From: sankar@hal.COM (Sankar Bandy)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: Bahai :: Santan Dal in Bengal?(was Re: THE NEW COVENANT (RE:RAPE,Clinton))
Date: 22 Jul 92 01:07:46 GMT
Organization: HaL Computer Systems, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: quality.hal.com

In article <1992Jul21.220132.15408@menudo.uh.edu> mece1e3@Jane.UH.EDU writes:
>>
>>
>>>You are right; however when you know you are going to get a Bahai lecture from
>>>my articles; why do you care to read them? 
>>              ----------------------------
>>
>>
>>  This is a valid question. While I do not claim to speak on behalf of
>>anyone else (although there may be a few), I personally feel that
>>religion/faith is a personal matter and should not be
>>preached/advertised. I do not believe in such propaganda where it is
>>said that 'my faith is better than yours' or 'all the problems of this
>>world will disappear once everybody follows religion X' and so on. It
>>is especially important nowadays when communal strife has been more of
>>a norm than exception.
>>  With this in view, I normally ignore all the religion based lecture
>>series - be it on Hinduism, Islam, Christianity ... which we come
>>across in SCI every now and then. But, then, why do I read yours ? I
>>guess, that is probably due to the respect that I have for you based
>>on your old articles which, IMO, were quite rational and well meaning.
>>While I do understand your enthusiasm to share your newly found wisdom
>>based on Bahaism, it is somewhat irritating for my taste to wade
>>through such advertisement everytime I want to read your opinion on
>>any particular topic. That's all. I have nothing against Bahaism or
>>any other religion, nor am I urging you to conform to my taste.
>>  Anyway, I value your contribution to SCI and hope you will continue
>>to do that.
>>
>>regards.
>>
>>
>>>>-Nilanjan
>Thanx for the complement. In short, I am tired of analyzing/preaching and
>have started acting and have a very clearly defined plan in my life. Since
>all the SCI netters will think that's a day dream there's no point in trying
>to state it. In short, I do believe that the Bahai faith has all the solution.
>However, since it says all religion are One, no forcing etc. you don't have any
>reason to fear anything from it. Any causing of dissention in the society is
>by definition prohibited. We have to lift ourselves up together,in amity, and
>in unity. So I  guess you have to stop reading my articles (-: 
>You are always welcome to join any of the
>Bahai activities regardless of your caste,class,creed,religion: don't have to
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>even believe in God; only condition ,IMHO, is no politics. I am still perfectly
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>rational; however the comments will seem irrational to you if you don't have
 ~~~~~~~~~
>the background. As Tagore said; "People interprete my writings in their own
>way; only he who keeps his eyes fixed at the God; can interprete my writings
>correctly." Similarly, unless you frame all your policies fixing your sight on
	     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>the God all is doomed to be failure. There are many other people in the world
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>who are trying to fix the problems without taking God into consideration. So I
>am perfectly happy to be on the other side of the fence.    
>Arindam

It is my misfortune to have not read Arindam Ghosh of pre-bahaullah phase.
However, I find that in the post-Bahaullah phase his rationality has taken a
backseat. Read the underlined part above, and everybody will be able to
understand how he contradicts himself. He welcomes Nilanjan to take part
in Bahai activities irrespective of faith of God and then predicts that
he will fail in everything if he does so (NOT fix his eyes on God).

I think what Arindam is saying would be taken more seriously if he omits the
Bahaullah bit at every sentance. I am not surprised that I am not the only
person who gets irritated at this style of writing. 

This, by the way, is not to take away anything from the Bahai faith. But a
faith is a faith is a faith, however gold plated it is. The difference
between the Best of Faith and the Scientific Approach is IMO that of 
a very benevolent dictatorship and DEMOCRACY.


>> sankar
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian