Saturday, January 21, 2006

gopals and cults

jan 20th

apparently there are two people named gopal who write comments on this blog.

the one that has pissed off people with his bizarre comments here is a kid, a graduate student in the us. he is the one who deserves the comment about ignorance/stupidity engendering certainty.

the second, new gopal, is a different person altogether. he is the one who wants to take the battle to the other side and change the rules of the game, fine sentiments indeed.

however, as pointed out by bodhi dharma, the new gopal's blog celebrates christist kathakali! yes, christist kathakali, an oxymoron if there ever was one.

i think this is an abomination. abusing and misusing sacred hindu techniques for some false religion cum hoax-ridden imperialist cult is an outrage. this is gross cultural expropriation.

imagine if there were reciprocity: would christists modify the medieval 'passion plays' at obammergau (spelling?) to depict the moral dilemmas in the mahabharata? of course not. as seen in the CA textbook scandal or in that moron godman nikon's views, they view hinduism as false, barbaric and satanic.

i return the favor: i view their religion as false, barbaric and satanic.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Rajeev, this is something i have been wanting to tell you for sometime now. Please stop talking about the injustice against hindus in foreign lands and focus more on our plight at home. And when i say home i mean not just india but our whole motherland...the bharatabhumi.

I see and hear about all these temples being built in the US and EU, but they dont make me a bit happy. Iam not saying we shouldn't build any temples outside our Motherland, iam sure pleased by it, but what worries me is the state of things back home. What is the use of doing such things while we let our culture rot at home. What is the use renting out new spaces outside while our home is slowing being snatched from us.

To earn respect we should first have some self-respect. There is a need to reunite the motherland as much as there is one, to make it india hindu.

The plight in kerala is worsening. all thru my travel i could see the change in the landscape. there are churches in every corner. and the christians make about 40% if the populace. I fear very much for Kerala, which i love so much.

I just got back from a visit to India. and what i saw i didnt like. The sight of the energized youth makes me happy as much as the money flowing into the market. But, the cultural degredation is so gross and beyond words. I just hope, what ever the youth in India is doing is just teenage crazyness and they will return back to the indian cultural fold when they reach their 30s.

anyway... we have to fix our home first. Then think about saving NRIs.

Unknown said...

Rajeev, please stop writing about the plight of hindus or indians in otherlands and focus more on the state of affairs at home. And when i mean home i just dont mean india but our whole motherland, bharatabhumi.

When i see and hear about the various temples in the america and europe, i dont feel excited. Iam not saying we shouldnt being building temples there, it surely is a good thing. But what is the use of all that while we let our religion and culture rot at home. What glory is there in conquering spaces in foreign lands while we let our home be snatched away from us.

I just got back from a trip to india. The landscape of kerala my native state has changed drastically. I saw a lot of churches which have propped up. Christians make 40% of the populace now. That is a very fearsome state. Iam very worried for my country.

Hindus are under seige. We need to unite and save our land. There is as much a need to united the motherland as much as is there to make it hindu.

Gopal said...

Absolutely hilarious title!!

Rajeev, I admire your writings. So much so, that I have cut'n pasted your writings and e-mailed to my friends. Your interview with Sankaracharya was one of the best pieces. And that is the reason I visited your blog. But, Blog is a different world and some of the cultivated 'distance' is lost Instead it brings a spontaneity that is revealing and sometimes disillusioning. So, I wish you'd read with a bit more attention before you respond to my posts.

A line in defence of my Blog. Kathakali (Katha + kali, you understand Malayalam don't you?) is an art-form. Period. If you have a problem with an art-form presenting a story from different culture, I am sorry, I have nothing more to say.

Now, let's look at your statement "I return the favor: I view their religion as false, barbaric and satanic".

What a pathetic and emasculated response! Can you "see" why I say you are playing on "their" turf? You are being reactive, not proactive. The only way to "WIN" this war is by changing the rules of the game. But, how do you propose to change the rules if you always reply according to "their" play-book?

I do realize this was just "one" statement from you. But, this statement is a summary of how modern-Hindoos have responded to the "them" - reactive, shallow and misguided. A mob-like response to fear. A vicious-vise-grip we need to break free from.

