January, February, March, 2003

LETTERS

Wisdom Born of 9/11 Madness

As we strive to gather the intellectual significance and cause of 9/11, there is a subtle truth to be learned, however bitter the teacher, emerging from our reflections of depth. May the seed of belief in each of us allow the harmony of tolerance to grow, knowing every path to God is sacred. May there be no room for violence within civilized mankind, holding each life form on this planet sacred. Such is the dawn of wisdom's need to learn from September 11th.

Narayani Nandhi, AAnanda27@aol.com

Priests' Decline, Whose Fault?

Regarding the trend of the decline of temple priests (Trends, Oct/Nov/Dec, 2002), the reasons are financial and social. We Hindus treat the priests like parasites, pay them a paltry sum and often insult them publicly and privately. I did some volunteer work as a priest and personally experienced contempt for the priests. Even some swamijis of various Hindu organizations poke fun at the priests. We forget their contributions. All of our Veda mantras, Agamas, Puranas and Smritis would have been forgotten but for the painstaking memorizations by generations of priests. Many temples refuse to sponsor immigration papers for the priests. So they work long hours for a pittance for a just a few months to support their family living in far-off places. Some priests change their vocation to survive. The work of a Hindu priest is tiring, both mentally and physically. Try doing simple archanas for an eight-hour shift. You will find how tiresome it is. My ancestors were priests, but none of the present generation descendants are priests. Curious, I inquired about the reason for the abandonment of the ancestral position. It is not just the money but the social outlook. Many would-be priests are turned off by the constant ill treatment and social attitude. We are all responsible for this decline and should do the needful to stop it.

Dr. Chittur V. Radhakrishnan, cvrjaya@hotmail.com

Take Some Action, Please!

Can you do some organizing to renovate all the Hindu temples and palaces in India? We should wake up to the fact that our future children will only see ruins or pictures of these temples and once-upon-a-time opulant Hindu kings' palaces. Secondly, many books, magazines and papers are being printed, especially in Kerala, where missionary activities tarnish Hinduism and Hindu Gods and saints. TV programs, dramas and movies are made showing Hindu Gods smoking cigarettes as well as drinking liquor. Can any lawyers challenge these publications and make a law that all such articles or movies be approved by a Hindu governing body? It is so sad. They are not making fun of Islam, Muslim Imams, Churches or Fathers, but happily make a mockery of Hinduism. What respect can we instill in our children when they grow up seeing these?

Radhakrishna, rk_me2@hotmail.com

Spare Us Deaths, Scandals!

Please do not slip below the cnn level of scandalized news reporting, as you have done in your Amarnath report! (Amarnath Yatra Ends; Eleven Pilgrims Killed. Source: The Hindu, HPI, August 26, 2002) In the same span of days there were many more deaths in Africa, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, New York. Why concentrate on such secondary and bad things? Rather, select news on how many had the vision of the Lord, their bliss and brotherhood, etc. Your news is supporting British brand journalism. We are expecting real news from you and not death counting or scandals without end.

Shaasa A. Ruzicka, amritasyaputra@excite.com

Good point. Next year we plan to send our own reporter. Still, we cannot be afraid to share the realities facing Hindus.

We Need Help in Europe

I'm very happy to see that there is a Hindu magazine for Hindus in the world. My name is Pirapa and I live in Denmark in Europe. I'm a 20-year-old Tamil Hindu from Sri Lanka. Here in Europe many Tamil Hindus are converting to other religions, like Jehova's Witnesses, Jesus sects, etc., and I'm very unhappy about that. But many people like me like our religion very much, and there are also many temples here in Europe. I have a dream to make a Hindu magazine, where I can tell people about Hinduism, our traditions, horoscopes, articles, questions and answers, explanations about why we do things as we are doing, etc. But I need help.

