A House for the Religion of Man.

A House for the Religion of Man.

The controversy about the Islamic Community Center two blocks away from the World Trade Center (India Abroad, Aug 20) reminds one the famous comment made by the English author, Jonathan Swift, "We have enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another" and Mahatma Gandhi's observation, "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind." W.B.Yeats also wrote in a similar vein when he said: "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."

The Ground Zero is a sacred place where thousands were killed for no fault of theirs and by people blinded by their mistaken view of religions .It would be appropriate if people of all religions come together and build a House for the Religion of Man. This could be the meeting ground for all faiths of the world – Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jain, Shinto, Tao and many other faiths. There is more common among us as human beings than the differences. The Religion of Man should explore the commonalities if the human race has to be saved from total annihilation.

The concept of the Religion of Man was first mooted by the Noble Laureate Rabindranath Tagore in his Hibbert Lectures in Oxford in 1930. His prayer in Gitanjali highlights the need for freedom of thought, knowledge and truth :

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;

Where the words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action;

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

The only change one cane make is to add, "let our world awake" in place of "let my country awake."

A monument which brings together people of all countries, religions and faiths would be a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives.

( A letter to India Abroad on the controversy about a Muslim community center near the World Trade Center in New York which was destroyed on 9/11.)

http://www.indiaabroad-digital.com/indiaabroad/20100820?sub_id=z1RM6Qp6YN3y#pg10

Aug.17,2010.

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Needed : Volunteers for Karmayog magazine.

Press in India today has become completely commercial, and recently we have heard about the 'paid-news' as well. Most of our press is full of entertainment rather than information. Views are mixed with news forgetting that news is sacred but views are free. Newspapers are full of sensational news and television is full of what is called ' breaking news'. Hard news and analysis are few and far between. In this situation, a newspaper highlighting India's problems - there are so many of them - and suggesting possible solutions is most welcome.

Swaraj ( Independence) should have been followed by Suraj (Good Governance).This has not happened because we do not have a proper laws for the accountability of our rulers and the bureaucracy. The Commonwealth Games is the latest example.

I recently came across a newsletter of a member of the US House of Representatives wherein he writes, " Dear Friends, From listening to people on the street, at town meetings, places of business and elsewhere, constituents are very concerned about our nation's public debt, continued government borrowing against their children's future and the growing intrusion of the federal government into every aspect of their lives.." The newsletter gives a brief account of the problems of the country and  his views on them. He invites people to be in touch with him, and he adds, " Let me hear from you.Please consider my website... your tool to help me better serve you."

I am wondering whether Karmayog can request our elected representatives to have constant contact and interaction with their voters through their website and e-mail.

I will be happy to contribute my mite to your endeavour to promote good governance.

   ( The above response was for the following invitation by Karmayog for its new magazine.)

     Needed: Volunteers for Karmayog Magazine

Posted by: "info@karmayog.org" info@karmayog.org

Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:03 am (PDT)

Karmayog is thinking of publishing a monthly magazine, that will be available in print as well as online.

The objective of such a magazine is to empower individual citizens to take action and make a difference. Articles and themes covered in the magazine will enable engagement and suggest steps forward.

We would like to invite persons who can volunteer the following:

- writers who will write regular columns for the magazine (either on issues of your choice or on topics that we suggest)
- designers who can help us with layout and design of the magazine

If you would like to be part of the Karmayog magazine (in the above ways, or in any other way that you like), please send us an email at info@karmayog.org

Aug 16,2010.

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