hinduwoman

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ma...t_frameset.htm is there a Hindu left?

Thought provoking article. I think I am on Hindu left, only the term 'left' has too much baggage attached to it.

Seraphim

Thought provoking? More like idiotic and waste of time to my understanding.

Who exactly is a Hindu? someone who pray, goes to celebration or does fasting alone?

hinduwoman

Seraphim, that is the point.
Even Hindus themselves cannot define who 'real' hindus are. I would say that basically a Hindu is someone who is steeped in the culture specifically associated with Hinduism, does not go round thrusting it in the face of everyone he meets, and is willing to call himself a Hindu.
Ruth Vinita is using the term Hindu Left to imply Hindus who are not fanatic, believing their religion provides all answers and willing to reform Hinduism.

Seraphim

Even Hindus themselves cannot define who 'real' hindus are. I would say that basically a Hindu is someone who is steeped in the culture specifically associated with Hinduism, does not go round thrusting it in the face of everyone he meets, and is willing to call himself a Hindu.

My reply : You may call it such if it fits your bill. For me, Hindu simply someone who accepted Hindusm as was of life and goes through life with such belief.

Ruth Vinita is using the term Hindu Left to imply Hindus who are not fanatic, believing their religion provides all answers and willing to reform Hinduism.

My reply : Then your friend has something wrong with himself. Saying that Hindusm holds/provides all the answers and at same time stating that Hindusm is not fanatic doesn't seems to fit with each other. Most religion (such as Christianity and Islam) became fanatic when its followers thinks that their religion holds all the answers.
And IF Hindusm hold ALL the answers to begin with, WHY does it need to be reformed later?

Waning Moon Conrad

Seraphim,

I think that Hinduwoman is saying that left wing Hindus are not fanatic and do not believe that their religion provides all answers and are willing to reform Hinduism. - Hopefully this would include deleting the caste system in the process.

I could be wrong of course but I'm sure Hinduwoman will clarify the matter for us.

Seraphim

Seraphim,

I think that Hinduwoman is saying that left wing Hindus are not fanatic and do not believe that their religion provides all answers and are willing to reform Hinduism. - Hopefully this would include deleting the caste system in the process.

I could be wrong of course but I'm sure Hinduwoman will clarify the matter for us.

My reply : Oh .... OK, a typo which leads to misinterpretation then ...

In that case, good luck to the fellow ... I wonder how the more fanatic Hindus going to react to that ...

Caste system won't be easy to delete because nowadays, it is more to Ego problem than that of a religious need. People always wants to be better than one another.

Waning Moon Conrad

Easy mistake to make. A lot of people whose first language is English misinterpret each other.

I think you're right about the caste system. There are documents on the net about how Hindu Fascists reacted when large amounts of "untouchables" converted to Buddhism. Apparently a lot of Hindus were put out by this.

Let's face it. There's only one reason for them feeling put out by untouchables becomoing Buddhists. They needed people to feel superior to.

Which is, of course, absolutely pathetic!

hinduwoman

Thanks, that is what I meant.


Caste --- I have my doubts about whether it will go away; I think it will simply morph into something else.
Caste is a matter of community and common practices and not just birth; there is also ego involved as Seraphim said. The untouchables themselves are divided into several castes who look down on each other, though they resent caste-hindus looking down on them. How do you get rid of the pleasant glow of superiority?
I forgot who said this but it went something like this --- when people despise each other, they are happy.

Seraphim

I think you're right about the caste system. There are documents on the net about how Hindu Fascists reacted when large amounts of "untouchables" converted to Buddhism. Apparently a lot of Hindus were put out by this.

My reply : I don't see why they (this Fascists group) have to be upset over someone else's choice of life. If others wish to live in another form of life, that is their choice.

BTW, what this Fascist group is about? We don't have anything like that (at least a group of people from same religion whom call themselves superior that other) in Malaysia.

Let's face it. There's only one reason for them feeling put out by untouchables becomoing Buddhists. They needed people to feel superior to.

Which is, of course, absolutely pathetic!

My reply : Then they are stupid idiots.
A Brahmin is superior because he willing to let go off everything to seek God.
A Warrior is superior because his willingness to die for others.
A Farmer is superior because his willingness to work for others.
A Merchant is superior because his willingness to seek wealthy and share it with others.

None of this superiority is brought to a person because he is from a certain clan or from certain caste, but because he has such willingness within himself. ALL this is stated in Bhavagad Gita and told countless times by people like Gandhi over and over again. WHO is this idiots to judge others just because their pathetic egos needs someone to bow to them?

Good thing I was not born and live in India, otherwise, a lot of heads will be rolling if someone asked me to bow down because he feels superior.

PS : Buddhism is a right choice next to Hindusm ... my opinion.

By hinduwoman

Caste --- I have my doubts about whether it will go away; I think it will simply morph into something else.
Caste is a matter of community and common practices and not just birth; there is also ego involved as Seraphim said. The untouchables themselves are divided into several castes who look down on each other, though they resent caste-hindus looking down on them. How do you get rid of the pleasant glow of superiority?

My reply : Then the government, media and individual people who cares about situation such as this should educate the public against such oppression. It is partially their fault as well to sit down and accept such treatment from another group.

I don't understand this part ... how does a person allow himself/herself to be looked down by another? No one who ever looked down on me ever walked out on his own ...

I forgot who said this but it went something like this --- when people despise each other, they are happy.

My reply : Doesn't make sense ... O_o

Amit Misra

Hi Hinduwoman,
You wrote:
Which is far too much like the kettle calling the teapot black (or, if you prefer a Hindu (!) simile, like a colander telling the winnowing-basket that there are holes in its (the basket's) base).
Do you find it easier to burden yourself with the baggage of Hinduism?
Prof. Ashis Nandy, Dr. Ramu Gandhi et al.'s wishy-washy, "sarva-dharma-sambhava" (equal respect for all religions) is, IMHO, no substitute for a robust, irreverant atheism. I think that the latter is a better position to contest the onslaught of the Hindu Right. Its the more difficult option, certainly, but allows for greater clarity of thought.
This "culture of shame" proposition is also rather specious. It is difficult to see how the shame that Nandy postulates does not apply to non-Hindu cultures.
I think Dr. Ruth Vanita is succumbing to nostalgia about a glorious traditions/culture that would unfortunately be reminiscent of Imperialist Japan (1900s-40s) or Nazi Germany political theory if articulated by a person less better known than her for her democratic convictions.