Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!rsiatl!nanovx!dragon!ncsatl!smith_c From: smith_c@ncsatl.uucp Newsgroups: news.groups Subject: Re: CALL FOR DISCUSSION: soc.religion.eastern Message-ID: <1482.25c70e9a@ncsatl.uucp> Date: 31 Jan 90 16:13:14 GMT References: <4438@amelia.nas.nasa.gov> Followup-To: news.groups Organization: National Computer Systems, Atlanta, GA Lines: 86 In article <4438@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>, prabhu@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Dinesh K. Prabhu) writes: > > The idea of creating a newsgroup dedicated to eastern religious/ > belief systems was brought up recently (Dec.) for an informal > discussion in soc.culture.indian. The idea was generally well > received and most people preferred the name soc.religion.eastern. > Further, the people felt that the newsgroup should be unmoderated. > I have brought this up in a formal call for discussion in news. > announce.newgroups. I thought I'd cross post this to the other > relevant news groups in the soc and talk hierarchy. Note that > I have set the follow-up to this article to news.groups where > the actual discussion should take place. And so... > > a) Do you think that this newsgroup is a good idea ? yes > b) Do you think that the proposed name is adequate ? yes > c) Do you think that this newsgroup should be moderated? No opinion > d) What are your opinions on the points of charter ? > > CHARTER OF SOC.RELIGION.EASTERN > > 1) The word eastern in the title of the newsgroup signifies religions > with origins in south/south-east/far-east asia. For example, > Hinduism, Buddhism (all forms), Jainism, Sikhism, and Shintoism. Christianity and Judaism should be included. See below. > > 2) The newsgroup will be unmoderated. It is upto the people posting > articles to make sure that their articles are in good taste and > not inflammatory. I find this reasonable. > > 3) Everbody regardless of their religion can post to this newsgroup. I approve. > > 4) Articles should deal with the philosophy/theology underlying the > religious systems and should be devoid of any political content. That's very broad. It has been argued that many if not all religious beliefs are rooted social culture and political systems. Judaism, for example, at the time of Christ, was a religious nation as the Holy Roman Empire also later became. There is very little in the Bible that doesn't have something to do with politics. Having read parts of the Koran, I can say that it is also political in many areas. > > 5) This forum CANNOT be used for proseletyzing. If you are leaving it unmoderated, that might be difficult, although I approve of the desire. > > 6) Articles about western religious systems (Judaism,Christianity,Islam > etc.) are also welcome if the aim is make rational/objective comparisons > of these systems with those discussed in this newsgroup. > The point I referred to earlier is that Christianity is an Eastern religious system. Some branches of Christianity are highly Westernized, however, this does not change the fact that Christianity is, at its roots, an Eastern mystical religion. I could go into details here about the Mystery of the Cross, other Mysteries of the Rosary, Eastern meditation using Chotki, etc. Suffice it to say that I do not agree with your classification. > > Dinesh K. Prabhu > (prabhu@amelia.nas.nasa.gov or dkprabhu@ames.arc.nasa.gov) -- Sincerely, _///_ // SPAWN OF A JEWISH _///_ // _///_ // <`)= _<< CARPENTER _///_ //<`)= _<< <`)= _<< _///_ // \\\ \\ \\ _\\\_ <`)= _<< \\\ \\ \\\ \\ <`)= _<< >IXOYE=('> \\\ \\ \\\ \\_///_ // // /// _///_ // _///_ // gatech!ncsatl!smith_c <`)= _<< _///_ // <`)= _<< <`)= _<< \\\ \\<`)= _<< \\\ \\ \\\ \\ GO AGAINST THE FLOW! \\\ \\ A Real Live Catholic in Georgia