy
– The Art of Drugless Healing. Medical Wisdom Series No. 5. Bombay, India: Roy & Co.,
Homoeopaths. Pages: 304.
(Reference: Kulkarni,
V M (1931) Naturopathy – The Art of
Drugless Healing.
Medical Wisdom Series No. 5. Bombay, India: Roy & Co., Homoeopaths.)
Page
258
(11)
Advice of a Brahmin to his son
During his Thread
Ceremony to lead a Natural Life
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Avoid staying
in closed rooms; give up umbrellas and shoes. Avoid riding in vehicles driven
by bullocks, horses, camels, etc. and also soft beds.
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Avoid
anointing the body and bathing in hot water. Avoid also shaving, singing, dancing and attending the theatre. Avoid keeping up at nights and sleeping
during the day.
Page
259
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Be
good-natured; smile while you speak. Eat moderately and avoid avarice, greed, falsehood, anger and
censure.
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Early in
the morning take breathing exercise and drink a cupful of pure cold water; then
bathe and perform Sandhya meditation; afterwards salute the sun and
read vedas.
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Avoid very
sour, pungent, saltish, bitter and astringent foods; take wholesome food and
proper exercise and practice yoga philosophy.
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Eat daily
tasty food which can be easily digested such as milk, wheat, millet (Neewar),
roots, vegetables and fruits.
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Avoid fish, flesh, liquor, and all
objectionable food. Preserve your semen assiduously; avoid its waste and
control your passions.
Page
260
<Sanskrit
Verses>
Translation. – Do your
duty; obey your religious dictates. Thus observe celibacy for
the next 12 years.
As a rule a Brahmin
celebrates the Thread Ceremony of his son when he attains his eighth year long
before he finishes his eleventh year and he is supposed to observe celibacy for
12 years and lead a natural life advised above and lead a married life there
after.
Nearly
all of the eight laws or precepts of the Lord are already in the advice!
246. Welcome
to Vipassana.com.
(Reference: Welcome to Vipassana.com.)
What
is vipassana?
In
the Pali language of the early Buddhist texts, vipassana
means insight. It is often used to describe one of the two main
categories of Buddhist meditation (the other being samatha
or tranquillity). The term may correctly be applied to any
Buddhist meditation technique that aims for a complete understanding of the Three Characteristics - dukkha (suffering or unsatisfactoriness),
anicca (impermanence) and anatta
(not-Self).
247. Taylor, Charles. (Friday,
January 21, 2000) "Rear Window" USA: salon.com.
http://dir.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2000/01/21/rear_window/index.html
(Reference: Taylor,
Charles. (Friday, January 21, 2000) "Rear
Window" USA:
salon.com.)
There's
a big difference between peeping at strangers and watching a movie that's been made for the express purpose of being watched.
But Hitchcock was uniquely suited to explore what Grace Kelly refers to in the
film as "rear-window" ethics.
Movies
are often talked of disapprovingly as a passive activity. That's too easy. In
some ways, Hitchcock's whole career, his oft-quoted preference for suspense over surprise, was a black joke played on moviegoer passivity. An audience that possesses crucial information that the characters lack
is both desperate to do something and excruciatingly aware of its inability to do anything.
In
"Rear Window" Hitchcock presents a hero who is in the same position
the director put his audiences in: a watcher who sees (or thinks he sees) what he is powerless to stop. Jeff is bored to distraction. "I'm going
to do something drastic," he warns. And so, when he thinks that one of the
neighbors he's been watching has murdered his invalid wife, he's thrilled. At
last something has appeared to rouse him out of the stupor of inactivity and
summertime heat. Jeff isn't the ordinary person caught in extraordinary
circumstances, like Robert Donat in "The 39 Steps" or Cary Grant in
"North by Northwest," characters driven to prove their innocence. He's not personally involved
in the crime. He isn't horrified or frightened, or motivated by a sense of
justice or outrage over a woman's death; he's turned on, which is made a bit
too obvious by his use of a huge, phallic zoom lens to do his peeping.
The
possibility of a murder gives Jeff the same vicarious thrill that sends him
into war zones or onto the tracks of speedways to snap his pictures. (When an
editor informs him of war breaking out in some new hot spot, he responds --
with pride -- "Didn't I tell ya that'd be the next place to blow?")
Soon, Jeff's society girlfriend, Lisa (Kelly), and the insurance company nurse
Stella (Thelma Ritter), both of whom have been chiding him for spying on the neighbors, succumb
to the same fevered
curiosity. And since the promise of a mystery is the thing
that's lured us into the theater, we go along too.
Except
that Hitchcock doesn't make it so easy. Put in the position of watching along
with Jeff, we see moments
so private that
our first impulse is to look away in embarrassment:
A single, middle-aged woman, whom Jeff dubs Miss Lonelyhearts, entertains an
imaginary beau at a romantic dinner for two; a struggling composer comes home
late and scatters his work in drunken self-disgust. Hitchcock makes us aware
that Jeff feels almost no sense of impropriety at what he's seeing, and he doesn't leave it
at that.
One
of the most painful things Hitchcock shows us is the home life of Thorvald
(Raymond Burr), the salesman Jeff comes to suspect of murder. A fat, rumpled
man, Thorvald isn't attractive or agreeable. He's brusque and rude during his
one interchange with a neighbor, and his life looks to be hell. His invalid
wife, who appears to be a hypochondriac, begins berating him as soon as he
walks through the door. When he attempts to be tender to her by placing a
fresh-cut flower from his lovingly tended flower bed on her dinner tray, she
laughs at him and tosses it away. And, having made this suspected murderer
pitiable, Hitchcock goes even further, employing his traditional method of
supplying the audience with information that his characters don't possess, but
with a twist: This bit of information would seem to suggest that no crime took
place. In the scene where Thorvald confronts Jeff, both of their faces remain
in darkness. It's
as if a character has walked out of a movie to demand an accounting from the person who has turned his life into
entertainment.
The
screenplay by John Michael Hayes (from the Cornell Woolrich story "It Had
to Be Murder") lapses from time to time into awkward topic sentences. At
one point, Stella declares, "We've become a race of peeping toms." But it isn't peeping that's on trial here as
much as the
propensity of human beings to detach themselves from one another. The backyard world of
"Rear Window" isn't a neighborhood -- merely a collection of people living in close
proximity. The
neighbors barely speak to one another. Jeff's voyeurism is simply the most extreme form of that detachment.
Hitchcock brings that to the fore in an excruciating sequence where Jeff and
Lisa and Stella are so intrigued by what's going on in Thorvald's apartment
that, despite the urgent evidence in front of their eyes, they nearly allow a
woman to commit suicide. And Hitchcock ups the ante just a few minutes later
when Jeff almost allows Lisa to be killed as he watches, acting as if he were a
man watching a movie instead of a person with the power to prevent a murder.
248. More US students are
avoiding sex. (Monday, September 30, 2002) Singapore: The Straits Times.
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,1870,146127,00.html? (De-activated
link)
(Reference: More US students are
avoiding sex. (Monday, September 30, 2002) Singapore: The
Straits Times.)
New
York - The number of high school students in the United States engaging in sex
has dropped significantly, according to a new study by the Centres for Disease
Control and Prevention.
Last
year, the study found, high school virgins outnumbered those who had engaged in
sexual intercourse, 54 per cent to 46 per cent. A decade earlier, the
percentages were the opposite.
The
study, which was based on self-reported data from more than 10,000 students,
also found other evidence of more conservative sexual behaviour.
Among
those sexually active, 57.9 per cent said they used condoms when they last had
sex, up from 46.2 per cent 10 years ago.
There
was also a decline in the percentage of high school students who had four or
more sex partners, with 14.2 per cent reporting this last year, compared to
18.7 per cent in 1991.
'We
have less kids at risk than we used to have - fewer kids having sex, fewer having multiple partners and more using
condoms,' said report author
Laura Kann.
'It's still too many, but
what's especially encouraging is that these trends are pretty strong.'
Experts
say this could be due
to factors such as abstinence programmes and fear of Aids to an increase in
oral sex, which teenagers regard as less dangerous than intercourse.
Also,
over good economic times, they may feel they have good futures which may be
derailed by an unwanted pregnancy. --New York Times
249. London school to give
the Pill to girls as young as 11. (Monday, September 30, 2002) Singapore: The
Straits Times.
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,1870,146122,00.html? (De-activated link)
(Reference: London school to give
the Pill to girls as young as 11. (Monday, September 30, 2002) Singapore: The Straits Times.)
London
- Girls as young as 11 will soon be able to obtain the morning-after
birth control pill at a London school without their parents' knowledge.
The
Electronic Telegraph said that if the scheme at Chestnut Grove School was
successful, it could be extended to every secondary school in Wandsworth, which
has the the fifth highest teenage pregnancy rate of inner London boroughs.
Headmistress
Margaret Peacock said her school was trying to behave responsibly,
the website reported.
She
said under-16s could
already obtain the Pill without their parents' consent from hospital accident
and emergency units and from pharmacies.
'The
school governors thought it would be better for children to receive counselling
from the school nurse at the same time. If the child is underaged, loud bells will ring and the case will be
treated as a child protection issue,'
she said.
Government
figures in July showed that four 10-year-old girls had become mothers from 1998 to 2000. They showed that another 23 girls aged 11
had become pregnant and about 400 under-14s had conceived.
Ms
Sheila Crouch, Chestnut Grove's nurse, told the Telegraph: 'I can only inform
them of relevant clinics. This delays the process. The sooner the young person takes the first
dose of the Levonelle-2 pill the more likely it is to prevent a pregnancy.'
250. Womack,
Sarah. (Thursday, July 18, 2002) 'Benny
Hill culture' blamed for teenage pregnancies. UK: The Telegraph.
(Reference: Womack,
Sarah. (Thursday, July 18, 2002)
'Benny
Hill culture' blamed for teenage pregnancies. UK: The Telegraph.)
'Benny Hill culture' blamed for teenage pregnancies
By
Sarah Womack, Social Affairs Correspondent
(Filed:
18/07/2002)
The
Government is blaming Benny Hill, the comedian famous for his sketches
involving scantily-clad girls, for its failure to cut teenage pregnancies.
People's "giggly" attitude to sex - the "Benny Hill culture"
- was sending out mixed messages to young people, Cathy Hamlyn, head of the
Government's Teenage Pregnancy Unit, said.
"On the one hand they are bombarded by messages through films and
the media which give the impression that everyone is having sex and they
should," she said. "On the other, parents have great
difficulty talking about it."
Her
comments came as MPs and peers demanded an urgent review of government policies
for reducing
schoolgirl births.
A
study by Dr David Paton of Nottingham University suggested that the
Government's strategy may be increasing pregnancies and abortions among teenage
girls. He said his figures showed that the number of girls attending family
clinics increased by 144 per cent between 1992 and 2000, while prescriptions
for the morning-after pill tripled in the same period.
However,
the conception rate fell by just 1.2 per cent, while sexually transmitted diseases among 16- to
19-year-old females increased by
58 per cent.
Jim
Dobbin, Labour MP for Heywood and Middleton, said: "This is not about the morality of abortion. It is not about the morality of distributing contraception to the very
young. It is about the
morality of adopting strategies when there is no clear indication as to their
potential success and a considerable amount of evidence as to the damage they
can do."
But
a Health Department spokesman said there was more than one aspect to cutting
teenage pregnancies. It included helping young people to resist pressure to have early sex, improving sex and relationship education in schools, improving access to contraceptive advice
services and supporting
parents in talking to their children.
According
to the Office for National Statistics, there was a 2.4 per cent fall in
pregnancy rates among under-18s between 1999 and 2000 but Britain still has the second highest teenage
pregnancy rate in the developed world,
after the United
States.
Benny
Hill, who died in 1992, was renowned for his risque sketches, with sex and
squealing nymphets the constant theme. However, a biography claimed that he
maintained a "firm
distaste for sexual intercourse".
His father sold condoms for a living.
Personal Review:
"On the one hand they are bombarded by messages through films and
the media which give the impression that everyone is having sex and they
should,"
There are men and women who use spy devices to monitor the intimate
lifestyle of young men – Is he having emission? Is he masturbating? etc
They say “Oh, this is a dirty job”, and they themselves sit and watch
clandestinely as a voyeur whether that man’s organ is moving this way or that
way in sleep!
Then, on the other side, sexuality is a taboo to talk about.
"On the other, parents have great difficulty talking about
it."
So where are we? What actually is going on in society?
251. Womack,
Sarah. (Thursday, May 30, 2002) Britain
second worst country for schoolgirl pregnancies. UK: The Telegraph.
(Reference: Womack,
Sarah. (Thursday, May 30, 2002)
Britain
second worst country for schoolgirl pregnancies.
UK: The Telegraph.)