Pirapa N., Denmark, suriyan@sol.dk

School Prayer Only by Choice

i read your piece about the proposed prayer-in-school amendment (Diaspora, Jan/ Feb/March 2002). I wanted to write to clear up a few misconceptions. Though not a lawyer, I take a special interest in American church-state issues. The First Amendment covers more than "free speech." In truth it covers five areas: the right to free practice of religion, free speech, a free press, peaceful assembly and petitioning the government for a redress of grievances. Every single time the Christian Right has tried to introduce any kind of "religious freedom amendment" in this country, the amendment introduced would have had the effect of watering down the First Amendment so that the Constitution will favor Christianity above all other faiths. The simple fact is, children already have the right to voluntary prayer in our schools. Occasionally they are harassed by school administrators or teachers who don't know any better, particularly if they practice a minority religion. But there is legal redress for this. What is prohibited in our country is the state sponsorship of religious practice in the schools: i.e., teachers leading prayer before lunch, coaches leading prayer before a football game (coaches are teachers, too), or principals leading prayer over the PA system during morning announcements.

Dana Seilhan Bartlett, dana@kajunhippie.net

Bali's Gandhi Canti Dasa

The founder of Bali's Gandhi Canti Dasa Ashram (Spirited Gandhian Ashram Flourishes in Indonesia, June 1989, http:// www.hinduismtoday.com/1989/06/1989-06-07.html), Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka, is now bed-ridden with lung cancer at age 81. She has done so much very amazing and vitally important work in Indonesia, working for the women of Indonesia and spreading Gandhi's message. The ashram is at risk of possibly being sold for its high value as beach-front property. We need help to make sure Ibu's work continues after her body dies. Contact the many travelers whose lives the ashram changed. Alert followers of Gandhi or other groups whose work is in line with the ashram's. We might be able to find a few skilled people (preferably women) who would desire working at the ashram.

Meghan Lewis, meghan@livingwisdomschool.org

Teach Non-Brahmins Vedas, Too

While it is encouraging to see that brahmin girls are being initiated into the upanayana ceremony, (Starting Vedic Studies Oct/Nov/Dec 2002), it is disheartening that non-brahmin boys and girls are still excluded. Though changes have been taking place and innumerable barriers of so-called "traditions" are breaking down within the privileged caste, why not initiate the non-brahmin boys and girls into this upanayana ritual? In ancient times this ritual was open to all, as is stated in all the four Vedas. Later on the Smriti, like the Manu Smriti, confined it to a few, who became the privileged group, just by inheritance of their birth. According to the Vedas, it is not heredity that determines who is a brahmin, but rather, sattvic character and noble actions.

Mrs. Jumuna Vittal Ph.D. Mvittal@aol.com

Working for Peace from Within

Your article on the world council of Religious Leaders in Bangkok, (Diaspora, Oct/Nov/Dec 2002) reminded me that it was our Gurudeva, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, who first spoke of peace and was rightfully awarded for that at the U.N. He addressed the Buddhist monks present at U.N., from Sri Lanka, of the urgent importance of total peace in Sri Lanka. Two years later, in June, the World Council of Religious Leaders met in Thailand, and in September Norway initiated peace talks between the two warring factions of Sri Lanka, in no other place than Thailand! Personally knowing that Gurudeva was totally committed to seeing that peace is a permanent reality in Sri Lanka, I am humbled by his work behind the scene, and trust that peace will prevail forever in that war-torn country.

Thiru Satkunendran, Toronto,Canada thiru.satkunendran@sympatico.ca

Resplendent, Bold, Triumphant!

The issue on Gurudeva's life is simply resplendant (In Remembrance, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami 1927-2001, Apr/May/ Jun 2002). Very bold and trumpetic in terms of information and visual imagery. Myself and my family do respectfully bow to all of those who have worked hard to create this issue. You have done a remarkable job. May God bless you in abundance.

Kesav Mallia, India, jayaakesav@yahoo.com

Great Future for Hinduism

I am an Indian from Malaysia and bought HINDUISM TODAY from a nearby Indian grocery shop. The magazine is very good and for the first time I saw Hinduism on a global scale. The Indians in Malaysia are slowly losing Hinduism to conversion to other religions, such as Christianity and Islam. Before I read this magazine, I thought Hinduism was lost. Now I realize that the future of Hinduism is great.

Nickesh Rajandran, rnickesh@yahoo.co

Corrections:

The correct date (People, Oct/Nov/Dec 2002) of Amba Caldwell's Saiva initiation was March 31, 2002, and her initiation name is "Sadyojata" and not "Satyojata."

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