Namaste (Again)! You guys missed me didn't you?! LOL...

[TatTvamAsi]

Namaste Friends,

Thanks for the warm welcome! I am looking forward to some interesting conversations ahead of us.

Harjas Kaurji, nice to see you on here again!

Atanu, thanks for the compliment, but I assure you you are giving me more credit than I deserve. As a senior member of the forum, I look up to your posts.

Talking about politics, the Babri-Ram Janmabhoomi verdict is supposed to be pronounced on Tuesday, Sept. 28th. So, it'll be interesting to see what happens. Obviously, ASI has found evidence for a temple below the mosque but the clowns in Congress are too nervous about announcing that. Either way, justice will be served.

Saidevo, I really appreciate your words. Thanks for the compliment.

Regarding Frank Morales, I had read his diatribe against "Radical Universalism" and regarding that topic, I tend to agree with him. However, I also agree with your post (link) that he is nobody to be declaring who or what a Hindu is. The thing that irks me about him the most is his self-proclaimed title of "Acharya". Typical in my opinion but I suppose at this juncture, it is better we have more "friends" than enemies and friends for Hindus are few and far between. Since he, among other western "Hindus" like Koenraad Elst, David Frawley, and Stephen Knapp, is quite vociferous in supporting Hindu Dharma and especially Hindu Rashtra, it would be prudent of us to support them in that regard. I feel, however, that we must be careful about deifying them to any degree whatsoever and that is an all too common trait among innocent (aka gullible) Hindus.

Namaskar.

[saidevo]

namaste TatTvamAsi.

Since he, among other western "Hindus" like Koenraad Elst, David Frawley, and Stephen Knapp, is quite vociferous in supporting Hindu Dharma and especially Hindu Rashtra, it would be prudent of us to support them in that regard.

I don't say that traditional Hindus should not support Frank Morales; only that we should know his ambitions behind his ventures, which are unthinkable for a traditional DharmAchArya.

Secondly, he does not seem have a positive opinion about India that is BhArat, ancient or modern. Some of his views in this regard (emphasis added):

• Sanatana Dharma is a way of life and world-view that is also trans-geographical. Sanatana Dharma does not pertain only to India. It is not the “religion of India.” Rather, concrete evidence of Sanatana Dharma are to be found in many of the ancient cultures of the world. We see ideas and practices that are very similar to Dharma philosophy, not only in ancient India, but also in Chinese culture, Native American, Celtic, Greco-Roman, Nordic, Egyptian, Mayan, Mesopotamian, and Persian cultures, as well as many others. ( http://www.dharmacentral.com/dharmainfo/dharmafaq.php )

sd: This is a biased view. To say that SanAtana Dharma is not the 'religion of India' because it was practiced in ancient times in many parts of the world is a myopic view. Both the Shruti and SmRti vociferously confirm that SanAtana Dharma aka Hindu Dharma originated in India that is BhArat and spread all over the world. It was practiced in ancient world becuase it spread from India trans-geographically. Indifference to or denial of this great truth is a serious mistake and anyone who ignores it, cannot be called traditional.

• In his predictions he says:
http://www.dharmacentral.com/forum/s...s-That-Will-Be

14) We will witness multiple Dharma Nations emerge onto the world scene as powerful and prosperous nations that will serve as examples to the rest of the world of what nations look like when governments truly reflect the sole interests of their people.

15) India will not be the first of these Dharma Nations.

sd: What is the intention behind this statement no.15? Is it that the Western Hindus would be more powerful and religion-counscious than the native Hindus of India? Is it that all the traditional Hindu institutions with their guru-parampara spread over millenniums will come to naught? That Hindu Dharma in the traditiona sense with its emphasis on Vedas, Sanskrit and Indian classical music will no longer be practiced? That the Vedic yajnas will perish (there seems to be no such yajna conducted in the Dharma Central Ashram which professes itself to be traditional and guardian of Hindu Dharma)?

*****

Now, compare these India-exclusive views of Frank Morales with the India-central views of the other three Hindu scholars you have mentioned:

• Stephen Knapp clearly understands that the VarNa Dharma is central to Hindu Dharma, although the present caste system that derived from it is becoming more and more a threat to the unity of Hindus. ( http://www.stephen-knapp.com/casteism.htm )

• Koenraad Elst has an impartial assessment of the VarNa Dharma and Caste System here, with due recognition of the merits of the Caste System: http://elkorg-projects.blogspot.com/...full-text.html

• David Frawley in his book 'How I became a Hindu' (under the section 'Dealing with caste') has some positive ideas about the legacy and legitamacy of the VarNa System and says that the problem with the castes is the 'divisive thinking', not the Vedic VarNas.

As against this, what does our friend Morales say about varNa and caste?
http://www.dharmacentral.com/forum/c...-Caste-Bigotry

• I would urge anyone who considers themselves to be Hindu, who has any modicum of pride in our religion, or who cares in any way about preserving Sanatana Dharma to denounce the anti-Hindu caste system once and for all, and to support the banning of all caste discrimination globally.

sd: Our traditional and real DharmAchAryas have taught us that the VarNa and Caste system is not wrong per se, that people will always be divided across concepts of social status, so it is not prudent to advocate doing away with the system, but to strive for restoring its traditional values. Morales' view above does not seem any better than that of an immature poster in an Internet Forum--not in the least the contemplated view of a dharmAchArya.

More of my impressions as a traditional Hindu, about Frank Morales is posted here:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...7&postcount=67

*****

It is clear that our Western Hindus--both commons and notables--seek to denounce the Caste and VarNa system out of implicit/explicit fears about their own position if they accepted the system!

A Hindu is not required to fit into a caste (although he fits into the classification of varNAshrama by virtue of his profession and way of life) to practice SanAtana Dharma, only that it is not necessary for him/her to denounce a system that he cannot fit in or understand.

If any Hindu--Western or native--thinks that his/her spiritual merits will go unrecognized and unhonoured due to his/her social status, here is proof that this is unlikely to happen:

Dalit sage visits BrAhmin agrahAram and BrAhmin women do pAdapUja to him
http://hindu.com/2010/09/16/stories/...1659420300.htm

[Ganeshprasad]

Pranam TTA

Your straight no nonsense talk was certainly missed.
welcome back

Let us hope that Ram janmabhumi is rid of that Babri for good, the way i see it, that once upon a time there was and is Ram Janmabhumi, Babri has no place in it.

Jai Shree Krishna

[BryonMorrigan]

Welcome back, "Swami" TTA!

[prithvi]

Namaskar Ji,

Your contributions were always interesting to read, please do not forget politics though ;P

even urs contributions r awesome..an eye opening shareing by u always

btw pm bhi dekya karoo yaar ! as one question i have regarding to some religious line .. plz check it

thanks

[Shanti]

Welcome back! I like your 'right to the point' posts and while I sometimes agree and sometimes disagree, I enjoy reading things from your viewpoint.

~S