Britain second worst country for schoolgirl pregnancies
By
Sarah Womack, Social Affairs Correspondent
(Filed:
30/05/2002)
Britain has the second highest teenage birth rate in the developed
world, exceeded only by America, a United Nations report said yesterday.
The
Unicef report blamed British
embarrassment about talking about sex,
coupled with the
disappearance of traditional values.
The
survey of 28 developed countries found that, while teenage pregnancies had
fallen by up to 75 per cent in many industrialised nations, Britain still had an "alarmingly
high" rate of 31 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 in 1998.
America has 52 births per 1,000 teenagers,
four times the average in the European Union. The Tories immediately called for
ministers to disband the teenage pregnancy unit and rethink their policy on
schoolgirl births.
David
Willetts, the shadow social security secretary, said: "The Government's
approach is clearly not working and it is a scandal that Britain has such a
high rate of teenage births.
"The
teenage pregnancy unit has become bogged down with too many other quangos and has
no real purpose. Ministers need to shift from abstract statements to practical
measures, which are the responsibility of the NHS and schools."
Robert
Whelan, the director of Family Youth Concern, said: "Ministers need to
abandon their teenage pregnancy strategy and the teenage pregnancy unit, which
is in hock to too many vested interests."
The
Unicef report said: "Contraceptive advice and services are formally
available in Britain, but in a closed atmosphere of embarrassment and secrecy. As one British teenager puts it, 'it sometimes seems as if sex is compulsory but
contraception has failed'."
The
number of girls having under-age sex had doubled in the past 10 years, the
report said. Teenagers in the Netherlands were five times less likely to give
birth than British teenagers.
The
Dutch had the advantages of a "relatively inclusive society with more open attitudes towards sex and education". Japan, Korea, Switzerland and the Netherlands
had the lowest teenage birth rates at fewer than seven per 1,000, the report
found.
In
the past 30 years, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany Italy, Korea, Sweden and
Switzerland have managed to reduce teenage birth rates by three quarters. The
figure for in the same period is 38 per cent.
The
Department of Health said that teenage pregnancy rates remained too high,
"but we are making progress with a national reduction of more than six per
cent in two years".
Personal Review:
Isn’t the same attitude in India also?
…the disappearance of traditional values
With voyeurism and spy devices,
…'it sometimes seems as if sex is compulsory…
And we have a society
…in a closed atmosphere of embarrassment and secrecy…
but doesn’t accept
a "relatively inclusive society with more open attitudes
towards sex and education".
252. Johnston,
Philip. (Wednesday, April 03, 2002) Sex
education advisers ban celibacy group. UK: The Telegraph.
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/04/03/nact03.xml
(Reference: Johnston,
Philip. (Wednesday, April 03, 2002)
Sex
education advisers ban celibacy group. UK: The Telegraph.)
Sex education advisers ban celibacy group
By
Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed:
03/04/2002)
HEAD
teachers who booked a youth theatre company to preach a message of sexual abstinence in their schools have been told not to repeat
the invitation because it is "unsuitable" for pupils.
Sex
education advisers in East Sussex have recommended that teachers should consult
them before allowing actors to give performances about controversial issues
such as sexual health.
Their
advice has led to the resignation of one member of Eastbourne's Sexual Health
Forum, Sue Relf, who said she wanted to organise further visits by the company
this year.
The
row blew up after eight secondary schools in the resort were visited by the
Canadian Challenge Team, an Ottawa-based volunteer youth group which travels
the world with its message that "the safest sex is no sex".
Actors
use sketches and jokes to present facts and figures intended to offer abstinence as an option to young people who
may think that they are alone in not being sexually active.
The
concept has been given credibility among teenagers by the well-publicised
pre-marital celibacy of pop stars such as Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson
and the actress Lisa Kudrow of the television sitcom Friends.
But
the Challenge Team's performances last November and December did not find
favour with the Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) team for East
Sussex.
Marilyn
Stephens, the PSHE adviser, said she was not told of the visit before it
happened and there were a number of concerns about the contents of its
45-minute show.
"Members
of our team went to see it and were quite anxious about some of the messages it
was portraying," she said. "In particular, its anti-condom message
was not helpful. There were also some wrong facts about HIV and Aids. We would
be unhappy to support another tour."
Mrs
Relf has written to the chairman of the Sexual Health Forum to resign in
protest. She said guidelines had since been circulated by the PSHE team
"in order to preclude visits to East Sussex schools by this team, or any
similar groups, in the future, as it was considered they were unsuitable".
She
said at least four schools in the town were planning to invite the team to
return this year.
The
dispute has highlighted the controversy over abstinence teaching, which is growing in popularity in America but does
not find favour with British bodies
such as the Government's Teenage Pregnancy Unit, or the Sex Education Forum,
part of the National Children's Bureau. Its report, Just Say No - To Abstinence
Education, says: "Children and young people are entitled to a balanced
educational programme of sex and relationships education . . . Abstinence
education falls short of this established good practice and fails to meet the
needs of children and young people on a number of counts."
These
include "fear-based" messages and an exclusion of "big groups of
young people, including those who are gay and lesbian".
Rebecca
Visser of the Challenge Team said it had spoken to more than 600,000 teenagers
throughout North America and Europe since it was founded in 1993. "We are
not anti-sex, nor are we trying to scare kids away from sex. But our message is
that chastity is a
positive, realistic and healthy lifestyle."
253. AIDS awareness-- ha ha ha. (Sunday, December 02, 2001) Lucknow, India: The
Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?art_id=1977128966
(Reference:
AIDS
awareness-- ha ha ha. (Sunday, December 02, 2001) Lucknow, India: The Times of India.)
AIDS awareness-- ha ha ha
TIMES
NEWS NETWORK [ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 02, 2001
12:42:43 AM ]
LUCKNOW:
Minister for health, Ramapati Shastri enlivened the prosaically academic AIDS
awareness symposium on Saturday by his keynote address which had a bit of everything— religion, philosophy,
jingoism laced with a subtle dose of bawdy humour.
Addressing
a motley mix of professionals medicos, nurses, students and officials on the occasion
of World AIDS Day, the minister began with a dig on the wild west which was
struggling to find a
cure for AIDS while Charak Rishi
had already hit upon the antidote. Only the sage gave it a different name—
ojya kshaya, a disease which led to depletion in bodily energy. The difference then was that the disease only struck the maharajas as against the common man now.
“With the passage of
time, AIDS has crossed the class barrier
and now we can see the farm hands, construction workers or even
truck drivers suffering from it,” he
declared.
Charak’s antidote was a concoction made from four magic Indian herb— Tulsi, Neem,
Shilajeet and Makardhwaj, Shastri continued.
The first two led to decrease in libido
while Shilajeet and
Makardhwaj reacted in exactly opposite manner.
“Now it is for our researchers to probe how the sage struck the balance
and what quantities in which forms were
used. The efforts will
definitely yield positive results,” he
said adding, “UP thereby has an opportunity in creating history by grabbing the
opportunity.”
Vocabulary
libido n. pl. libidos
1. The psychic and emotional energy associated
with instinctual biological drives.
- Sexual
desire.
- Manifestation
of the sexual drive.
libido
n : (psychoanalysis) a Freudian term for sexual urge or desire
And
while the researchers toil in the labs to rediscover the magic potion, the youth will do well to follow Bramhacharya to keep the affliction away, advised Shastri before sharing with audience
a naughty joke on a politician’s visit to a US nude club.
By following faithfully the Indian value system, India could conquer AIDS and also set an example for the rest of the world, he said.
In
his address, Bachittar Singh, project director UPSACS, said that UP had a total
number of 483 AIDS cases which was a matter of great concern. The areas of
major concern still remained certain pockets in eastern UP with its migrant
labour segment and also the towns along the national highways, he said.
However, UPSACS with the help of NGOs had been able to create HIV awareness
which along with the supply
of safe blood will help the
situation, he added.
The
government, he further pointed out, had resolved to set up 24 HIV testing
centre in the state and the facility will soon be available in remote parts of
the state also. On the occasion at the NBRI lawns 89 men and two women gave
their blood samples for HIV tests. On the stalls as many as 10 STD patients
were also treated.
254. Black, Ian. (Monday, September 30, 2002) EU
caves in to Washington over international criminal court. UK: The Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,7369,801513,00.html
(Reference:
Black, Ian. (Monday, September 30, 2002)
EU caves in to
Washington over international criminal court. UK: The Guardian.)
EU
caves in to Washington over international criminal court
Ian Black in
The Guardian
The
EU is ready to agree a deal with the US giving American citizens a degree of
immunity from prosecution by the new International Criminal Court,
having been persuaded by Britain to step back from its hardline opposition to
prevent a transatlantic row.
Its
foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels today, are expected to set out the
conditions in which separate immunity arrangements can be concluded for
Americans.
Human
rights groups and the Council of Europe urged the EU not to take this step.
The
court, which is due to begin work in the Hague next year, was
created as a
permanent institution to try individuals for genocide, war crimes and other human rights abuses.
Washington
has refused to back the court, fearing its people could become targets for
politically motivated charges. It is far from clear whether it will find the
new EU position acceptable.
"This
is as far as we can go," a Brussels diplomat said last night.
The
row about the court has added to the strain caused by Iraq and trade disputes,
and underlined the gap between American unilateralism and the EU's multilateral
approach to international issues.
It
has also shown how hard it is to square EU aspirations for a common foreign and security policy with the
reality that member states often differ on fundamental issues.
Under the compromise, individual EU members may sign immunity
agreements with the US but must respect the ICC statute.
The
US will have to guarantee that there would be no impunity for crimes by
promising that Americans accused of abuses will be tried in their own country.
It will also have to drop its demand for blanket exemptions.
Human
Rights Watch accused Britain of slavishly torpedoing a united EU position.
255. Medved, Michael. (Monday,
September 30, 2002) Death sentence for Jesus play shows Islamic
isolation. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29103
(Reference: Medved,
Michael. (Monday, September 30, 2002)
Death
sentence for Jesus play shows Islamic isolation. USA:
WorldNetDaily.com.)
Death
sentence for Jesus play shows Islamic isolation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted:
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com
This
time, religious conservatives have gone too far: they've issued a death
sentence on an award winning gay playwright who wrote disrespectfully about
Jesus Christ.
If
fundamentalist Christians had perpetrated this gesture of murderous censorship,
all right-thinking people would have exploded in righteous outrage. But since
it's a Muslim religious court demanding the execution of a prominent artist
whose work they dislike, trendy multi-culturalists face a painful dilemma.
Since they've insisted so many times that Islam is a religion of peace,
and that it's no more backward or oppressive than Christianity, then how do
they deal with this unique example of deadly intolerance?
Perhaps
the most surprising aspect of this latest controversy involves its origin not
in the militant fever swamps of the Middle East or Central Asia, but in the
purportedly pluralistic precincts of Great Britain. In late September, the
Shari'ah Court of the United Kingdom issued a "fatwa" condemning
dramatist Terrence
McNally to death
for writing the controversial play, "Corpus Christi." In
the course of that drama, a Jesus figure in Texas enjoys a
torrid sexual interlude with Judas Iscariot and later endures crucifixion as "King of the Queers."
Vocabulary
torrid adj. tor·rid·er, tor·rid·est
- Parched with
the heat of the sun; intensely hot.
- Scorching;
burning: the
torrid noonday sun.
- Passionate; ardent: a torrid love scene.
torridity or torridness n.
torridly adv. Hurried; rapid: set a torrid pace; torrid economic
growth.
torrid
1. Parched; dried with heat; as, a torrid plain or desert. ``Barca or
Cyrene's torrid soil.'' --Milton.
2. Violenty hot; drying or scorching with heat; burning; parching.
``Torrid heat.'' --Milton.
torrid adj
1: characterized
by intense emotion;
"ardent love"; "an ardent lover"; "a burning
enthusiasm"; "a fervent desire to change society"; "a
fervent admirer"; "fiery oratory"; "an impassioned
appeal"; "a torrid love affair" [syn: ardent, burning(a),
fervent, fervid, fiery, impassioned, perfervid]
2: emotionally
charged and vigorously energetic; "a torrid dance"; "torrid jazz bands"; "hot
trumpets and torrid rhythms"
3: burning hot; extremely and unpleasantly hot; "the torrid
noonday sun"; "sultry sands of the dessert" [syn: sultry]
interlude n.
An intervening episode, feature, or period of time: “Kerensky has a
place in history, of a brief interlude between despotisms” (William Safire).
A short farcical entertainment performed between the acts of a medieval
mystery or morality play.
A 16th century genre of comedy derived from this.
An entertainment between the acts of a play.
Music. A short piece inserted between the parts of a longer
composition.
interlude
1. A short entertainment exhibited on the stage between the acts of a
play, or between the play and the afterpiece, to relieve the tedium of waiting.
Dreams are but interludes, which fancy makes When monarch reason
sleeps. --Dryden.
