Re: [Goanet] Pota Retreats
WWW.GOANET.ORG ** C O M M U N I T Y ** A N N O U N C E M E N T Save Goa Campaign / Goa Bachao Abhiyan Report all violations of Hill-cutting, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and other Land Use violations to: Nodal Officer & District Collector (Goa) Mr. Nikhil Kumar Office: 2223612; Residence (after 8PM): 2420710; mobile 9822123071 Here are a few answers to some questions posed by Cip. >> What are "the laws of nature"? They are the numerous scientific theories that have been systematically and experimentally verified. >> Where are these "laws of nature" written for anyone to read, to know and to prasctice? They are written in scientific journals, text book, papers, etc. When you study most science courses you read, learn and practice them. >> How much the superior social animals humans know about "the laws of nature" so-far? There has been an exponential increase in human knowledge about nature ever since we rejected the premise that anything we can't explain is the work of God. >> How much is left to be known of "the laws of nature" ? A lot is left to be learnt. The situation however is much better than it ever was. You might see the "Theory of Everything" in your lifetime. >> Is there any single human being knows all "the laws of nature" ? No scientist has ever made this claim, however they are numerous god-men and Pota-types who claim to know the mind of God. >> How to convince a born colour blind person that colours exist? An absurd question!!It is quite obvious you have no colour blind friends. All my daltonic friends accept that colours exists and that they cannot distinguish between them. >> How to convince a person who lost his/her faculty of faith that faith exist? Most atheists accept that faith exists. The usefulness of it is rejected by them. I see that it benefits some people in a few ways, but like many of my generation and most of my friends find these of no use personally. Regards Sunith Velho -- Sunith D Velho [EMAIL PROTECTED] WWW.GOANET.ORG ** C O M M U N I T Y ** A N N O U N C E M E N T Save Goa Campaign / Goa Bachao Abhiyan Report all violations of Hill-cutting, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and other Land Use violations to 24-hour Helpline +91 9822684372
Re: [Goanet] Pota Retreats
WWW.GOANET.ORG ** C O M M U N I T Y ** A N N O U N C E M E N T Save Goa Campaign / Goa Bachao Abhiyan Report all violations of Hill-cutting, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and other Land Use violations to: Nodal Officer & District Collector (Goa) Mr. Nikhil Kumar Office: 2223612; Residence (after 8PM): 2420710; mobile 9822123071 << that the laws of nature are being routinely violated at this chosen place >> What are "the laws of nature"? Where are these "laws of nature" written for anyone to read, to know and to prasctice? How much the superior social animals humans know about "the laws of nature" so-far? How much is left to be known of "the laws of nature" ? Is there any single human being knows all "the laws of nature" ? How to convince a born colour blind person that colours exist? How to convince a person who lost his/her faculty of faith that faith exist? Cip Santosh Helekar wrote: Is it Rs. 250 now? I thought it was Rs. 170, which is what is still being claimed on their website. Are there any more hidden charges? WWW.GOANET.ORG ** C O M M U N I T Y ** A N N O U N C E M E N T Save Goa Campaign / Goa Bachao Abhiyan Report all violations of Hill-cutting, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and other Land Use violations to 24-hour Helpline +91 9822684372
Re: [Goanet] Pota Retreats
--- Santosh Helekar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Is it Rs. 250 now? I thought it was Rs. 170, which > is > what is still being claimed on their website. Are > there any more hidden charges? > > Thousands of people attending is precisely what I am > talking about. This enormous volume of customers is > generated by false advertising of miracle cures. It > also brings in a healthy stream of donations, which > would never have been as robust without the lure of > miracles. > > Attending the retreat would not convince me that the > laws of nature are being routinely violated at this > chosen place, that these specially gifted > charismatic > preachers possess some unearthly telepathic powers > which enable them to remote-sense the healing > process > occurring within the human body. I have seen my > share > of godmen, televangelists, faith healers and > psychics > perform miracles before live audiences on TV, and in > a > couple of instances, in person. I have read how many > of them have been exposed as frauds when the bright > light of scientific scrutiny was shone upon them. > > What would convince me is actual scientific evidence > of an AIDS patient being miraculously cured or a > congenitally defective heart beating inside the > chest > cavity of a child being preternaturally repaired - > physical evidence obtained by undertaking a thorough > medical examination before and after a retreat using > objective diagnostic methods. > > Those who feel that this is all about spirituality > should ask themselves: Would this place attract up > to > 20,000 people from far and wide, many of them poor, > every week, if miracles had not been used as a > promotional tactic? > > Why don't the spiritually inclined simply throng to > our beautiful churches and temples, instead? They do > not charge any fee. Mental patients are not > prevented > from entering their premises. The priests who offer > services there do not ask anybody to disclose any > details about their personal health. No false hopes > are touted or sold there. No frills or gimmicks. > Just > pure faith! That is how it should be. > > Cheers, > > Santosh > > --- Gllenda Viegas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Retreat at Pota really bring spirituality to > > oneself. The registration fee > > which includes lodging and food is just around two > > hundred and fifty for all > > the days. Thousands of people attend the retreats > > while several others help > > in the organisation. The environment makes one > feel > > for God and many cures > > do take place. One should not write anything > against > > these retreats without > > attending the same. These retreats are attended by > > people of all religions. > > I request Santosh Helekar to attend these retreats > > and then write what ever > > he wants to write > > Yours faithfully > > Glenda Viegas > > > __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: [Goanet] Pota Retreats
