In a rapidly changing world, some things do remain the same. One such thing is religion’s capacity for mischief. Examples are legion. The mullahs of Iran, who as religious leaders might be expected to be moral leaders, oppress their own people and make trouble throughout their region. Saudi Arabia, an
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Views from the Beltline: Indians—tolerant, but don’t marry my sister
A recent Pew Research survey of religious attitudes in India revealed some interesting insights into a society tolerant of, yet divided by, religion. First, Indians are a very religious people. Ninety-seven percent believe in God and the vast majority say religion is very important in their lives. Second, they are
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: What Is Buddhism, and What Is Non-Dualism?
And What Are They Not? Open letter to Russell Brand, regarding a video (linked below) titled, Dualism vs Monism EXPLAINED! Russell, who the hell are you interviewing?! The guy is clearly talking out of his ass. (Sorry for my directness and occasional bluntness. I was heavily influenced by Chomsky, Trungpa
Continue readingIs the Democratic World Losing India?
India has been a jewel in the crown of democracy ever since it achieved independence in 1947. Despite mass poverty, religious and caste violence, insurgencies, separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, and feuds with its neighbours, it has remained democratic with respect for civil liberties, an active supreme court and a
Continue readingEclectic Lip: Unity in Diversity
Polycarp of Smyrna Former Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, or LBP – not to be confused with U.S. President LBJ, dominant Japanese political party the LDP, or women’s wardrobe staple the LBD – once obscurely remarked that Canada needed to maintain a “unity in diversity”. (I’d’ve written “famously remarked”,
Continue readingEclectic Lip: Putting the “X” back in Xmas
Xtians began using “Xmas” 500 years ago, since in Greek, X is the “Ch” in Christ Around the holidays, some people (not to name names or anything) urge modern society to put the “Christ” back in Christmas. There’s much to criticize about the hollow vacuousness of consumer culture, after all.
Continue readingEclectic Lip: Wiki-immortality!
My August Canadian EV car sales stats update went up recently. Which was cool. Cooler still, I had a chance to wax poetic about sustainability, and my new-found optimism that we’ll avoid the worst of our dystopian horrors. I was invited to be a guest lecturer for an engineering course
Continue readingLeDaro: Hiduism and Rituals
All religion have strange rituals which turn me off of organized religions. In the past I have posted about Judaism and Christianity. Here is an interesting ritual of a Hindu devotee. SUBMERGED: A Hindu devotee carried an idol of the Hindu god Ganesha on the fifth day of the festival
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