2. A form of English drama or play, usually short, merry, and farcical,
which succeeded the Moralities or Moral Plays in the transition to the romantic
or Elizabethan drama.
3. (Mus.) A short piece of instrumental music played between the parts
of a song or cantata, or the acts of a drama; especially, in church music, a
short passage played by the organist between the stanzas of a hymn, or in
German chorals after each line.
interlude
n 1: an intervening period or episode
2: a brief show (music or dance etc) performed between the sections of
another performance [syn: intermezzo, entr'acte]
v 1: occur as an interlude
2: perform an interlude, as on a musical instrument
queer
adj. queer·er, queer·est
Deviating from the expected or normal; strange: a queer situation.
Odd or unconventional, as in behavior; eccentric. See Synonyms at
strange.
Of a questionable nature or character; suspicious.
Slang. Fake; counterfeit.
Feeling slightly ill; queasy.
Offensive Slang. Homosexual.
Usage Problem. Of or relating to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, or transgendered
people.
n.
Offensive Slang. Used as a disparaging term for a homosexual person.
Usage Problem. A lesbian, gay male, bisexual, or transgendered person.
tr.v. Slang queered, queer·ing, queers
To ruin or thwart: “might try to queer the Games with anything from
troop movements... to a bomb attack” (Newsweek).
To put (someone) in a bad position.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Perhaps from Low German, oblique, off-center, from Middle Low German
dwer. See terkw- in Indo-European Roots.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
queerish adj.
queerly adv.
queerness n.
Usage Note: A reclaimed word is a word that was formerly used solely as
a slur but that has been semantically overturned by members of the maligned
group, who use it as a term of defiant pride. Queer is an example of a word
undergoing this process. For decades queer was used solely as a derogatory adjective for gays
and lesbians, but
in the 1980s the term began to be used by gay and lesbian activists as a term of self-identification. Eventually, it came to be used as an
umbrella term that included gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered
people. Nevertheless, a sizable percentage of people to whom this term might
apply still hold queer to be a hateful insult, and its use by heterosexuals is often considered
offensive. Similarly, other reclaimed words are usually offensive to the
in-group when used by outsiders, so extreme caution must be taken concerning
their use when one is not a member of the group.
endure
v. endured, enduring, endures
v. tr.
1.
To carry on through, despite hardships; undergo: endure an Arctic winter.
2.
To bear with tolerance: “We seek the truth, and will endure the
consequences” (Charles Seymour). See Synonyms at bear1.
v. intr.
1.
To continue in existence; last: buildings that have endured for
centuries.
2.
To suffer patiently without yielding.
endure
1. To continue in the same state without perishing; to last; to remain.
Their verdure still endure. --Shak.
He shall hold it [his house] fast, but it shall not endure. --Job viii.
15.
2. To remain firm, as under trial or suffering; to suffer patiently or
without yielding; to bear up under adversity; to hold out.
Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I
shall deal with thee? --Ezek. xxii. 14.
endure
v. t. 1. To remain firm under; to sustain; to undergo; to support
without breaking or yielding; as, metals endure a certain degree of heat
without melting; to endure wind and weather.
Both were of shining steel, and wrought so pure, As might the strokes
of two such arms endure. --Dryden.
2. To bear with patience; to suffer without opposition or without
sinking under the pressure or affliction; to bear up under; to put up with; to
tolerate.
I will no longer endure it. --Shak.
Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake. --2 Tim. ii. 10.
How can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people?
--Esther viii. 6.
3. To harden; to toughen; to make hardy. [Obs.]
Manly limbs endured with little ease. --Spenser.
Syn: To last; remain; continue; abide; brook; submit to; suffer.
endure
v 1: put up with something or somebody unpleasant; "I cannot bear
his constant criticism"; "The new secretary had to endure a lot of
unprofessional remarks" [syn: stomach, bear, stand, tolerate, brook,
abide, suffer, put up] 2: face or endure with courage; "She braved the
elements" [syn: weather, brave, brave out] 3: continue to live, endure or
last; "We went without water and food for 3 days"; "The legend
of Elvis lives on"; "These superstitions survive in the backwaters of
America" [syn: survive, last, live, live on, go, hold up, hold out] 4: be
subjected to; "He suffered the penalty" [syn: suffer] [ant: enjoy] 5:
last and be usable; "This dress wore well for almost ten years" [syn:
wear, hold out] 6: be long; in time [syn: last] 7: cease to exist after
resistance or a struggle; "These stories die hard" [syn: prevail,
persist, die hard, run]
Outside
the opening night performance at the Pleasance Theatre in North London,
representatives of the Islamic Court solemnly handed out copies of their fatwa,
a religious edict signed by Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, judge of the Shari'ah
Court of the United Kingdom. The Sheikh reminded the press that Muslims revere Jesus as a messenger of God, even though they discount the story of his resurrection. Sheikh Bakri Muhammad declared: "The fatwa is to express the Islamic
point of view that those who are insulting to Allah and the messengers of God,
they must understand it is a crime."
This
declaration accompanied a cautionary word to British Muslims:
Don't-try-this-at-home.
"We
would warn individual Muslims not to try to carry it out," the sheikh
helpfully explained. If Mr. McNally travels to an Islamic state, however, he
certainly risks arrest and execution. "We do not believe in political
assassination, but obviously he would face capital punishment," Bakri
Muhammad affirmed. "He will be arrested and there will be capital punishment."
He concluded that if Mr. McNally repented of his blasphemy he would still be
killed, but his family would receive care and protection from the Islamic
state. The only way that
the condemned playwright himself could escape the fatal fatwa would be to
undergo an
immediate conversion to Islam.
This
bizarre incident represents only the vaguest threat to the physical safety of
Terrence McNally – after all, even the far more influential death sentence by
the Iranian Ayatollahs against Salman Rushdie failed to end that novelist's
life or career. The judgment of the British Islamic court does, however, speak
volumes about the distance between western Muslims and the societies in which
they live.
In
an odd sense, the fatwa may have represented a pathetic attempt by Islamic
authorities – who've received a great deal of negative publicity for their
connections with al-Qaida – to spruce up their public image and to form an
alliance with British Christians. They may not understand that in Europe and
America, even
the most conservative Christian leaders feel horrified at the idea of a death
sentence for blasphemy,
notwithstanding the provocation of openly sacrilegious and salacious works of
art.
When
"Corpus Christi" opened at the Manhattan Theatre Center three years
ago, Christian conservatives marched in protest and carried angry signs, but no
religious authorities threatened the playwright or his actors with punishment.
In 1988, the wildly divisive motion picture "The Last Temptation of Christ"
provoked denunciation, boycotts and demonstrations around the world, but failed
to produce public calls for the execution of its creators. Fortunately,
Hollywood has never produced a movie sequel called "The Last Temptation of
Muhammad."
Islam,
in short, stands out among the major world religions for its continued criminalization of expression and
opinions. Five centuries ago, Christians might still burn heretics at the
stake, but in the last two
hundred years no Christian society (or Jewish society, for that matter) has
punished religious dissenters with execution or imprisonment. In Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other
Islamic states, on the other hand, the death penalty still applies for the
crime of blasphemy. Islam remains the
only faith on earth that attempts to impose strictly theocratic rule through
the governments it controls. In the United States, Pat Robertson or Jerry
Falwell may sound dangerous to suspicious secularists, they've never called for
applying criminal penalties to those who question the divinity of Jesus or
violate the Sabbath.
In
other words, the new fatwa by the British Muslims may have attempted to
convince Christians that they have more in common with their Islamic neighbors
than they do with their secular leaders, but it will inevitably produce the
opposite effect. A death sentence for blasphemy should remind believers and
skeptics in Western societies that they share with one another a commitment to
pluralism and basic human rights, and that Islam stands alone in the world as
the last remaining bastion of poisonous religious medievalism.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael
Medved hosts a nationally syndicated daily radio show focusing on the intersection
of politics and pop culture. He's the author of eight non-fiction books.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Personal Review:
A mysterious “stand-alone” episode is given in the New Testament, as
follows:
51
And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth
cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
52
And he left the linen
cloth, and fled from them
naked.
- Mark 14:51-52 :: King James Version
(KJV)
This episode occurs when Christ was betrayed and handed over to the soldiers on behalf of the High Priests. By “stand-alone”, I mean, no further
continuation or link to that episode. Just an instance only. But mysterious to
what actually it could mean!
Its true meaning is not interpreted or translated properly. Many a version of interpretation exist, leaving it open to a sincere trainee to
interpret himself. Certain schools translate the passages as an instance of
homosexuality. Some other schools translate as an instance of occult practices
of Higher Initiation, as practiced in Ancient Egypt by the Higher Adepts.
Refer the section on A Possibility in Volume 1. In society, clothes – outer garments, inner garments etc
are a covering for etiquette. In spiritual orthodoxy, what purpose is clothes
giving? One lives naked. The Digambaras. Without any attachment to clothes. Yet
when one moves around in society, you just cover yourself with cloth. Also read
Reference: 257. Period.
Also remember
…homosexuality, which God calls "abomination."
(Reference: 256)
Intercourse between people of the same sex is forbidden in several
texts in both the Old and New Testaments.
(Reference: 261)
…sexual abstinence from all who were unmarried
(Reference: 262)
No sex. Pure celibate.
According to society definition, homosexuality pertains to sex between
men. Lesbian-ism – sex between women.
No form of sex is involved in practical spirituality. A “sex-less” man.
A man-woman. The artha-nari-shwara.
256. Kupelian, David. (Friday,
August 09, 2002) Why are Christians losing America? USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28562
(Reference: Kupelian,
David. (Friday, August 09, 2002)
Why are
Christians losing America? USA:
WorldNetDaily.com.)
Why
are Christians losing America?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted:
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com
"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold
nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. So
then because thou
art lukewarm, and neither cold
nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
– Revelation 3:15-16 KJV
Vocabulary
spue
v. & n.
Obsolete
Variant of spew.
spew
v. t. [Written also
spue.]
- To eject from the stomach; to vomit.
- To cast forth with abhorrence or disgust; to
eject.
Because thou art
lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
--Rev.
ii. 16.
spue
v
- expel or eject from the mouth [syn: spit, ptyalize, spew]
- eject the contents of the stomach through the
mouth; "After drinking too much, the
students vomited" [syn: vomit, vomit up, cast, sick, cat,
regurgitate, be sick, disgorge, regorge, retch, puke, barf, spew, chuck,
upchuck, honk, throw up] [ant: keep down]
Most
Americans call themselves Christians.
Twice
they chose as their supreme leader Bill Clinton – a sexual predator and
pathological liar who regarded the "religious right" as enemies and
radical homosexuals as friends, and who by any meaningful and historical
measure was a traitor.
After
that, millions of Christians came within a hair's breadth of electing Clinton's
partner in crime, Al Gore – another pathological liar, a radical
environmentalist who reveres "Gaia" but believes the
internal-combustion engine should be outlawed (according to his book,
"Earth in the Balance").
Christians
have stood on the sidelines during the breathtaking transformation of their once-great Judeo-Christian
culture into today's neo-pagan, Sodom-and-Gomorrah-style freak show.
Christians
have lost the 30-year war to protect the unborn. Even easy victories – like
partial-birth abortion, which virtually everyone opposes – have eluded them.
Christians
have lost the war for America's schools – which have been scrubbed
antiseptically clean of the Christian principles and traditions that once
guided those institutions, and are now filled instead with every conceivable form of propaganda and
perversion.
Christians
have lost their former influence in politics, in the press, in entertainment,
in literature – in virtually every major area of life.
And
now, Christians are losing the war for their very own institutions – their
churches. The
clergy sex scandal is the tip of the iceberg.
Both the Catholic
Church and most of the major Protestant denominations are literally being
ripped apart – from within – by double agents who pretend to be "faithful" but actually
loathe Christianity's historical precepts and values.
It's
a harsh indictment – but hey, the truth hurts.
In
his recent book, "Abandonment Theology,"
author John W. Chalfant describes the precipitous decline of
Judeo-Christian influence in law, culture and public policy in America, noting the 1947 Supreme Court decision that invented the modern "separation of church and state" and later decisions that outlawed Bible
reading and prayer in the nation's public schools. He writes:
Once God was shown the door, America went into chaos. Scholastic
Aptitude Test scores plummeted. Violent crime rocketed upward. The abortion
mills did an unprecedented business as they devised ever-more-sadistic ways to
kill children before and even during birth. Bill Clinton, elected president of
the United States in 1992, aggressively advocated homosexuality, which God calls "abomination." The Abandonment Clergy and their millions of undiscerning followers
stood mute while America's sudden loss of greatness became obvious even to the
world.