--- Gllenda Viegas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The environment makes one feel for God and many > cures do take place. One should not write anything > against these retreats without attending the same. > Mario responds: > Glenda, I have nothing against any retreat wherever it is held, and if one chooses to go to Pota for a retreat, that's fine because it may get people away from their normal environment and become a mini-vacation as well. > However, based on the principle that God, by definition, is omnipresent, a retreat in Dharavi should be as religiously beneficial as a retreat in Pota - if one can only tolerate the pungent scents that waft over Dharavi. > I have seen people go into debt because of their belief that going to Lourdes or Fatima or Medjugorge or Pota is the only thing that will solve their problem. To me that constitutes an unfortunate misunderstanding of the fundamentals of Christian beliefs. Jesus preached and healed in the most unusual places. >
Re: [Goanet] Pota Retreats
Is it Rs. 250 now? I thought it was Rs. 170, which is what is still being claimed on their website. Are there any more hidden charges? Thousands of people attending is precisely what I am talking about. This enormous volume of customers is generated by false advertising of miracle cures. It also brings in a healthy stream of donations, which would never have been as robust without the lure of miracles. Attending the retreat would not convince me that the laws of nature are being routinely violated at this chosen place, that these specially gifted charismatic preachers possess some unearthly telepathic powers which enable them to remote-sense the healing process occurring within the human body. I have seen my share of godmen, televangelists, faith healers and psychics perform miracles before live audiences on TV, and in a couple of instances, in person. I have read how many of them have been exposed as frauds when the bright light of scientific scrutiny was shone upon them. What would convince me is actual scientific evidence of an AIDS patient being miraculously cured or a congenitally defective heart beating inside the chest cavity of a child being preternaturally repaired - physical evidence obtained by undertaking a thorough medical examination before and after a retreat using objective diagnostic methods. Those who feel that this is all about spirituality should ask themselves: Would this place attract up to 20,000 people from far and wide, many of them poor, every week, if miracles had not been used as a promotional tactic? Why don't the spiritually inclined simply throng to our beautiful churches and temples, instead? They do not charge any fee. Mental patients are not prevented from entering their premises. The priests who offer services there do not ask anybody to disclose any details about their personal health. No false hopes are touted or sold there. No frills or gimmicks. Just pure faith! That is how it should be. Cheers, Santosh --- Gllenda Viegas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Retreat at Pota really bring spirituality to > oneself. The registration fee > which includes lodging and food is just around two > hundred and fifty for all > the days. Thousands of people attend the retreats > while several others help > in the organisation. The environment makes one feel > for God and many cures > do take place. One should not write anything against > these retreats without > attending the same. These retreats are attended by > people of all religions. > I request Santosh Helekar to attend these retreats > and then write what ever > he wants to write > Yours faithfully > Glenda Viegas >
Re: [Goanet] Pota Retreats
--- Gllenda Viegas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: One should not write anything against > these retreats without > attending the same. These retreats are attended by > people of all religions. > I request Santosh Helekar to attend these retreats > and then write what ever > he wants to write > Yours faithfully > Glenda Viegas --- Dear Glenda, I attended one of these retreats at Pota. Here is a brief list of what goes on there. 1. Healings 2. Exorcisms 3. Domesday and other obscure Prophecies 4. Testimonials by converts that other religions are ignoble and that the only way to "salvation" is through Christ 5. Private counseling by unqualified people who inflict guilt onto people who maybe in need of real psychological counseling 6. Speaking in tongues, assuming God is incapable of understanding language as a means of communication 7. Mass hysteria incited by manipulative auto-suggestion 8. Preying on people's fear and guilt 9. Request for large sums of money This medieval interpretation of Christianity is sucking in good Goan Catholics like yourself into its vortex. This is not Catholicism, this is not religion. It's a parody of what spirituality should be; a private journey of self-discovery and a quiet communion with that which is greater than us. Incidentally Evangelicals (which is what Pota is all about and funded by the same) are considered nut-cases in the West. Unfortunately, they've been successful in exporting it to places like India. selma __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
[Goanet] Pota Retreats
Retreat at Pota really bring spirituality to oneself. The registration fee which includes lodging and food is just around two hundred and fifty for all the days. Thousands of people attend the retreats while several others help in the organisation. The environment makes one feel for God and many cures do take place. One should not write anything against these retreats without attending the same. These retreats are attended by people of all religions. I request Santosh Helekar to attend these retreats and then write what ever he wants to write Yours faithfully Glenda Viegas _ Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! http://search.msn.com/
