From: sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: Some comments on religions and religious postings in the net
Date: 14 Aug 92 15:10:56 GMT
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis Mo.

In article <1992Aug14.083020.14800@tamsun.tamu.edu> gagrawal@cs.tamu.edu (Gopal Agrawal) writes:
>In article <9208140056.AA08224@cec1.wustl.edu> sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian) writes:
>> readers to Hinduism. It is my choice to read such columns and
>> I can skip it easily and choose to read the nearby column by
>> Art Buchwald .
>
>> freedom and nothing more. If we have an open mind, we would feel
>> free to read the views put forth by others on their religions 
>> ( Arindam Ghosh, etc.) or the need for religions ( Savithri etc.)
>> Or we may choose not to read these postings or scriptures at all
>> and use our own reasoning to analyze the questions facing us.  
>>                                                        S.Pandian.
>
>The question is not whether we are free to read these postings or not.
    
    I see.

>There is no doubt that we are free to choose what we read as long as 
>it is through the form of media.

    This newsgroup is a form of media too.
    Just as we identify good articles in a newspaper by means of
 their headings, there are commands through which we can get the
 subject of articles posted in this group through which we can
 identify good articles. It is hard to define `good' articles
 though, as it is relative. In my case, I skip many articles
 posted in this group and read only selected articles.


> The debate here is on the fanaticism
                           ^^^^^^^^^^^
>that leads to genocidal tendencies. 
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
    I have not followed the debate on the net on the contradictions
 in Quran to comment on your criticism.        

   
>When a man has a sword at your neck,
>then at that time you cannot tell him that it is your wish to choose 
>whatever you want to (unless you are a masochist).

     Even if I assume that a man has a sword at my neck, I still
 enjoy the freedom to do what I want to do. He can claim my life
 if I choose not to do what he demands me to do, but not my free
 will. 

> As long as we are 
>safe behind our monitors, we really can keep an open mind.
 
    Aren't you safe behind your monitor ?

> But once 
>you are out on the street where you have to physically face such fanatics,
>you will wish at that moment that someone had taught that person the 
                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>meaning of free will. That is where this debate (flames) comes in.
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   Free will or free thinking is not something that one learns from
 others. He has to develop that by his own means, else it will be
 similar to a religious preaching. 
   I not only skip postings which are preachings but also the flames
 on them.

    
> Who 
>knows, I may meet Mr. Arindam (just an example) in person some day. 

   Theoretically anything is possible.

>Boy, will I be glad if someone can knock some sense into him right now 
>else he'll torture me with all that Bahai stuff. 

   You don't have to listen to what he says.
   Why do you wish for someone to knock some sense into him ?
 Don't you believe in yourself ?

>
>regards,
> Gopal Agrawal.
                                                         S.Pandian
                                                   sp2@cec1.WUSTL.edu
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.portuguese