What's
this about an "Abandonment Clergy"? Chalfont explains:
Abandonment Theology is a term devised by the author to describe a faith which deceptively pawns itself off as
Christianity by operating in the name of Christ, but which produces fruits
destructive to America's God-given freedoms. It comprises what is left today of the militant, power-filled,
full-dimensional Christian faith of America's Founders after decades of
erosion, watering down and trivializing of God's action mandates by America's
Abandonment Clergy. It is
a "feel good" theology that patronizes Jesus Christ and thereby gains
legitimacy, while at the same time produces disobedience to the commands of God
and desertion of Christian duty.
Chalfont
describes how the "Abandonment Clergy" and their followers have
responded to increasingly audacious attacks on Christian America during the
past half-century:
Incredibly, this was the ultimate hour for the Abandonment Clergy to
see the light of truth. They faced blatant godlessness at every turn. They could have abandoned their own ways and
made a comeback to the faith of the Founding Fathers. But what did they do?
They observed the horrible, deteriorating conditions in America,
determined that she was headed into rubble just like pagan Rome and that we
must be living in the prophesied "last days" and "end
times." Therefore, with the end and the "rapture of the church"
so apparently near, why fight?
"After all," these clergymen said, "We're in this world,
not of it, so to heck with it," and "Compared to eternity we're here
only for an instant." They told us that all that really counts is that we "lead as many people as possible to
salvation and let our corrupted country continue on its death course."
Faulty Christian teaching,
says Chalfant, is
the only way to explain why so many well-meaning Christians are paralyzed into
inaction:
The Abandonment Clergy and their followers have been teaching,
preaching and saturating the media and their church members with the doctrine
of surrender and political non-involvement. They are not teaching us to surrender to Christ through obedience to
the commandments of God. Rather, they tell us that America is finished, that the collapse of
our heritage and our freedoms has been predetermined within a definable
near-future time frame and is therefore beyond our control.
Chalfont
takes direct aim at those obsessed with their own imminent "rapture":
The legitimate study of eschatology (the future in prophecy) has been converted into a doctrine of futility and surrender by the
clergy who, in defiance of Christ's injunction (see Mark 13:32,33), insist upon
assigning near-future dates to the "last days," the "rapture
of the church" and
the "second
coming" of Christ. … At the very least the clergy should understand that their "last
days" teachings are nothing more than personal speculations. Christ taught that futility of attitude denies the faith and leads to enslavement. He promised great rewards for those who endure to the end in His cause of freedom.
Chalfont
is right. But the problem with contemporary Christianity goes way beyond mere
political non-involvement. Do we dare take an honest look?
One
reason for the multitude of attacks on Christianity is that evil always attacks good – because it is good – because good shines a bright and painful light
on the works of darkness. Jesus Himself warned His followers to expect
to be persecuted, just as He was persecuted.
This is the reason, and a profound one, that Christians offer to explain why
they, their values and their institutions are always under attack.
However,
there is another, and far more decisive, reason for the spectacular decline of
Christianity in our modern era: Christianity today is very different from what it once was.
America is full of people who have accepted the idea that Jesus Christ died for their sins, and that this belief guarantees them
a place in Heaven.
Some
are very sincere. They are truly mortified at their former sins, genuinely
contrite before God and those they have offended, and they grieve over their
continuing compulsions. They have awakened from their former life of gross sin,
and now want nothing more than to do the will of their Creator – whatever that
may be, wherever it may lead them, whatever they may suffer. They take
seriously the commandments and principles given by their Savior, and make their
life revolve around emulating Him, to the best of their ability. They are,
quite literally, followers of Christ – that is, Christians.
On
the other hand, there are countless "Christians" who believe they
have a ticket to Heaven, and nothing else really matters very much to them.
Their attitude can only be described as brazen. They live lives of shallowness
and selfishness, of petty emotions and jealousies, of distraction and escape,
of ego and pride, and sometimes of gross corruption and treachery – remember,
Clinton is a churchgoing "Christian." This version of Christianity,
more prevalent than you can imagine, literally justifies and excuses dirty
rotten scoundrels. Its adherents, while living it up under the smug delusion
that they're "saved," drive other people crazy (and away from real
Christianity) with their hypocrisy.
And
then there are, of course, millions of "lukewarm" Christians in
between these two groups. They go to church and sing songs and sometimes read
the Bible, and maybe "try to be a good Christian" – but they're
basically clueless. Their marriage is on the rocks and their children are
wearing tongue studs. They believe in society's atheistic "experts"
and they're addicted to
Internet porn.
Some
Christians are actually worse off after being "saved" than before. At
least before they were "saved," they had a natural respect for, or
fear of, ultimate justice – an inborn sense that somehow we all reap what we
sow. After being "saved," that's gone for the insincere
"Christian." For him or her, belief in Jesus amounts to a
"get-out-of-Hell-free" card, a sort of spiritual "diplomatic
immunity." It's like the profligate teenage son of an important Arab
diplomat who knows he won't be prosecuted under U.S. law while living here, so
he drives recklessly, molests women and generally lives it up with impunity.
And because the
natural and necessary fear of consequences has been unwisely removed from his
life, he falls that much more easily to the
temptations of his lower nature.
For
millions of people, Christianity has become a bumper-sticker religion. Simply
by saying, one time, a single phrase – "I accept Jesus Christ as my savior
and repent of my sins" – you are guaranteed salvation and eternal life in
heaven, no matter how insincere or selfish or shallow your motives for doing
so.
Is
this the kind of salvation Jesus referred to when He said, "But he that
shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13 KJV)
Endure to the end? What's with that? I thought this salvation thing was all
settled by that altar call back in '89.
Is
this what He meant when He said, "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall
abide in my love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in
His love." (John 15:10) Many Christians don't bother to pay any attention
at all to God's commandments. Hey, what the heck difference does it make? I'm
already saved!
Is
this what Paul referred to when he said, "I die daily"? (1
Cor. 15:31) The apostle's poignant and intensely meaningful reference to the
duty of man to give up the life of pride in all its forms, to die to the
"carnal mind" – considered central to Christians of past eras – is
all but absent from most of today's churches.
Christianity
– the deepest, most meaningful and awe-inspiring religion ever, the magnificent
driving force behind Western Civilization, and the transcendent hope of
mankind's future – has been dumbed down by these types into a comic-book
religion. Turn on your radio and listen to some of the pitches: "Do you
want to go to Hell – forever? Well, think about this: What if it really is true
that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He is the only way to eternal life in
Heaven? Do you want to miss out on eternal life? Then why not say yes to Jesus
right now, just to make sure? You'll like it – it's a natural high."
Such
altar calls are little more than an insurance pitch. "Hey, buy a little
extra insurance, then you can go on with your selfish life and be guaranteed a
place in Heaven no matter what."
Just
repeat the salvation "formula" – like an Eastern mantra – and you're
saved. Period.
For
this type of Christian, there's no need to do good works, because they're saved
by grace, not works. No need to obey God's commands, because they're already
saved, so why bother? They don't need to try to help make it a better world,
because they're gonna be "raptured" soon and the rest of the suckers
who are left behind can sort out the mess.
Is
it any wonder the West is dying?
What's
missing in all of this, of course, is a love of truth.
"This
people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips;
but their heart is far from Me," said Jesus. (Matthew 15:8 KJV)
Truth
predates the incarnation of Christ, it predates the Bible. It's the substance
of our bond with God. If you have a love of truth, you're just not ever really
satisfied with anything else, and you want to know the truth about everything –
especially about yourself. If you're wrong about something, you want to know
it. If you've been living a lie, you're willing to see it – no matter what the
cost.
If
you don't have a little bit of this quality, you don't have squat – even if you
call yourself a Christian.
To
a truth-seeking soul, the story of Christ – not as told by a plastic minister,
but as told by someone, anyone, who's real – has an internal reverberation of
truth in the listener's soul. It has the quality of a wonderful old story you
heard long ago, in your childhood, but had forgotten.
At
the core of this life-changing religion is the individual believer's love and
appreciation and acceptance and embrace of Christ's sacrifice – the ultimate
demonstration of God's love for His wayward children.
But
the problem with the way Christianity is "taught" today is that it
doesn't require a love of truth. It doesn't require honest introspection, or
courage, or self-denial, or patience. The only ingredient it needs is a guilty
person who's sick of feeling guilty, who wants relief, wants to feel better
about himself and doesn't want to go to Hell. But even the most insincere
person wants to feel better about himself, wants relief from guilt, and fears
death and what may lie beyond.
So,
it's this compartmentalization and trivialization of Christianity – into a
mantra of belief – but separated from works, from obedience to God's laws, and
even more fundamentally, separated from basic honesty, integrity, love of truth
and true repentance, that has ushered in a generation of shallow and
ineffectual Christians.
Did
you ever wonder why American founders like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin
Franklin completely rejected institutional Christianity – what some call
"Churchianity"? Maybe even back then too many of the churches were
just too pale a reflection of Christ's true message for them to stomach.
The
Christian Church in America needs a revival. But it doesn't necessarily need
ever-bigger tents with tens of thousands of people swaying back and forth,
singing songs, giving speeches and getting pumped up – and then going home and
watching television.
America's
real revival will happen when those same people go home, go to their room,
close the door, take a deep breath – and take a good, long, hard look at
themselves in the mirror. And then, quietly and humbly and fervently, they ask
the living God for help, for insight, for direction – for salvation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editor's
note: The preceding column is part of the eye-opening August issue of
WorldNetDaily's acclaimed monthly Whistleblower magazine. Subscribe to
Whistleblower, beginning with the August issue, "THE NEW PAGANISM: How
Christianity is being replaced by 'green' religion, goddess worship,
globalism."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David
Kupelian is vice president and managing editor of WorldNetDaily.com and
Whistleblower magazine.
257. Naked man said he was doing as God asked. (Tuesday, October 01, 2002) USA: The Wichita Eagle.
http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/4190124.htm
(Reference: Naked man said he was doing
as God asked. (Tuesday, October 01, 2002) USA: The Wichita Eagle.)
Posted
on Tue, Oct. 01, 2002
Naked man said he was doing as God asked
Police
have heard many excuses for public nudity, but rarely does someone plead divine intervention.
A
26-year-old man caught walking down Seneca Avenue early Tuesday with his pants
around his ankles tried to convince officers he was doing God's work.
About
4 a.m., a driver called 911 to report that a man in the 1000 block of Seneca
was exposing himself to cars, police said. When officers contacted the man he
told them God told him to do it so he could grow "more in touch with himself."
The
man was arrested on suspicion of public nudity.
258. Reuters. (Tuesday,
October 01, 2002) 'Nigerians won't be stoned for adultery'. South Africa: Independent Online.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=68&art_id=qw1033477201599B264&set_id=1
(Reference: Reuters. (Tuesday, October 01, 2002)
'Nigerians
won't be stoned for adultery'. South Africa: Independent Online.)
'Nigerians
won't be stoned for adultery'
October
01 2002 at
Lagos
- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo gavve assurances on Tuesday that the
country's higher appeal courts would quash the death-by-stoning sentences for adultery passed by Islamic courts.
Obasanjo
said in a radio and television broadcast to mark Nigeria's 42nd independence
anniversary that a 31-year-old mother, Amina Lawal Kurami, and a couple
condemned to death by Muslim courts can launch appeals at the Supreme Court
where they will be guaranteed justice.
"We
have never entertained doubts that whatever verdict a lower court may give, the
appellate courts will ensure that justice is done," he said.
"We
fully understand the concerns of Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, but we
cannot imagine or envision a Nigerian being stoned to death," Obasanjo
said.
"It
has never happened. And may it never happen."
Stoning as punishment for sex crimes
had drawn a barrage of international criticism since August when a sharia Court
of Appeals in the northern state of Katsina confirmed the death sentence on
Kurami.
Obasanjo's
assurance came a week after former US President Bill Clinton and Australian
Prime Minister John Howard joined the international pressure on Nigeria to
overturn the death verdict on Kurami.
Kurami
was condemned to death in March by a lower court in Katsina, which like more
than a dozen others in northern Nigeria has adopted the strict Islamic sharia
law.
She
was granted a two-year reprieve to wean her daughter, now nine months old, and
would not be stoned until 2004. Her lawyers said they have appealed to a higher
court.
Kurami
is the second woman to be sentenced to death for adultery
since 2000, when sharia
law was first adopted in
Nigeria.
In
March, an appeals court in northwestern Sokoto state quashed a similar sentence
on Safiya Hussaini Tungar-Tudu after worldwide appeals for clemency. She was
made an honorary citizen of Rome in September.
In
August, another Islamic court in central Niger state sentenced a pregnant woman
and her lover to be stoned to death after convicting them of adultery.
The adoption of sharia law has polarised Nigeria, Africa's most
populous country, whose population of more than 120 million is almost evenly
divided between Muslims and Christians.
More
than 3 000 people have died in religious clashes in the past two years in the
traditionally secular west African nation.
