Ishwa helper Reged: 03/03/02 Posts: 553

Re: Gita: The eternal song of Love and Ultimate Wisdom [Re: vinaire] #19084 - 08/06/02 08:52 AM Edit Reply Quote

That's very interesting news, Vinaire. Lately I'm also having more conversations with openminded Muslims, Christians and 'new age followers' of different ethnicity. When discussing a critical, logical mind, they totally agree with me. At least they showed a reluctance to make a difference between 'traditionalism coupled sometimes with ritualism' and 'logical thinking. Where the two meet and where the two differ. Especially the Muslims were amazed that a non-Muslim came with data they didn't know and could check for themselves, like the pre-Islamic (pagan) features in Islam, etc.: Allah coming from al-Ila the ancient moongod, having three daughters named, al-Uzza (= strength, like Urja), al-Manat and al-Ila. The annual 'yatra', the 'pradakshina', the 'brahmodyas', the white clothes (simililarity with Indian and Irani), the number five in Hindu (Pancha Yajna) and Muslim 9praying five times a day) rituals etc etc. which resemble in a sense the Hindu ritual ceremonies. I also, carefully, discussed taboo stuff, like homosexuality in for instance Turkish armies, Arab harems, with Alexander the Macedonian, and also the the way they treated their subjects, the killings involved, how the Hindu Kush got its name changed from the original Hindu Koh, etc. We openly discussed the historical developments in the world religions, their similarities, their differences. Actually they confessed to me that whatever they knew, it was told to them by certain groups of people being advanced as the propagators of their faith, explaining the material in their respective holy places. (same for all the religions) We also discussed absolute, potential and relative reality. That was especially for the Muslims I spoke a very difficult matter. The Christian I spoke were a little more familiair with those words, through the classes they had enjoyed. The new age followers didn't have much trouble with tyhe concepts, but were, according to my understanding, a little off ground: a little of romantic escapism.