Hindu Security

[R Gitananda]

The horrific attacks at the movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado by a psychotic post-grad student and the most recent one yesterday at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin by a White supremacist army veteran (local Sikh's fear it is another case of misdirected hate) seem to have a common thread; while the patrons of the movie theatre were there to temporarily suspend disbelief, the devotees in the temple were there to express or strengthen their belief. In both cases their mindset rendered them vulnerable to the sudden shock of a brutal attack.

Let me be clear, the victims were in no way responsible for what happened in either of these incidents - the perpetrators bear full responsibility. However psychos and terrorists are taking note of the 'success' of these attacks and so the danger of further attacks is very real. Knowing this, there are some things we can do to improve our security.

I recall reading in the Ramayana about Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana negotiating through a strange patch of wilderness with Sita Devi. Their arrows were fitted to their bows and they were ready for any eventuality - they were in a state of heightened awareness. Sita Devi did not have to think about her safety, she depended upon the greatest protectors in the world; she could enjoy the beautiful sights of the forest.

If we want to relax and enjoy our life then we have to have employ highly trained and armed professionals to stay in a heightened state of awareness on our behalf. If we don't have that then we have a duty to train and arm ourselves and maintain that state of awareness for the sake of our family and community. This is my opinion and I welcome all feedback.

Hari Aum

[wundermonk]

If we want to relax and enjoy our life then we have to have employ highly trained and armed professionals to stay in a heightened state of awareness on our behalf.

Agreed. Nobody seems to realize that whatever peace and security we enjoy is so very tenuous and it takes just one martyr inspired by heavenly pleasures to destroy the picture-perfect life of thousands of us. Peace being so tenuous, it would indeed require a huge investment in terms of money, manpower and resources to have trained professionals ensuring such security. But that inevitably means that we have longer security lines at airports, spot checks on the roads, racial profiling (?), none of which really sit well with most of us. Also, whenever there is no terror attack for a long time, people are lulled into a false sense of security that terrorists themselves have gotten back to studies and agriculture (assuming these were what they were doing before being inspired to kill fellow humans) while the decrease in terror incidents is possibly due to these trained/armed professionals silently doing the filtering/elimination they need to do. So, there are invariably calls for cutting the budgets for such security programs. As long as people themselves are not victim of crimes, it is someone else's problem. If you ARE the victim of a crime, over time you basically console yourself and move on with life. So, in either case, there is no collective conscience to take this forward.

If we don't have that then we have a duty to train and arm ourselves and maintain that state of awareness for the sake of our family and community.

I completely disagree here. Guns kill. Having a gun for self-protection is just going to lead to more deaths, not less, IMO.

[R Gitananda]

namaste

This City of Houston produced video is unsatisfying on many levels but it can contribute to the conversation:

RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event
http://youtu.be/5VcSwejU2D0

Hari Aum

[McKitty]

Vanakkam,

After the shooting, the weapon shops sold more than 25% + weapons than usual.

Imagine everyone with a gun, eager to protect his family, looking at all the neighbourhood suspiciously, he become paranoid, never leave his gun, as every human being with a distressed and distorded mind, he will make a mistake.

Violence only brings violence. I live in a country where guns are not allowed. Not a single shooting of this kind happened. Of course there are occasionnally shootings beetween gangs for drug with forbidden guns from the black market, but the cops always find hideout full of guns and take them apart to destroy it.

I am not distressed each time I go out. My family is not fearing everyone that come near the house. My dad don't feel the urge to buy a gun to protect himself, or to be in a constant state of danger.

Why ? Because we don't have guns. Simple. No guns, nobody fire at you, you fire at nobody.

There are other ways to protect yourself and your family. They require iron will, cleverness and strenght. Less easier than holding a gun. But as efficient.

God is Râma, constantly at your side. He is the strenght. The gun is not a strenght.


Aum Namah Shivaya

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: The day that I have to pass an armed security guard in the United States just to worship God is the last day I will ever worship in that country.

I think the solution is obvious, but who am I to say? I'm not American.

Aum Namasivaya

[Twilightdance]

I am divided about Guns but not arms. Guns make killing exceedingly easy for anybody, but at the same time I believe it is absolutely not correct to deny human beings the right to protect oneself & clan from threats. Ayudha or Arms are also sacred, and anybody who has lifted a sword or a gun will know the surge of energy and empowerment they bring to our psyche - they are worshiped for a reason.

But then why are we so worried about random violence? Death is part of life and we will die someway or the other. If threat of daily & large scale violence and crime can be kept in check by proper governance and administration, we should be fine as a society.

Part of the problem with america is its ivory tower lifestyle. 12+6 people killed is not that big a deal if culprits can be bought to justice [unlike India]. Thousands of more people die in one region in a single day due to hunger or a random American drone strike. Its also a problem of west's inability to cope with death.

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

Yesterday a Great Soul (Mahatma) who happens to be Indian and who I regard as among the Greatest of Hindus gave me a personal answer which I think answers not only this question, but many questions, so I want to share His wisdom with you..

He said that Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Tradition, is Eternal not because individuals say so but because the Divine practices Dharma. And as the Divine is eternal so will be this Dharma practiced by The Eternal.

He told me that what I call Hinduism entails a Duty or Dharma, and that most Hindus do not understand that the Duty of a Hindu is to live selflessly in the service of God and His creation. He said that Non violence is the highest virtue because non violence means not disturbing others. He told me the most virtuous person according to Hinduism is the one who upholds this Virtue, this Duty, of non violence and not disturbing others.

This almost sounds too simple.

I bow my head to this Mahatma. This First Duty is how a Hindu can set the example.

I will not disturb others. Because I must be a Hindu, as this beautiful Man said. That is an answer, and it isn't complicated at all. There may be others who will not follow this example. Who are mad in the material world. But I can. And so I will. I will die sooner or later. I may die at the hands of another. But maybe I can still do the simple things. Of course I will do whatever it takes to protect my family. But I will be careful in how I do that.

Om Namah Sivaya

[dhyandev]

Evens gods have their own weapons,they are never alonei. i.e without the weapon
Shiv=trishul

vishnu=sudarshan,gada,sharang

durga=complete arsenal
& more

[Seeker]

Namaste,

Arming doesnt make sense - leave it to the law enforcement professionals.

I own guns and I am trained in martial arts - but in most of the situations martial arts may help more than guns .

- I cant have arms accessible to me all times and all places
- an assailant always has the element of surprise to his advantage

As I get older even martial arts may not be of much help, since even practicing few routines occasionally hurts . The only situation where I might use the guns will be to protect my family when general law and order collapses - like hurricane Katarina situation. These situations are as statistically insignificant as temple/theater shootings to justify arming oneself. On the flip side , you need to worry regarding kids getting into an accident with it , or someone else stealing them and misusing it to commit crime. This risk is real and has higher possibility.

BTW , my arms possession is an old story and I haven't touched it for a long time - not even for cleaning.