259. Lindsey, Hal. (Wednesday,
October 02, 2002) Jesus no! Satan yes! USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29133
(Reference: Lindsey,
Hal. (Wednesday, October 02, 2002) Jesus no!
Satan yes! USA: WorldNetDaily.com.)
Jesus no! Satan yes!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted:
1:00
a.m. Eastern
©
2002 WorldNetDaily.com
Students
and parents have to prepare in advance for the inevitable lawsuits that
immediately follow any effort to form a Bible club at a public school. Such a
club would instantly be squashed by school officials who view themselves as
watchdogs protecting students from being exposed to Christianity.
A
San Mateo high school recently formed a club based on the teachings of the First Church of Satan, founded by Anton LeVey. They call
themselves The
Satanic Thought Society.
Co-president of the club James Doolittle admits he originally started the club
with his friend Matt Heeney just to "rile
things up a bit."
Vocabulary
rile
tr.v.
- To stir to
anger. See Synonyms at annoy.
- To stir up
(liquid); roil.
rile
v. t.
- To render
turbid or muddy; to stir up;
to roil.
- To stir up in
feelings; to
make angry; to vex.
Note: In both senses provincial in England and colloquial in the United
States.
rile
v
- cause annoyance
in; disturb,
esp. by minor irritations:
"Mosquitoes
buzzing in my ear really bothers me"; "It irritates me that she
never closes the door after she leaves" [syn: annoy, rag, get to, bother, get at, irritate, nark, nettle,
gravel, vex, devil]
- make turbid by
stirring up the sediments of [syn: roil]
But
now that the two juniors have studied the teachings of the late LaVey, they say
Satanism helps
people to express themselves.
Doolittle says, "Its
[Satanism's] purpose is to turn man back into a natural state and not have him
corrupted by religion." In a
flier posted around the school, the club says its goal is to, "Divide church from state
completely."
According
to Anton LaVey's website, LaVey started the Church of Satan in 1966
under the theory that Satan is not a supernatural being, but rather a symbol of defiance and rebellion against a conformist, God-fearing society. But I studied Anton LaVey in the early
1970s, and he certainly seemed to believe that Satan was a real spirit being.
At
the club's first meeting on Wednesday during the school's lunch hour
approximately 35 students attended. Associate Student Body President Joe Izzo
said, "The club is about sharing opinions and views." Izzo attended
the meeting and joined the club.
Principal
Jacqueline McEvoy claims that under the federal Equal Access Act for Secondary
Schools, the school must allow this club to exist. It was even announced on the
school's loudspeaker that a Satanism club had formed.
Evidently,
the only views and
opinions not worthy of being allowed on campus are those of the Christian
students. This proves again that
it isn't the general separation of church and state that is the goal. Public schools accept all religions as long as
they are not Christian and do not believe the Bible.
Satan is still alive and well. He seems to have found a home in our
public school systems. It is because Christians have stood by and done nothing
that the forces of evil have barred Christianity from our schools. And
officials wonder why violence has increased so dramatically in our schools.
Students are literally insulated from the Bible and Jesus Christ. They can talk
about the teachings of Muhammad, Buddha, Krishna, etc. But they cannot discuss
Jesus Christ or His teachings.
This
is what Jesus
Christ said to those who reject the truth,
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's
desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he
is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you
believe me? He
who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you
do not belong to God" (John 8:44-47).
This is the underlying reason why Satan Clubs are welcome and Christianity is
not on our school campuses.
If
Christians let this issue pass without a full-blown fight, we will deserve to
be pushed out of what little public expression we still have in this country.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hal
Lindsey is the best-selling author of 20 books, including "Late Great
Planet Earth." He writes this weekly column exclusively for WorldNetDaily
and maintains a website where he provides up-to-the-minute analysis of today's
world events in the light of ancient prophecies.
260. The Church of Satan.
(Reference: The Church of Satan.)
"The time has come for all to see that life
is what one makes of it.
That life is a series of moments one
must treasure.
Not to treasure them is to
miss out on life itself.
Life is meant for one to indulge in one's own obsessions,
for not to indulge is to
deprive....
and to deprive
is to sadden one's own being." – LE (Lord Egan)
This
Manifesto ov Lucifer is for ALL and may be published provided
proper credit is given.
1.
The All is One. Oneness is All,
thus I choose to speak. I am everywhere the circumference and everywhere the
Center, at all times; finite and infinite. I am the sum of all possibilities,
in endless combinations and endless timelines, now and forever.
2.
In my opinion words
cannot kill by themselves;
there needs to be
action and reaction. I
believe that the
fluttering wings of a single butterfly in Nebraska CAN raise a storm in the
Atlantic.
3.
I do believe in the
force of Will and freedom of choice. I choose
my
reality directly or indirectly when and if I want to.
4.
I believe in the
Sanctity of Women. I also believe in the Sanctity of Men. I do believe in Polarity between the Sexes
as a way to more freedom, despite the apparent paradox.
5.
I think there's no truth but the paradox. You'll be the victim as well as the
perpetrator.
6.
I believe that creation cannot stand against itself. It cannot Will it's own
destruction. Perfection
will not be - you can come close but
not all the way.
7.
I believe there to be perfection in imperfection.
Beautiful ugliness and ugly beauty. I believe in duality and yet not.
There's a paradox.
8.
I believe you'll do as you see fit with this Manifesto. Right or Wrong.
The
beauty is that you can add and subtract, divide, and/or multiply
this
manifesto according to your Wants and needs. There's even the
possibility
that you choose to ignore this message all together.
9.
In this Manifesto there's both Complexity And Simplicity.
You choose
to
your liking. My Will is that it'll at least raise some eyebrows.
I choose by not choosing. You choose.
What do YOU believe?
This
is the End. My Work is Wrought And so mote it be.
scribe
Daemon Manuel Steen
commentary
by Lord Egan
261. Ruth Gledhill. (Wednesday,
October 02, 2002) Archbishop fails to condemn unmarried sex. UK: The Times.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-432861,00.html
(Reference: Ruth
Gledhill. (Wednesday, October 02, 2002)
Archbishop
fails to condemn unmarried sex. UK: The Times.)
October
02, 2002
Archbishop fails to condemn unmarried sex
by
ruth gledhill, religion correspondent
THE
next Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has refused to sign up to
traditional Christian teaching that sex outside marriage is wrong.
Although
his comments were made in the context of the debate about homosexuality — on
which his views are known — his failure to condemn adultery and pre-marital sex
will dismay evangelicals and traditionalists.
Dr
Williams, who has knowingly ordained a practising homosexual, was responding to
a challenge to recant his views on homosexuality or step down as the next
Archbishop.
He
turned down the request: “My personal views are on record and I have not found
reason to change them. Somehow I have to try and discern the will of God in all
this, knowing all too well the risks to the unity of the Church.”
His
surprising public avowal of his beliefs will deepen the division that Dr Carey
has warned will lead to schism between traditionalists and evangelicals and the liberal wing of
the Church.
Clearly
Dr Williams has yet to come to terms fully with his appointment. The issues of
homosexuality and women bishops may cast a shadow over his enthronement next
February.
He
has disclosed that he does not welcome his nomination to succeed Dr George
Carey as he struggles to reconcile his private liberal beliefs and the public
stance of the Church. “The decision to accept this nomination, not sought by me
and not welcome to me, was not taken without reflection and consultation,” Dr
Williams said.
The
Rev David Banting, chairman of Reform, the influential conservative evangelical
grouping within the Church of England, wrote to Dr Williams asking him to
affirm the traditional
teaching that church members should abstain from sex outside marriage.
Dr
Banting was concerned,explicitly, to extract from Dr Williams an avowal that he
would condemn the practice of homosexuality. Intercourse between people of the same sex is forbidden in several
texts in both the Old and New Testaments.
Dr Williams refused, saying he would not “set a precedent” by affirming more
than the canons of the Church of England require in terms of allegiance to the
Scriptures and the Creeds. Homosexuality is not referred to explicitly in canon law, although all clergy in the Church of England
must swear a “declaration of assent” in which they assent to belief in the
Scriptures.
In
a letter to Dr Banting, Dr Williams pledges to “exercise the discipline of the
Church as I am bound to do. I can’t go beyond this and say that I believe what I do not believe.” This meant he could not affirm that there
should be “appropriate discipline” in cases of sex outside marriage.
262. Ruth Gledhill. (Wednesday,
October 02, 2002) Church rift over homosexuality set to
resurface. UK: The Times.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-433268,00.html
(Reference: Ruth
Gledhill. (Wednesday, October 02, 2002)
Church rift over
homosexuality set to resurface. UK: The Times.)
October
02, 2002
Church rift over homosexuality set to resurface
By
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent
ARCHBISHOP
Rowan Williams’s candid refusal to affirm the Church of England’s traditional
teaching against sex outside marriage will arouse new fears of a schism over
homosexuality.
The
issue will be on the agenda today when leaders of the Church Society, England’s
most senior evangelical organisation, meet Dr Williams at his home in Newport
to discuss similar fears to those held by the evangelical group Reform.
The
leaders of Reform gave warning of “raised tensions” throughout the Church as a
result of Dr Williams’s liberal stance on the issue. Evangelical parishes are
expected to write to their own diocesan bishops to demand their views.
Where
bishops take a liberal stance, parishes could seek alternative oversight from a
more traditional suffragan or retired bishop.
“It
is going to make life in the Church of England more difficult,” the Rev Rod
Thomas, a spokesman for Reform and priest-in-charge of Elburton, Plymouth,
said. “Parishes will want to distance themselves from those who do not hold to
the authority of Scripture and associate themselves more with those who do.”
He
said he knew of no one who was planning to leave the Church, “but within the
Church relationships are going to become more strained”.
Anglican
teaching on the issue remains confused as bishops seek to maintain unity
between liberal, evangelical and traditionalist clergy.
Dr
George Carey, who retires as Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of this month,
recently issued a stinging rebuke to liberal bishops with a warning that the
Anglican Church was on the brink of a fundamental split over homosexuality.
Before
Dr Carey retires, Church of England bishops will debate a draft follow-up to
the controversial 1991 document Issues in Human Sexuality,
which ruled out practising homosexual relationships for clergy but permitted them for
lay people.
The
follow-up draft, drawn up by a group of bishops headed by the Bishop of Oxford,
the Right Rev Richard Harries, is understood to bolster the conclusions of the 1991
document. It is unlikely to allay the concerns of those who accused the bishops
of double standards, however.
Dr
Williams, who as Archbishop of Wales has not had to sign up to it and who has
admitted ordaining a practising homosexual, is among the bishops who have been
most critical of the 1991 document.
Dr
Williams said that to
permit stable homosexual relations among laity but not clergy was a
contradiction that could not be
sustained and forced clergy to be duplicitous.
“If the Church’s mind is that homosexual behaviour is intrinsically
sinful, then it is intrinsically sinful for everyone,” he said in July last year. He also said that the Bible did not necessarily support a ban on
homosexual partnerships.
In
1998 the Lambeth Conference, the ten-yearly meeting of bishops and archbishops
of the worldwide Anglican Communion, agreed a resolution that declared homosexual practice was “incompatible with
Scripture” and ruled out the ordination of practising homosexuals. The conference demanded sexual abstinence from all who were unmarried.
Dr
Williams was one of nearly 200 bishops from around the world who later signed a
pastoral statement apologising for “any sense of rejection” felt by lesbian and
gay Anglicans and insisting that the Lambeth Conference resolution was not the
last word.
But
in July this year, immediately after his appointment was announced, he wrote to
all the Primates of the Anglican Communion to reassure them that his personal
opinion on the ordination of practising homosexuals had “no authority beyond
that of an individual theologian”. He accepted that the Lambeth Conference
resolution reflected the “mind” of the Anglican Communion.
263. Sperry, Paul. (Wednesday,
October 02, 2002) Islamohomophobia. USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29126
(Reference: Sperry, Paul. (Wednesday, October 02, 2002) Islamohomophobia. USA:
WorldNetDaily.com.)
Islamohomophobia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted:
1:00
a.m. Eastern
©
2002 WorldNetDaily.com
WASHINGTON
– It's really no surprise that Johnny bin Walker's alleged gay Pakistani lover
now denies their tryst reported in Time. Pakistan is the last place a
homosexual would want to be outed.
Sodomy carries the death penalty
there, according to Amnesty International.
Earlier
this month, a Pakistani religious school teacher who sodomized a student was so
afraid another student would tell police what he witnessed that he cut out the
13-year-old boy's tongue with a razor.
Pakistan isn't the only Muslim state where homosexual acts are punishable by death. It's also Islamic law in Sudan, Afghanistan,
the Chechen Republic, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, says
Amnesty International.
Islam's
apologists on the left must have skipped over that chapter in their
human-rights guides.
