In the Dying Light

mohar.

It`s here.

Colbert Report rocks....

Re: # 91 arjun

I din`t know DailyShow provides full webcast of its shows..... I hate to miss this show:) Where is the link?

#85 Farzana Versey

Okay, so I was a bit sleepy when I typed the earlier #84, and may have missed out a thing or two.

[But all the machinations of men playing god fail when one realises that belief essentially means never having to be sorry.]

When I read it the first time, I dismissed it as too close to one of the Eric Segal truisms and paid little attention. But I now read it as follows – one should have enough faith in one’s own religion so as not do stuff now which one will regret down the road. In the context of the temple attack – it probably means that those who feel outraged by it should not get into a backlash mode. But it also applies to Muslims – if as a Muslim you are so sure that you have the right ideas, why keep doing things after things which make you look and feel like a thanksgiving bird again and again! Only when people realize that fact, the designs of those who manipulate religion will fail.

[…You must not be sorry that what you have come to find you may never get. ]

Although not everyone has the wisdom of Buddha, it appears to mean that well-intentioned people may not always accomplish a fulfillment of those intentions

The weakness of the above arguments is – as usual – there are no solutions forthcoming. If people were as thoughtful as one expects them to be to understand many of the finer sentiments expressed here – many of these (common sense) things would not have to be said out aloud – they will happen by themselves.

The unfortunate reality is that the subcontinent as a whole and its Muslim populations in particular, has proved itself highly malleable in the hand of “religious” leaders and demagogues who claim the mantle of religion. This mindset is self-reinforcing. To break it down, literacy rate must be raised for emancipation – especially that for women. But everybody appears to be scared to mention that simple reality.

And if nobody mentions that fact – screw-ups will continue and eventually, that fact will be brought home in other fashions by the rest of the world – as already seems to be happening.

For example, according to yesterday’s Washington Post (March 9, 2006) which reported results of an ABC-Post poll – a significant chunk of Americans have a negative view of Islam and think that Muslims are more prone to violence. I quote:

The poll found that nearly half of Americans -- 46 percent -- have a negative view of Islam, seven percentage points higher than in the tense months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, when Muslims were often targeted for violence. Conservative and liberal experts said Americans` attitudes about Islam are fueled in part by political statements and media reports that focus almost solely on the actions of Muslim extremists. According to the poll, the proportion of Americans who believe that Islam helps to stoke violence against non-Muslims has more than doubled since the attacks, from 14 percent in January 2002 to 33 percent today.

[It is only when darkness descends and one can smell the night and wipe out the stink, that one’s eyes become moist]

This sentence and the couple that follow it are quite moving.

man arjun that was hilarious...this should be shown on PTV (ok doordarshan too) with urdu dubbing.

HP

I think the time for shooting the breeze is far behind us. Besides, ancient Indian wisdom teaching nothing like # 92.

We need a few good people who want to focus on finding and implementing practical - effective and efficient - solutions.

Kaal,

That is very true! Maybe you should expound on this. What do you think?

HP

Ramanujan, Ballu Khan, and all sane Indians have no option but to move beyond what has not worked in the past. It is their problem and they must expect none but themselves to solve it.

Kaal,

Ramanujan provided the folloing solution and Ballu Khan agreed with it as he never said any thing against it like many sane Indians did.

“This is what SHOULD happen.

After the bastards are caught,

1) let`s find out which communities gave shelter to them.

2) blow up ALL the mosques in those communities.

3) if any muslim dares to even utter a word in protest, do the same to THEIR community as well.

But this won`t happen. Because of the cowlike nature of the Hindus, and because of the Commie ba$tards.”

Thanks, Kaliji.

It will be great to hear from rsridhar, kaurasach, and ballukhan. For we have a major problem on our hands.

Re: # 90

Answer is in ancient Indian wisdom i.e. Neti! Neti! ( not this! not this!)
We don`t have direct answer but we know what not to do.

#86 by rsridhar on March 10, 2006 8:32am PT

There ya go....

rsridhar, kaurasach, ballukhan

This is in response to only #86 and #87. So it may not reflect what we have learnt in #1 through #85.

Our ultimate objective has to be practical - that of solving a deep, deep problem we face. Given both # 86 and # 87 (or assuming them to be true), what are our practical (cost-effective and goal-effective) solutions?

Denying the problem or beating chests or tearing at our hair or praying and hoping that it will go away if we all just behave ourselves is not going to help. Right?

Re: # 87

Sridhar Sahib, absolutely garbage. This is not a “Law& Order” issue. Someone didn’t rob a bank or drove down a one way street. It is a “terrorism” problem and must be dealt with resolve and determination. A certain people were targeted because of their faith.

Re: # 87

If anyone was to read the mischeaveous remarks of that Paksitani haram-ki-aulad about watching the fun after inciting communal riots in India against IM-s by these haramzade Pakistani muslims then the game plan of these Pakistanis should be clear to all the Indians................

re:#71 by Ramanujan
Learn to differentiate between IMs and Paki muslims.
Former have not joined global jehad. At least not yet.
Varanasi blast should be dealt with as a law and order problem. There is no need to go scapegoating.
Sridhar

re:#81 by kaurasach
In Jon Stewart show,
(http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/media_player/play.jhtml?itemId=60100)
Stewart joked about India`s many thousand deities and how it dilutes the feeling of religious hatred. He also said that because Pakistan had just one God, Allah, religious frenzy is much more. It was a comedy show, so everybody took it in that spirit but he made a point.
In India, hindus may feel offended by what happened in Varanasi but not to the point of rioting. This only shows their maturity and tolerance. Religion is for inner peace and is not to be taken seriously to the point that it disturbs peace.
You seem to bemoan that hindus are not lashing out.
I say: thank God they are not.
Pakistan is digging its own grave, slowly but surely.
Sridhar