Regards,
Gopal

PS: To those who called me names, or will do so in future, I offer my sincere Best Wishes. Having once walked in their shoes, I understand their frustration and accept being a target of "attack". Hope it acts to release their anger. At this point, I can only say, Trust me, I am one of your own.

nizhal yoddha said...

gopal, i suppose it is obvious that i am under no obligation to live up to your image of me.

i have no animosity against you as an individual, but i am spending time responding to you because you are similar to a lot of brainwashed hindus who are unwitting collaborators in the destruction of their culture.

i think this christist kathakali is an abhasam (loosely translated as abhorrent and an abomination). but i can understand that living in lubbock, texas, surrounded by christist keralites, you have come to justify in your own mind the prostitution and degradation of a sacred art form. this is part of the pathology of surrender that i talk about often.

i am delighted that you are one of those advanced souls who has gotten beyond the concerns of mere mortals, and after years of pondering have become enlightened as to the solution to problems concerning india. do tell all how you propose to solve them.

but you may want to do some research on the word 'inculturation'. this is the known tactic by which christists steal the cultures of others whom they are oppressing. this has to be done because christism basically has no culture of its own other than a) a desire to dominate nature and create deserts wherever it goes, b) absolute worship of mammon, c) imperialism.

this is how they took over the winter solstice from the druids and made it the alleged birthday of their non-existent founder. this is how they are slowly taking over the malayalam language and vedas and upanishads. there is a 'satya veda' center in trivandrum, teaching, guess what, the bible. christists these days quote "asato ma sadgamaya" left right and center, and i bet it will be marketed as part of syrian christism any day now. sort of like hindu malayali cuisine is now appropriated as 'syrian christist' cuisine. on this blog, a christist claimed in all seriousness that onam was not a hindu festival but a 'kerala festival'. you get the picture: whatever is hindu is fair game for usurpation, but their stuff is theirs. why isn't it 'kerala cuisine', but 'syrian christist cuisine'? in a word, 'inculturation'.

i dont know how it is an emasculated response to assert that christism is a false, barbaric and satanic cult. in fact, it is merely a facade for white imperialism and land-grab. the best strategists always suggest that one should try to get a clear picture of the enemy before going out to fight it. there is a famous malayalam proverb that suggests that when a buffalo is attacking you, it is not prudent to recite the vedas to it. these mahishasuras are attacking, and it is best to understand their core values based on their consistent history.

good luck in 'changing the rules of the game' -- a good idea -- but i fail to see you how you are accomplishing that by cooperating in the theft of the crown jewels of your culture.

daisies said...

Re:
good luck in 'changing the rules of the game' -- a good idea -- but i fail to see you how you are accomplishing that by cooperating in the theft of the crown jewels of your culture.

--- I Totally agree. They steal
everything, and even end up
patenting it. The strategy
seems to be:

1. appreciate/admire
2. win the other's trust
3. learn it from them
4. one fine day, patent it

before you know it, it's gone.

very stealthy. they've done it
to neem, turmeric, jeevani.

this is the general US mindset.
they seem to think there's
nothing wrong with it.

but there are many US artists
and other foreign artists who
learn art-forms from other
countries without destroying
the original culture. I have
even seen a Chinese odissi
dancer doing superb authentic
odissi.

Those are the ones who deserve
to be respected. Not the ones
doing "christist kathakali"

And I dont agree that Kathakali
is a mere art form. The art
forms of India, and many places
in the world, are very
intimately tied with religion.

Hence they are Sacred. They are
not "mere art forms".

It is this lack of
understanding
that leads to people singing
Gayatri Mantra in weird tunes
pop tunes at fashion shows,
and printing ganeshas on shoes,
thinking "it's just an image of
an elephant-man. it's just art.
anyone can use it in any way"

Gopal said...

Certainly you (or anyone for that matter) are under no obligation to live upto any false image.

Once again, you have accused me of being what I am not. Certainly you have no clue as to why those pictures are in the Blog. Rest of your story (about me) is just joining imaginary dots as seen from your arm-chair. So, I will not waste any more time on that here. E-mail me if you wish for any explanation.

Now, to your statements:

"i am delighted that you are one of those advanced souls who has gotten beyond the concerns of mere mortals, and after years of pondering have become enlightened as to the solution to problems concerning india. do tell all how you propose to solve them." and

"good luck in 'changing the rules of the game' -- a good idea -- but i fail to see you how you are accomplishing that by cooperating in the theft of the crown jewels of your culture."

3 points:

1. Given the current nature of our dialog, my answers will be lost on you.
2. Clearly, you do not read my posts. So, even if I tell you, you'll miss it.
3. Huh?! What did you expect?
In the ancient times, knowledge was considered sacred and divine. It was earned, not demanded. The giver was held in respect, not called names. Knowledge was given after the receiver had proven worthy of it. Finally and most importantly, a relationship love and trust exists between the giver and receiver, not one of doubt fuelled by suspicion. I am yet to earn your trust, ain't I? So, tell me, did you seriously expect me to answer you?

Finally, understand that I am not here to debate your view points.

Sriram said...

and this also...!!!!!

http://www.kutcheribuzz.com/kbusa/events.htm#125