Gay-rights
lobbyists in San Francisco, New York and Miami who think America is backward
because it doesn't see the need for extra-constitutional favors for
homosexuals, and even barbaric because it allows some states to still keep
anti-sodomy laws on their books, will take little comfort in knowing that stoning and beheading sodomites might be the first order of business if Muslims
succeed in their secret agenda of replacing the U.S. Constitution with the
Koran.
The Koran is far more severe in its condemnation of homosexuality than
the Bible.
The
Muslims' sacred book calls it an indescribable "sin and crime,"
and clerics interpret
from Muhammad's account of Sodom that it should be punishable by stoning, says Ph.D. historian Serge Trifkovic,
author of "The
Sword of the Prophet: Islam History, Theology, Impact on the World."
Thus
at least five men convicted a few years ago of sodomy by Afghanistan's shari'a
courts were lined up under tall stone walls and then buried under the rubble as
the walls were collapsed on top of them, according to a 1998 Amnesty
International report.
In
January 1990, at least three homosexual men and two lesbians were publicly
beheaded in Iran, Amnesty International says.
Trifkovic
says Iran has executed as many as 4,000 homosexuals since 1979's Islamic
revolution.
Iran's shari'a is
clear on gay punishment.
The Islamic Penal Law Against Homosexuals,
approved in July 1991 and ratified in November of that year, states
in Article 110:
"Punishment for sodomy is killing; the shari'a judge decides on how to
carry out the killing."
Lesbians
are given more leniency – to a point.
Article 129: "Punishment for lesbianism is 100 lashes for each
party."
But
Article 131 adds, "If the act of lesbianism is repeated three times and punishment
is enforced each time, the death sentence will be issued the fourth time."
Last
year in Saudi Arabia, six homosexual men were executed on charges of deviant sexual behavior. Some were flogged beforehand.
In addition to the Koran, many hadiths condemn liwat, or homosexual
intercourse, Trifkovic says.
"When a man mounts another man, the throne of God shakes," says one. "Kill the one that is doing it and also kill the
one that it is being done to."
Homophiles
who gush tolerance for Islam may argue that these are merely the ancient
practices of Third World countries that have yet to catch up with modern
civilization. Certainly, they reason, Muslims in America are more enlightened
about homosexuality and tolerant of homosexuals.
Don't
be so sure.
According
to a Zogby International poll of American Muslims taken in November and
December of last year, a whopping 71 percent oppose "allowing gays and
lesbians to marry legally." And 68 percent support the death penalty.
But
don't worry, Islam is a tolerant, nonviolent religion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul
Sperry is Washington bureau chief for WorldNetDaily.
264. Myers, Steven Lee. (Tuesday, October 01, 2002) A Russian Lama's Body,
and His Faith, Defy Time. USA: Ivolginsk
Journal, The New York Times Company.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/01/international/europe/01BUDD.html
(Reference: Myers,
Steven Lee. (Tuesday, October 01, 2002)
A
Russian Lama's Body, and His Faith, Defy Time. USA: Ivolginsk Journal, The New York Times
Company.)
IVOLGINSK
JOURNAL
A Russian Lama's Body, and His Faith, Defy Time
By
STEVEN LEE MYERS
VOLGINSK,
Russia — A miracle has occurred here in Siberia. Or it may be a hoax. Others
believe science can explain it. It is a question, it seems, of faith.
The
story begins in 1927, when a spiritual leader of Russia's Buddhists
gathered his students and announced his plans to die. The leader, Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov, the 12th Pandito Hambo Lama,
then 75 and retired, instructed those gathered around
him to "visit and look
at my body" in 30 years.
He
crossed his legs into the lotus position, began to meditate and, chanting a
prayer for the dead, died.
The
years that followed were difficult for all faiths in Russia, including the
Buddhists here in Buryatia, a rugged, impoverished Siberian region on the Mongolian
border. The Soviet Union, under Stalin, repressed most manifestations of
religion, executing
hundreds of lamas and destroying 46 Buddhist temples and monasteries.
After
World War II, Stalin relented somewhat and allowed the Buddhists to rebuild their
monastery outside Ivolginsk, along a low, desolate valley 22 miles from Buryatia's capital, Ulan-Ude. But religious
practice remained tightly restricted.
When
the 30 years had passed — it might have been 28; the details are murky —
Itigilov's followers did what he had asked, exhuming his remains from a
cemetery in Khukhe-Zurkhen.
What
they found, as the story goes, was Itigilov's body, still in the lotus position, still perfectly intact,
having defied nature's imperative to decay.
Stalin
was dead, but Soviet power remained absolute, and so the Buddhists reburied
Itigilov — and the secret — in an unmarked grave, packing his wooden coffin with salt. (That may be important, or not.)
"Nobody
could talk about it then," said the current Pandito Hambo Lama, the 25th, Damba Ayusheyev. "To bring him back to the temple — it was forbidden, impossible.
So he was put back."
Unlike supreme Tibetan lamas, who are considered reincarnations of
previous lamas and are enthroned for life, Pandito Hambo Lamas are elected by
other lamas, serve relatively short terms and are free to step down.
The
story might have ended with the reburial had not a young lama, Bimba Dorzhiyev,
turned his curiosity for history into a quest to resolve the mystery of
Itigilov.
He
found an 88-year-old
believer, Amgalan Dabayev,
whose father-in-law had been there when the coffin had been opened and who
himself had seen Itigilov. He led them to the grave.
On
Sept. 11, 75 years after Itigilov's death, the body was once again lifted from
the earth. This time there was a record of the event: a dozen witnesses,
including two forensic experts and a photographer.
The
lamas who opened the coffin wore surgical masks, but they need not have. Itigilov's body remained preserved.
The
current Hambo Lama ordered the body brought to Ivolginsk, where it was greeted
with fanfare, ringing bells and lulling chants. He ordered the body placed on
the second floor of one of the monastery's four temples, where it remains
today, secreted behind heavy curtains and locked doors.
The
monastery's 150 students keep a vigil on the first floor, praying around the
clock, though only
the lamas may see the body.
"To
me it is the greatest miracle in life," said Hambo Lama Ayusheyev, the
spiritual leader since 1995. "It turns out there are things on which time has no power."
The 12th Hambo Lama was born in 1852 in Czarist Russia and orphaned early, according to the Buddhists' history. At 16 he
studied to become a lama and served in several monasteries in Buryatia. In 1911
he was nominated along with nine other candidates to become the Hambo Lama and
he was ultimately appointed by the czar's governor in Irkutsk.
During his time as Hambo Lama, Itigilov is said to have strengthened
the faith, especially among the Buryats, a nomadic people of Mongol descent who
have lived in the region for more than 30 centuries. He published religious
tracts and teachings and united many of the religion's factions.
Most
of Russia's Buddhists — estimated today at one million — adhere to the "yellow hat" sect that is
predominant in Tibet. The Dalai Lama is their highest spiritual
leader.
In
the years since the Soviet collapse, Buryatia has remained a republic of the
Russian Federation. Across Russia the Buddhists have begun to thrive again,
rebuilding lost temples, opening schools and attracting new followers, even
among ethnic Russians.
The Ivolginsk monastery is Russia's Lhasa,
attracting hundreds of believers a day to its temples and monuments. Hambo Lama Ayusheyev said he had not yet
decided what to do with Itigilov's body, but others say it will become a relic
that will attract still more visitors.
In Moscow, Vladislav L. Kozeltsev, an expert at the Center for
Biomedical Technologies, the institute that keeps the body of Lenin — who died
in 1924 — in state on Red Square,
said the salt in the
coffin might have slowed the decay
but could not alone explain the preservation of the lama's body.
Other
factors may include the soil
and the condition of the coffin.
More likely, Mr. Kozeltsev said, Itigilov suffered from a defect in the gene that hastens the
decomposition of the body's cellular structure after death.
He
added, "You cannot
rule out some secret process of embalming."
Hambo Lama Ayusheyev
says the body was preserved because Itigilov achieved a heightened state of existence through meditation known as shunyata, or emptiness.
He
acknowledged that there would be skepticism. When greeted with it, he relented
on his own order and led a visitor into the temple, up a flight of narrow
wooden stairs, past a locked door and into the darkened chamber where Itigilov sits atop a simple table, surrounded
by candles and metal bowls holding oils.
The lamas have dressed his body in a golden robe, with a blue sash laid
across his lap. His eyes are closed, his features blurred, though the shape of
his face and his nose certainly resemble the 1913 photograph. His hands remain
flexible, his nails perfectly trimmed. His skin is leathery but soft. His head
is still covered in short-trimmed hair.
"Many people don't see what's obvious," Hambo Lama Ayusheyev
said. "Many people won't understand even if they see him."
265. Belinda Goldsmith. (Tuesday, June 18, 2002) Beam me up mate! Aussies
make teleporting a reality. India: Indian
Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=4541
(Reference: Belinda
Goldsmith. (Tuesday, June 18, 2002)
Beam me up
mate! Aussies make teleporting a reality. India: Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay)
Ltd.)
Beam me up mate! Aussies make teleporting a reality
Belinda
Goldsmith
Canberra,
June 17: In a breakthrough out of the realms of Star Trek, scientists in
Australia have successfully teleported a laser beam of light from one spot to
another in a split second but warn: don’t sell the car yet.
A
team of physicists at the Australian National University said on Monday they
had successfully disembodied a laser beam in one location and rebuilt it in a
different spot about a metre away in the blink of an eye. ‘‘In theory there is
nothing stopping us from doing it but the complexity of the problem is so huge
that no one is thinking seriously about it at the moment,’’ Lam told a news
conference. However Lam said science was not too far from being able to
teleport solid matter from one location to another.
‘‘My
prediction is...it will probably be done by someone in the next three to five
years, that is the teleportation of a single atom,’’ said Lam, who has worked
on teleporting since 1997.
But
he said humans posed a near-impossible task as we are made up of zillions of
atoms — quantified by a one with 27 zeroes — so forget Star Trek where the
Starship Enterprise crew step into a transporter, vaporise, then re-assemble
elsewhere. The laser beam was destroyed during teleporting which is achieved
using a process known as quantum entanglement. The breakthrough opens up
possibilities for future super-fast and super-secure communications systems,
such as quantum computers over the next decade. (Reuters)
266. Grewal, Manraj. (Thursday,
October 03, 2002) Anonymity starring Richard
Gere and Goldie Hawn. India: Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=10606
(Reference:
Grewal, Manraj. (Thursday, October 03, 2002)
Anonymity
starring Richard Gere and Goldie Hawn. India: Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.)
Anonymity starring Richard Gere and Goldie Hawn
Life
goes on in Dharamshala: Nobel Laureate, filmstars discuss Nature of Life
Manraj
Grewal
Mcleodganj, HP, October 2: The subject was the
star, the stars mere observers. But when talk centres on the Nature of Matter,
the Nature of Life, and the presiding deity is none other than His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the celeb quotient does cease to exist.
So
Hollywood heart-throbs Richard Gere, dashing in an
olive T-shirt, and Goldie
Hawn, floating around in a sheer
golden cape, occupied the humble position of mere observer.
So,
too, did Dan
Goleman, author of The Emotional Intelligence, while Nobel laureate physicist Steven Chu
and Eric Lander, a leading genome expert, were pegged a rung
higher as participants here today.
A
gathering with enough star power to generate mass hysteria elsewhere but here
at McLeodganj, where life flowed at its placid pace. No heads turned when Gere
and Goldie decided to walk to the Chonor guesthouse, a good 10 minutes from the
Dalai Lama’s residence, after the morning session on Day 3.
Only
a group of urchins showed any interest, but their sights were trained on the Rs
500 notes Boston Russel, Hawn’s 19-year-old son, was distributing with the best
karma.
Back
in the office of the Dalai Lama, his man Friday, the Venerable Lhakdor, tried to put things into perspective. ‘‘It’s
the dialogue that should be your focus, not the people.’’ Adam Engle, the
brains behind the US-based organisers Mind and Life Institute,
nodded vigorously. So did Gere, every bit as good-looking in real life in the
reel.
Unhappiness, he said, was what had propelled him towards Buddhism aeons
ago. But wasn’t he rich, handsome and super-successful, all that was required
to be happy? ‘‘You know better’’, he said, waving a hand. His goal is that of
Everyman: to attain happiness and cultivate compassion.
Which is why he finds no difference between McLeodganj and Hollywood.
‘‘People are the same everywhere, with the same emotions.’’
Yes, he admitted, Dharamshala could do with a clean sweep. Two years
ago, his foundation tried to do it, but to no avail. ‘‘I thought things would change, we would have
one-way road, covered sewers, but nothing has changed, nothing except the DC,
health officer...’’
Which
is when you realise that Gere isn’t your ordinary tourist, he knows the town’s
babudom inside out. Also the people. Hence, the knowledge that they alone could help themselves. ‘‘I don’t have that kind of time’’, he
shrugged, trotting back to the conference hall.
