Re: Untold Potentialities: India and the Third World. by Richard Hartz (3)
by Rich on Thu 23 Aug 2007 08:40 AM PDT Profile Permanent Link
by Rich on Thu 23 Aug 2007 08:40 AM PDT Profile Permanent Link
RYD This is a volatile subject but calm introspection in the universality of the spirit is what is needed. Let's have it.
RC What I am not getting from this conversation at all is that what is being presented has been done with calm or introspection. The post from the sikh4life site is pure hysteria!
In this most recent letter the strength of the polemic and the sheer hatred of Islam and the couched desire for revenge under the myth of "victimhood" is palatable. The biased and fantastic figures which are presented with no other context then "to argue the pure evil of Islam" are first exaggerated and then cloaked by citing a historian whose writings can not be classified as academic history but rather as entertainment for the masses!
So I'd suggest if statistics and their interpretations are to be posted, please cite an authentic historical source which has been peer reviewed by a major academic journal, and for the sake of balance, at least present how the counter argument reads.
But since the view of Islamic rule in India by the current elders of the Ashram is best voice by the historian Kittu Reddy who compares Muslims to just so many hoards of locusts, I really dont see any jumping off point for an objective consideration of this issue in this forum.
My final comment on the issue is that I find nothing in Sri Aurobindo's text which espouses the attachment to such a passionate hatred of Muslims that is being presented here. And before anyone goes off in trumpeting the Gita as the battle cry against Islam, better they reconcile the fact that the battle of Kurushetra was a war fought only between Hindus!
So do not think that one can detach oneself easily from resentment and hatred because once the Islamic enemy is purged from the Motherland the flames of hatred will continue to be fanned as it turns within! rc
the reason I am up tight about the T word is that the manner it has been appropriated by Judeo-Christian neo-conservatives and neo-liberals to label vast populations whose main offense is to resist the occupation of their territories by these self-same hegemonic forces. Although the violence is to be condemned, the fact that terrorism is part of the same circuit as free market capitalism and both reinforce each other in a positive feedback loop of aggression. But as for individual instances of terrorism or psycho-pathology, which all acts of genuine terror are, I agree the technological possibilities to create mass destruction increase exponentially, it is very troubling. I am not sure about studies on this, but I am sure that the government think tanks such as the Rand Corporation has given it some thought. rich
Tusarji, I must admitted that I am at a loss to understand what this statement means -Terrorism is part of the same circuit as free market & capitalism- may be you could shed some light on it publicly. I feel the writer has the missed the whole burden, purport, warnings & chilling consequences & effects of international terrorism that we are witnessing today in this country & the world at large.
ReplyDeleteIt has to be clearly understood that there have always been active on the international plane as much as on the individual plane forces that are anti-evolutionary regressive & others which are evolutionary & progressive. International terrorism is clearly a suicidally anti-evolutionary force & its executive-hordes wish to impose a uniformely regressive & medieval system of life on the whole globe - a uniform talibanisation of the multi-racial, multi-culural composition of the present human civilisation. I think it stretching things too far & thin to equate free market & capitalist system with terrorism which complete the regressive loop, I hope i have understood it right with my limited knowlegde of situations & terms.Free market & capitalism with all their short-comings & negative fall-outs must today be looked at as progressive forces which have to be wisely encouraged & supported & spread so that cesspools of stagnation & deprivation which are one of the factors which give rise to alienation, segregation & as a result terrorism are eradicated. These are instruments which have to be used for this purpose & not be lumped & tied to a regressive loop.
As to the Islam debate, I have not had the time to read it in full, but neverthless I would like to make some points here:
. All religion need to evolve & develop a greater spirit of tolerance & work towards developing & preserving a 'multiple unity' & that is the only way forward if all have to survive & grow. Islam is no exception to this & it has to evolve a greater power of tolerance, understanding & assimilation, other religions too must also be equally forthcoming on this aspect. The one's that have always had these over ages must be careful not to lose them inspite of extreme provocation & circumstances, because a preservation of assimilation & tolerance & deeper understanding is the only hope for a way jointly-forward & one of the most effective way of tackling the scourge of terrorism today.
. But it would be worthwhile to debate also why most of those spearheading world terrorism today are doing so in the name of Islam & what could be the possible factors that drive some of the best educated & placed muslims to enlist themselves in the ranks of the international terrorists? Remember the Indian muslim from Bangalore who had the best of western education, was not deprived, was well placed & well-off & yet was motivated enough to ram a jeep at an airport terminal in the country that had allowed him to live & thrive on its soil. These are issue which need to be looked dispassionately & analysed & unraveld & international terrorism must not be treated just as any other subject & clubbed-looped with other issues, it is too serious today to be treated like this, it is the force that requires to be understood in its proper perspective & then resolutely takled transcending borders, beliefs & cultures.
. It is also to be observed that these terrorists do not bat an eyelid- to blow up a mosque full of praying faithfuls, doesn't this show that there must be a deeper angle to the thing? Therefore I suggest, that to treat terrorists & international terrorism as a subject apart today would be the best rational approach.
.Prof Kittu Reddy is not representative of the voice of the current elders of the Ashram, it would be unfair to equate his views with that of all the elders of the Ashram. He is respected & has his views to which he is entitled & which happens to be given by him in his personal capacity & not in the official capacity of the Ashram. This must be clearly kept in mind whenever a debate is initiated.
.Lastly I think it is too childish, especially for a Sri Aurobindonean, to say that the Battle of Kurukshetra was a war fought only between Hindus, it is not only brushing aside the whole of The Master's views on that event but also missing out the whole deeper symbolism & content of it. For us, we need to look at the Battle of Kurukshetra with the deeper understanding & vision that the Master bestows upon us & from there derive our strength, our balance, our guidance & our swadharma, in short to look upon it to discover the eternal guiding spirit & not with a 'pedestrian journalistic outlook.'
.And finally I would recommend the writer to read, if he has not already, two pieces of the Master, 'Social Reform' & 'Hinduism & The Mission of India', it will give him a right Sri Aurobindonean perpspective on deeper Hinduism & its essential & true mission in India & for the world.
Thank you for the opportunity to say these things!