On Monday 19 Apr 2010 6:58:10 pm Abhijit Menon-Sen wrote: > The act of interpreting *any* event or situation is a political act. Or > were you using "political" as a dirty word, as in "only bad people do > that sort of thing"?
Yes. If political acts are bad, I am bad because a large proportion of my statements are political in nature. The point that I want to make is that acts that are passed of as "religious" in nature are also political acts. There is aan important complication here. Religions request immunity from being kicked in the butt because they are religions. Such immunity will not come from me anyway as long as religions commit political acts or political statements are made in the garb of religious statements. If politics is bad, religions that do politics are also bad. And I will kick them all in the butt. > The claim I *do* read—frequently on silk—is that Hinduism is a very > tolerant, permissive religion that (to over-simplify) wouldn't hurt > a fly and couldn't care less what you do or believe or not. Sorry I don't recall reading this on silk. Would you be greatly inconvenienced to point out two posts from anyone in the archives that make this assertion and prove that this is not the first of three strawmen you have created. > > To support that position, it seems one has to think of Hinduism as a > religion that doesn't really exist… or if it does, it has no scriptures > and doesn't prescribe anything… but even if it does, it doesn't have any > followers… or at least, they can't be identified… or if they can, it's a > politically-motivated act to do so, and anyway, what they do has nothing > to do with the religion itself, no matter how the people in question > identify themselves or what they claim their own motivations are. Hey don't confuse yourself. "Hindus" is the default name for all the pagans of India. People get their knickers in a knot trying to define Hindu only because a whole collection of pagan beliefs were bunched together and dumped in a bin labelled "Hinduism". Most Hindus still don't realise that many of their beliefs and practices are exactly the pagan beliefs and practices that are verboten in Christianity and islam. The sooner they discover that the better it will be. if you want one name for "Hinduism" it could be "paganism". Using that name would give everyone a ebtter handle on what we are talking about. > > And Muslims kill each other anyway, so what's the big deal? Well if kiiling Muslims is a not big deal then it should not worry you if Hindus kill Muslims should it? Why the ansgst then if Hindus call temselves tolerant? They are murderers who are lying, but why should you care? > > Using that framework, it's possible to handwave away a wide range of > activities by people who claim they're Hindu (but any disinterested It is possible. But I woud appreeciate being pointed to any resource that shows that the Khap actions are being handwaved away by Hindus.You are creating a strawman sir. The second of three. > > All just the misguided actions of individuals. Or groups of individuals. > Or groups of individuals who think they're Hindus, but don't know what > their *real* motivations are. Nothing to do with religion… and besides, > Muslims have honour killings too, and look, your fly is open! Well played. Hindus have honor Killings. Muslims have honor killings. So whose argument is it that Hindu society is innocent, given that you accuse list members of saying that. I believe you are having a rant as an anticipated position you want to hold just in case some Hindu decides to defend anything that is Hindu. But if no Hindu defends that you are only having a rant no? Remember that you are the very person who put up the following strawman that you are now knocking down. (strawman three) > Yeah. No persecution and killing of unbelievers when it comes to > Hinduism. Nothing to see here, move right along. > > -- ams Must you reduce yourself to strawmen and accusations that someone on silk said something you disliked in the past? That is not funny sir. The rhetoric is entertaining, but I would prefer to see the money. :P shiv