Goleman
had a few moments, just enough to tell you that the last such dialogue in March
2000 gave him the staple for his book Destructive Emotions, due for release
next January. It also gave an impetus to research on meditation at Harvard,
which proved that people
who meditate have much higher positive emotions than the normal.
Goldie
Hawn, who’d taken a short break for tea, vouched for it. A self-confessed
Indophile — ‘‘I feel happy, and at home here’’ — she called meditation her
daily fix. ‘‘It helps me marshal my mind, choose the right from wrong, become a
more compassionate person.’’
Later,
sitting in the tankha-covered room, soaking in the sage dialogue, you realise
it’s this C-word that binds these scientists, actors and monks together. Chu, a
professor of physics at Stanford and a believer in no religion with a name, put
it into words when he said: ‘‘All of us agree with the Dalai Lama’s belief that
we should develop
compassion for the world around us, for doing good is good for us as well.’’
But
it was His Holiness who had the last word: No action, he declared, was good or bad, it’s the motivation that
counts. Using that as the
yardstick, the gathering, with the monks on the one hand and the scientists on
the other, discovered that there was really no dichotomy between science and religion. None at
all, if both were used for the human good. That is the bottom line.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Personal Review
Which is why he finds no difference between McLeodganj and Hollywood.
‘‘People are the same everywhere, with the same emotions.’’
So it is only a matter of having access to the right technology,
devices, internet etc, for a criminal to evolve into similar lines to that in
the US. It also shows the urgent requirement to implement similar criminal laws
in India also. Technology, access to information, was what that hindered the
evolution. Now the internet, internet shopping etc nullifies the evolution
barrier into a high-tech criminal.
267. Plato., Jowett, Benjamin. (Trans.) (380
B.C.E ) Ion. The Internet Classics Archive.
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/ion.html
(Reference: Plato., Jowett, Benjamin. (Trans.) (380 B.C.E
) Ion. The Internet Classics Archive.)
268. Brazelton, Dr. T. Berry. (Wednesday, July 31, 2002)
Hypersensitive child needs to learn to stand on his own. New York, USA: New York Times Syndication Sales.
http://www.detnews.com/2002/homelife/0208/07/d03-549684.htm
(Reference: Brazelton,
Dr. T. Berry. (Wednesday, July 31, 2002)
Hypersensitive
child needs to learn to stand on his own. New York, USA: New York Times Syndication Sales.)
Hypersensitive child needs to learn to stand on his own
By
Dr. T. Berry Brazelton / New York Times Syndication Sales
Dear Dr. Brazleton: My 4
1/2-year-old son is very
sensitive. I'm a stay-at-home mom, and he's very attached to me,
though he goes to Pre-K three days a week.
There's a problem with the way he treats
adults and family members when I am present. He will not greet them, even when they are talking to him.
When he was younger, we swept it under the
rug or we talked for him -- even though he is quite capable and is very verbal with his father and me.
This situation is now getting embarrassing.
Dear Reader:
It sounds as if your son has a shy temperament and is hypersensitive to new situations. You need to help him learn how to face the
world in spite of this.
It can help to prepare him ahead of time for
such situations. Promise him that he can clutch your hand but explain that you
want him to learn how to greet people and make them like him.
Practice it at home. Practice it with
someone he knows. Ask him to watch for the smile and the happiness on someone's
face when he can let himself say hello to them or shake their hand.
Let him learn how to gradually manage these
steps for himself and watch for his pride when he can.
A child like this is likely to
feel more sure of himself and, as a result, more ready to face the world when
he knows that his parents can accept him as he is. A shy, fearful or hypersensitive child certainly can lead a parent to try to buffer him from the environment
that challenges him. But a parent's efforts, as necessary as they
may be at first, ultimately can hinder a child's efforts to learn to manage the
world on his own. This can reinforce his sense of vulnerability.
Sooner or later, it becomes necessary to help him learn to turn to
himself, rather than to his
parent, to
find the protection and coping he needs.
Write
to Dr. T. Berry Brazleton, care of the New York Times Syndication Sales, 122 E.
42nd St., New York, NY 10168. Questions also may be sent by e-mail to [email protected].
269. PA News. (Friday,
October 04, 2002) UN urges Government
to ban smacking. UK:
The Times.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1-435955,00.html
(Reference: PA
News. (Friday, October 04, 2002) UN urges
Government to ban smacking. UK: The Times.)
October
04, 2002
UN urges Government to ban smacking
by
PA News
The
United Nations today urged the Government to change the law which allows
parents to smack their children.
In
its report on the UK’s record of protecting children it said the Government
should outlaw all corporal
punishment in the family.
The
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said it "deeply regrets" the
UK retained the defence of "reasonable chastisement"
despite the recommendations a damning report it published in 1995.
The
ten-member group of international child welfare experts recommended that the
Government should instead promote "positive, participatory and non-violent" forms of
discipline.
It
said there should be a public education programme to stress the negative
effects of corporal punishment.
A
spokesman for the children’s charity the NSPCC said: "The UN’s report is
absolutely right. UK law on this issue is wrong. It doesn’t protect children
from being hit and the Government should act immediately on the
recommendations.
"The
1860 law of ‘reasonable chastisement’ is well past its sell-by date. It sends
out a dangerous message to parents that hitting children is acceptable and
safe, which it is clearly not.
"It
works in other countries. Children in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and many other countries are
protected from being hit by law, why
not here too?
David
Hinchcliffe, Labour MP for Wakefield and chairman of the Commons Health
Committee, said: "Article 19 of the UN Convention clearly requires the
Government to protect children from all forms of physical violence and our law
as it currently stands simply does not do this."
The
Government disappointed campaigners last November when it announced it would
not change the law allowing "reasonable chastisement" of children,
covering England and Wales.
It
has also been criticised for ignoring calls for a Children's Rights
Commissioner for England despite the post being established in Wales with
Northern Ireland and Scotland in the process of doing the same.
John
Denham, Minister for Young People, rebutted claims that the Government was not
doing enough to protect children.
He
said: "The vast
majority of parents believe, whether they smack their children or not, that a mild smack is a reasonable thing to do.
"Bringing the criminal law into this area of the difficult job of
bringing up children is not the right thing to do."
He
said that it was a "nonsense" to suggest that the law allowed violent
assaults on children.
"What
I think what we'd all want to do is to reduce smacking as much as possible, but
we do that not by bringing the police or the criminal law into this but
by...working with parents to support good parenting to show what the options
are, the different ways
of dealing with disciplining a child,
other than smacking."
The
Government had never believed that the UN Convention required the UK to
absolutely outlaw smacking. It was unconvinced by arguments for a children's
rights commissioner in England, he said, but would keep an open mind.
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Personal Review
Disciplining, taming, beating, smacking, torturing etc are hard ways to subdue, to soften, to
convert an arrogant person to a submissive person. The person can be young or
old, man or woman. In short, the conversion of a “goat” to a “sheep”. Soft ways
are higher education, meditation etc.
Also refer section Dual Mind in Volume 1 for more of soft and hard ways of cooling mind.
Some are tamed with
a stick, or hook or whip, I was tamed without a stick or weapon, by a
such like one.
(Reference: 231)
24
He who spares the
rod hates his son,
but
he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
- Proverbs 13:24 :: New International
Version (NIV)
From a different angle, if we take He as the invisible Lord and son as any
organism, then a strange meaning opens up. The suffering or pain of man or any
organism is a form of disciplining by the loved One, the Lord.
270. Jhumari Nigam. (Friday,
October 04, 2002) You gotta have
faith! Ahmedabad, India:
The Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?art_id=24191359
(Reference: Jhumari
Nigam. (Friday, October 04, 2002) You
gotta have faith! Ahmedabad, India: The Times of India.)
You gotta have faith!
TIMES
NEWS NETWORK [ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2002
09:46:36 PM ]
JHUMARI
NIGAM
“ONE
of my friends used to sneak out with her boyfriend in the name of Navratri. Her
parents got to know about it and her long-time affair came to an end. She could
neither win back her love nor her parent’s faith,” recalls Kavita Kothari, a
20-year-old collegian who feels restrictions bring discipline to your life.
For
those who are usually restricted, though, Navratri is freedom! Late night
outings, queueing at food joints, going out on long drives, dressing up for the
night bash (and, no it ain’t a secret anymore — getting intimate under the starlit
night) are much-awaited.
Sometimes,
through the
generation gaps, there are cases where transparency of thoughts between parents
and their children has made their relationship stronger. Freedom comes with a sense of responsibility is what Kalpana Gandhi, mother of 20-year-old
Palak feels.
“With
mom, I don’t have to keep a check on time, but with friends I have to be alert
all the while,” says Palak Gandhi. Kalpana Gandhi enjoys her daughter’s company
at Navratri.
The
recent upheavals have made some apprehensive about safety. Says Chandni Joshi,
a collegian, “It’s better to be home early than to give sleepless nights to
your family members.” Her mother Devi Joshi adds, “I trust my daughter
completely but I don’t trust others. Going out with male friends is fine with
me but only with those guys who are known to me.”
Shilpa
Shah, a teacher and mother of two, feels that life is a risk, “Children should
be given opportunities to realise their responsibility. Putting a little faith
in their decisions will help you understand them better. ”
Then,
the age-old question — to be(lieve) or not to be(lieve) remains. How do you
play it?
271. Muslim anger at Prophet
slur. (Monday, October 07,
2002) UK: BBC News.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2304179.stm
(Reference: Muslim anger at
Prophet slur. (Monday, October 07, 2002) UK: BBC News.)
Monday,
7 October, 2002, 00:55 GMT 01:55 UK
Muslim
anger at Prophet slur
Falwell
has caused offence at home and abroad
Iran
has added its voice to growing protests over a conservative Christian
evangelist in the United States who has described the Prophet Mohammed as a
"terrorist".
On
the issue of bigotry, silence equals consent
Council
on American-Islamic relations
The
Reverend Jerry Falwell, a leading member of the Southern Baptist Convention,
said in a US television interview that Mohammed was a violent man and a man of
war.
"This
insult to the holy Prophet Mohammed by a Christian priest is part of a
propaganda war by the US mass media and the Zionists," Iranian Foreign
Minister Kamal Kharazi said.
Mr
Falwell has also been denounced by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
and Muslim groups in the US who urged mainstream American leaders not to remain
silent.
The
interview with Mr Falwell was shown on CBS television's "60 Minutes"
programme.
Inflammatory
Falwell:
No stranger to controversy
"I
think Mohammed was a terrorist. I read enough...by both Muslims and non-Muslims
(to decide) he was a violent man, a man of war," Mr Falwell said.
"In
my opinion, Jesus set the example for love, as did Moses, and I think Mohammed
set an opposite example."
Mr
Falwell is well-known for his inflammatory statements.
Last
year, he was widely criticised for saying pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays
and civil liberties groups had contributed to the moral decay of the United
States, angering God who allowed the 11 September attacks to happen.
He
later apologised.
There
are between two and six million Muslims in the US
Other
conservative Christian leaders have also made controversial remarks about Islam
in the past year, including TV evangelist Pat Robertson who labelled it a
religion that sought to control, dominate or destroy others.
Ibrahim
Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said: "Anybody is free
to be a bigot if they want to. What concerns us is the lack of reaction by
mainstream religious and political leaders who say nothing when these bigots
voice these attacks."
'Ignorant'
Speaking
in Tehran, Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi urged Islamic nations not to
remain silent in the face of "such unashamed accusations".
They
must not, he said, permit "the clash of religions and civilisations sought
by the expansionist and aggressive Zionists".
In
Malaysia, Dr Mahathir said only an ignorant person would make such a remark and
he urged Muslims not to take the matter too seriously.
"I'm
not going to accuse all Christians, only one person made such a
statement."
272. The
Ten Precepts. dasa-sila. (Revised:
Thursday, March 14, 2002) accesstoinsight.org.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dasasila.html
(Reference:
The Ten Precepts.
dasa-sila. (Revised: Thursday, March 14, 2002) accesstoinsight.org.)
The Ten Precepts. dasa-sila
These
training rules are observed by novice monks and nuns. They are derived from the
Eight Precepts by splitting the precept concerning entertainments into two
parts and by adding one rule prohibiting the handling of money.
A fully-ordained monk
(bhikkhu) observes the
227 rules of the bhikkhu Patimokkha; a fully ordained nun (bhikkhuni) would
observe the
311 rules of the bhikkhuni Patimokkha.
273. Falwell, Jerry. (Saturday,
June 15, 2002) Muhammad, a 'demon-possessed pedophile'? USA: WorldNetDaily.com.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=27975
(Reference:
Falwell, Jerry. (Saturday, June 15, 2002)
Muhammad,
a 'demon-possessed pedophile'? USA: WorldNetDaily.com.)
274. Sexual
Averages.
http://www.sexualrecords.com/WSRaverages.html
(Reference: Sexual Averages.)
Sex education: A must read, for any man or woman, of any age, to
prevent false notion or false imagination, on varied topics like penis size,
breast size etc.
Average
Penis Size
Almost 88% of all men fall between 5-7 inches when erect, and when relaxed the majority (again, 90%) fall within 3 to 5 inches.
…
Average
Bust Size
The average bust line for American women is 35.9 inches (91.2 cm). The typical bra size is 34B, with the proportions of women's cup sizes breaks down to the following: A-15%, B-44%, C-28%, D-10%, while the remaining 3% are AA, AAA, DD and beyond. Interestingly, manufacturers of women's clothing agree that the average American woman's bust size has expanded in recent decades, if only by fractions of an inch, due to improved diet and birth control pills.
…
Average
Sperm Length
4 microns.
Average
Sperm Concentration
20 million sperm per
milliliter.
Average
Seminal Alkalinity
7.0 to 8.0 on the pH
scale.
Average
Durability of Sperm
Sperm typically survive
48 hours within the female body.
Average
Number of Sperm
300-500 million sperm are
released every ejaculation, and 1.2 trillion sperm are produced during a man's
lifetime.
…
Average Age of Menarche (Onset of
Menstruation)
12.5 years. Interestingly, a study in 1962 showed
that this age has decreased by four months every decade since 1830.
Average Menstrual Flow
Approximately 50 to 175 cc., or one-quarter to
one-half a cup.
Average Menstrual Cycle Duration
28 days.
Average Period Duration
5 days.
Average Age of Menopause
48-49 years.
…
Average
Time to Orgasm (male)
Kinsey found that 75% of all males reach orgasm within 2 minutes of penetration, and felt that it was normal, though he does note that it "may be most unsatisfactory to a wife who is inhibited or natively low in response." Way to state the obvious, doc.
Average
Duration of Orgasm (male)
3-5 seconds.
Average
Time to Orgasm (female)
Females in Kinsey's studies averaged a little less than 4 minutes to reach orgasm during masturbation, though for coitus it took anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes.
Average
Duration of Orgasm (female)
5-8 seconds. Orgasmic contractions in both sexes occur at intervals of 0.8 seconds.
275. Phillips,
T Y. (Saturday, October 19, 2002) Wife's
motives in biting disputed. The Modesto Bee.
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/4857059p-5870211c.html
(Reference: Phillips,
T Y. (Saturday, October 19, 2002) Wife's motives
in biting disputed. USA:
The Modesto Bee.)
Wife's
motives in biting disputed
Photo
Kelli
Pratt
October
19, 2002 Posted:
By
TY PHILLIPS
BEE
STAFF WRITER
A
mother defended her daughter on Friday, saying it was sheer exhaustion and not anything to do with sex that led to the
daughter's biting attack on her feeble husband.
The
65-year-old man died six days later. Preliminary autopsy results show that the
attack may have contributed to his death, a spokesman for the Stanislaus County
coroner's office said.
Kelli
Pratt's mother, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid further publicity, said
her 45-year-old daughter suffers from health problems of her own: She has
cerebral palsy, and she is a former Easter Seals poster child.
"She
was very devoted to being near him in what I would call his debilitated state," Pratt's mother said by telephone.
"She was well aware of the fact that her husband was ill, and she
respected that. When I saw her today, she told me this definitely didn't happen
over sex."
That is not what Arthur Pratt told police in a videotaped interview in
the wake of the Oct. 7 attack.
Pratt, who died six days later at Doctors Medical Center, said his wife bit him about 20 times after he said
he was too weak to have sex,
Detective Al Brocchini said.
Officers
called to the house saw lesions and sores all over Pratt's body,
police said, and at first believed that they were all bites.
The autopsy revealed only two bites, both severe, on his side and
stomach.
"On one of the bites, a large chunk of meat was gone," Brocchini said. "The other bite was also severe, and the
skin had been broken. (Kelli Pratt) still had blood in her mouth
when we arrested her."
Pratt
has been in custody since the attack on charges of elder abuse, domestic violence and assault on a police
officer. She has pleaded not
guilty and is due back in court Monday.
Police
said murder charges could be filed if it is found that the assault directly led
to her husband's death.
An
official cause of death has not been determined. The preliminary autopsy results
revealed that Pratt may have died from a heart attack suffered as a result of
emotional stress and the physical assault, said Kelly Huston, spokesman for the
Sheriff's Department, which runs the coroner's office.
Arthur Pratt, who had been in and out of hospitals and rehabilitation
centers for at least the past year, suffered from all sorts of ailments.
The
alleged attack occurred at the couple's home in the 2700 block of Park Place.
The
Pratts had no history of domestic violence outside of one county Adult
Protective Services report in which Arthur Pratt claimed that his wife verbally
abused him because he would not stick to his diabetic diet, Brocchini said.
Pratt
declined to be interviewed Friday on the advice of her attorney. She gave an
interview to a Sacramento television station the day before.
Pratt's
mother said her daughter's health makes it difficult for her to fully take care
of herself. The added burden of her husband's care ultimately became more than
she could handle, Pratt's mother said.
"Kelli
maintains it happened over the fact she was so stressed out," she said.
"While
he was getting care, she was home fending for herself. She just didn't get the
care she needed. I feel that she's as much a victim as Art was."
Bee
staff writer Ty Phillips can be reached at 578-2331 or [email protected].
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Main Points
- it was sheer
exhaustion and not anything to do with sex that led to the daughter's
biting attack on her feeble husband.
- his wife bit
him about 20 times after he said he was too weak to have sex
- still had blood
in her mouth when we arrested her
- (he) had been in
and out of hospitals and rehabilitation centers for at least the past
year, suffered from all sorts of ailments.
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276. Westcott,
W Wynn.
(1993) The
Chaldæan Oracles. 1st Edition. Northamptonshire,
England: The Aquarian Press. ISBN: 0-85030-334-6. Pages: 64.
http://www.esotericarchives.com/oracle/oraclez.htm
(Reference: Westcott, W Wynn. (1993)
The Chaldæan Oracles. 1st
Edition. Northamptonshire, England: The Aquarian Press.)
277. Oakland,
John S. and Followell, Roy F. (1990) Statistical
Process Control - A Practical Guide. (2ndEdition) New Delhi,
India: Affiliated East-West Press Pvt. Ltd. ISBN: 81-85336-86-5. Pages: 431.
(Reference: Oakland, John S. and Followell, Roy F. (1990) Statistical Process Control - A Practical
Guide. (2ndEdition) New Delhi,
India: Affiliated East-West Press Pvt. Ltd.)
278. Ancient
Egypt Clip Art.
http://www.mcpasd.k12.wi.us/~kms/Bookmarks/EgyptClipArt2/
(Reference: Ancient Egypt
Clip Art.)
279. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. (1999) The Customs of the Noble Ones. accesstoinsight.org.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/modern/thanissaro/customs.html
(Reference: Bhikkhu,
Thanissaro. (1999) The
Customs of the Noble Ones. accesstoinsight.org.)
280. Om Tat Sat – An article on Tantra.
(Reference: Om Tat Sat – An article on Tantra.)
Tantra
discloses secrets of Universe, material body and external power which leads to
'Siddhi'.
Tantra
is both secret and as much Sacred. Now few people know about Mantra Shastra, a
better wing of Tantra…
Philosophy
of Mantra is very simple. i.e, Sound and matter are both derivative constant If
we can reproduce sound from any matter then in the same way we can create
matter from the sound also. Mantra is medicine, Mantra is energy and can be
used for peace and Mukthi. Trinity of Mantra, Yantra and Tantra if properly
combined can create wonders and miracles.
' Truth is a myth unless
realised.'
281. Aphrodisiac haggis promotes Scotland to
couples. (Friday,
January 25, 2002) UK:
Ananova.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_504113.html
(Reference:
Aphrodisiac haggis
promotes Scotland to couples. (Friday, January 25, 2002) UK: Ananova.)
Ananova:
Aphrodisiac
haggis promotes Scotland to couples
An
aphrodisiac haggis is being launched in time for Burns Night.
Flavours
include Hot'n'Horny Devil Haggis with chilli and Cajun spices and
Heavenly Haggis with apricots,
figs and pine nuts.
The
Romantic Scotland haggis are designed for couples as they are available in
special two-person portions.
The
Daily Record says the delicacy has been developed by Lawson of Speyside.
Sales
director David Lawson said: "Chillies, curries and other spicy foods have long been viewed as
aphrodisiacs.
"Their effects - raised heart rate and, sometimes, raised
temperatures - are similar to the reactions experienced in amorous activity.
"The
Romantic Scotland haggis come in special two-person portions, just right for a
romantic meal for two."
Hotels
across Scotland will be marketing the haggis as part of a campaign designed to
attract couples for breaks.
Casia
Zaja, of Highlands Tourist Board, said: "With Burns's reputation, we're
sure he would have approved of the Romantic Scotland aphrodisiac haggis."
Story
filed: 08:25
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Personal Review.
"Chillies, curries and other spicy foods have long been viewed as
aphrodisiacs.
"Their effects - raised heart rate and, sometimes, raised
temperatures - are similar to the reactions experienced in amorous activity.
To counter that, it will be better to eat fruit and vegetables in a raw
form, as it is. Boiling some of the vegetables, reduces their vitamin content.
Imagine, you live in a forest, with less access to modern amenities like
kitchen, heating appliances etc.
raised heart rate
runs counter to the principle of pranayama, of controlled breathing.
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282.
Hotz, Robert Lee. (Friday, November 08, 2002) Neuroscientists
Mine the Depths of Emotions. USA: Los Angeles Times.
(Reference: Hotz,
Robert Lee. (Friday, November 08, 2002)
Neuroscientists
Mine the Depths of Emotions. USA: Los Angeles Times.)
In a study of how even relatively mild emotions influence mental
abilities, cognitive neuroscientists at Washington University in St. Louis
found that brain areas critical for reasoning, intelligence and other types of
higher cognition were swayed by watching a horror film or a TV comedy for as
little as 10 minutes.
Published
this year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the
brain-scanning experiment showed that the videos affected a region of the prefrontal cortex just under the
temples, thought to be important for blending cognitive tasks together with emotional
signals.
After
viewing the clips, people took simple tests of memory and mental ability. Their
performance was helped or hindered depending on how their mood had been affected by the videos.
"Mild anxiety actually improved performance on some kinds of
difficult tasks, but hurt performance on others," said psychologist Jeremy Gray, who led the
research team.
It
doesn't take a scientist to know that feelings can run ahead of common sense,
but now researchers are learning how emotions can trigger errors in judgment.
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283.
Plato., Jowett, Benjamin. (Trans.) (380
B.C.E ) Charmides, or Temperance. The Internet Classics Archive.
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/charmides.html
(Reference: Plato.,
Jowett, Benjamin.
(Trans.) (380
B.C.E ) Charmides, or Temperance. The Internet Classics Archive.)
284.
Plato., Jowett, Benjamin. (Trans.) (360 B.C.E ) Critias. The Internet Classics Archive.
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/critias.html
(Reference: Plato., Jowett, Benjamin. (Trans.) (360
B.C.E ) Critias. The Internet Classics Archive.)
285. Bromage,
Bernard. (1960)
The Occult Arts of Ancient Egypt. 2nd Impression. London: The Aquarian Press. Pages: 205.
(Reference: Bromage,
Bernard. (1960)
The Occult Arts of Ancient Egypt. 2nd Impression. London: The Aquarian Press.)
286. Swami Sivananda. (1997) Practice of Brahmacharya. (WWW Edition) Himalayas, India: The Divine Life Society.
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/brahmacharya.htm
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1997) Practice
of Brahmacharya. (WWW Edition) Himalayas, India:
The Divine Life Society.)
287. Swami Sivananda. (1998) Mind--Its Mysteries and Control. (WWW Edition)
Himalayas, India: The Divine Life Society.
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/mind.htm
(Reference: Swami Sivananda.
(1998) Mind--Its
Mysteries and Control. (WWW Edition)
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http://www.geocities.com/praisethebuddha/lordenergy/refer.html
Published
on internet:
Re-published
on internet:
Revised:
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Information
on the web site is given in good faith about a certain spiritual way of life,
irrespective of any specific religion, in the belief that the information is
not misused, misjudged or misunderstood. Persons using this information for
whatever purpose must rely on their own skill, intelligence and judgment in its
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“Thou belongest to That Which
Is Undying, and not merely to time alone,” murmured the Sphinx, breaking its muteness at last. “Thou art
eternal, and not merely of
the vanishing flesh. The soul in man cannot be killed, cannot die. It waits, shroud-wrapped,
in thy heart, as I waited,
sand-wrapped, in thy world. Know thyself, O mortal! For there is One within thee, as in all men, that
comes and stands at the bar and bears
witness that there IS a God!”
(Reference:
Brunton, Paul. (1962) A Search in Secret
Amen