Posted on 10/16/2009 10:55:54 PM PDT by SupplySider
The Dow Jones reached a significant milestone yesterday, and news outlets were abuzz with excitement. Olympia Snowe's vote for the Baucus bill was plenty fodder for the 24-hour news cycles. But, for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists in the United States, an epochal event transpired at the White House afternoon that should not slip notice.
Lead me from Untruth to Truth. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. (from the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad -- I.iii.28)
As the ethereal sounds of a Hindu priest's chanting of this Sanskrit prayer from ancient Hindu scripture filled the East Room, President Obama lit the ceremonial White House diya --and he used this Sanskrit word for lamp--with dozens of Asian, Indian and Hindu Americans in attendance.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.washingtonpost.com ...
In India, people bow to parents, teachers, guests, everyone. I found the president's honoring of that tradition perfectly appropriate.
The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad is one of my favorites.
Do they set off fireworks in India on July 4th?
Many of friends and colleagues are Indian, so no offense meant, but this white house is the collective poster children for ass-kissing.
Where’s that “loser” pic again?
No Beef? What kind of holiday is that?
He ain't at A&M no more.
2 MILLION Hindus are UNACCEPTABLE! Period. Change the culture and you change the nation. 0 wants to rub slat into the wounds of the Judeo-Christian heritage of this nation along the lines that “We are NOT a Christian nation”.....
“It’s the largest Democracy in the world, and an ally in the war
against Islamic extremism. This is their major holiday, and
I’m sure this will spread immense good will. “
I agree. And will keep trying to explain this to my beloved flyover-country
relatives and friends.
India...IMHO, not perfect, but in that regard resembles another
prominent democracy.
OK, a “representative republic”. Yeah, I’m talking about our USA.
Things ain’t perfect in India or the USA.
But somehow I doubt either party will initiate a mutual armed conflict
while each works it’s way (however blindly!) to a better method of
goverance.
Just my humble (and VERY FALLIBLE HUMAN) thoughts on these weighty matters.
That are far above my pay-grade as an “average Joe”.
So, is Obumbles going to place the star on the White House Christmas tree ceremony?
Anyone want to be he doesn’t light the WH Christmas tree? In fact, I’d bet the traditional Christmas tree display will be replaced by a display of all religions in the US.
I would bet on the hammer ans sickle!
HIndus are “unnacceptable”. What is acceptable to you then? That’s a very bigoted remark. Now if you said “Liberal Hindus” we would have something to agree on.”
FYI, and little known fact: India is nearly 50% Muslim and 50% Hindu, with a smaller Christian population, and they regularly beat the hell out of each other for fun.
They're incompetent, immature poseurs.
"I am become debt, the destroyer of economies." /sarc>
Cheers!
No. India is majority Hindu, Muslim’s are a minority, Christians are a minuscule minority outnumbered by Sikhs.
In any event. It’s highly disrespectful to appropriate someone’s else’s religion for your own political purposes. Zero’s no Hindu, and he shouldn’t act like one. I’ve never demanded that Zero take on the garb of Christianity which so obviously doesn’t suit him. He should act according to his own beliefs; I wouldn’t mind supporting an atheist president (he just won’t be this particular atheist).
FYI, and a widely known fact, India is only 13.4% Muslim while 80.5% Hindu, with only a 2.3% Christian population, according to it's 2001 Census.
Also, Muslim violence and terrorism, including bombings, hijackings, kidnappings and executions, is not only found in India, but also the United States, Europe, Russia, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories, North Africa, South Asia, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia.
This is because unlike Hinduism, which actually is a religion of peace, Islam openly professes the need for all unbelievers to be made into slaves, or murdered.
Just saying, because I wouldn't want you to make any grossly biased or bigoted mistakes, utterly lacking in any truth, that you might have, like, made up out of thin air, or anything.
WFT are you talking about?
I get my facts from Indian friends in Pune and Bangalore, perhaps the south is more Muslim than the rest of the country. And they do beat the hell out of each other all the time. If you want to argue on the 50%, that’s fine, and worth arguing about, but your full-of-lies and rude poke at me is utter crap.
Admitted in such vast numbers immigration of this kind chaages the cultural heritage of the nation. To stand up for American culture and heritage is patriotic not bigoted. Read Patrick Buchanan’s bestseller Book “Death of the West” that sheds light on this phenomenon.
We agree on this. America has always been a country of immigrants. I fully want to promote the classic American culture to any other immigrants. Fortunately, most of my non-American-born friends came to America for that reason exactly. For example, it should make you proud to see a Chinese guy on a quad runner downing BBQ ribs and beer, just as I was completely floored and smiling about my Muslim Indian friend finding where all the whores and cheap beer are and how much they cost while he was out on a business trip.
I’ve thought for years that the US has been missing a great opportunity by not allying more closely with India in the wake of the cold war. A strong Indo-American partnership would help balance the rising axis of semi-evil, Russia and China.
America was founded on religious freedom. I'd hate to see a theological litmus test for immigrants.
The locals would often say, with pride, that they were "the Bangalore of the West".
Well, at least it wasn’t the Grail-shaped beacon.
A shiva just ran up Chrissy’s leg.
A shiva just ran up Chrissy’s leg.
&&
Clever
I watched the YouTube video of Obama's brief talk for the occasion. I have no idea how much of it was his own words, but he spoke eloquently and respectfully about Indian religious values.
He also added some very Christian sentiments about remembering the poor.
I thought it was a fine talk.
The “peaceful” Hindus
have been murdering masses of Christians—many of them Roman Catholics—for a long time in India with relative impunity.
“So, is Obumbles going to place the star on the White House Christmas tree ceremony?”
No, and in this new, enlighted, post-American, post-Christian era, the Christmas holiday is now being supplanted by homage and worship to the one true god. It will be now known as Barackmas.
I would approve of this cermony happening in the White House only if on July 4, 2010:
1. that Obama travel to India and
2. lead the Indian goverment in setting off fireworks and
3. eating a boatload of BBQ to celebrate a great American holiday.
Fair’s fair.....right?
The founding fathers are turning over in their graves. In fact, if we could harnest that rotation since Obama took office, we could solve the energy crisis.
It’s all good.
Hey, Obama just reopened the Asian outreach office that Bush cruelly closed!
You are only partly right. I do like India and they are moving in the right direction, but domestically, although they are excellent businessmen, Indians are solidly Democrat.
That may make them good businessmen, but they’re not standing up for the values they profess.
Which makes me wonder why Barry really did it...
Cheers!
Diwali lamp?
What—no DiBeaver lamp?
Lead me from Untruth to Truth. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. (from the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad -- I.iii.28)That sounds very Christian to me.
Hindu Americans vote democrat because the Republican party consists of conservative christians who are knee-jerk anti-hindu, as steelfish has already posted
Otherwise, Hindu Americans are social conservatives
Oppose blacks, muslims and affirmative action
Zero unwed mothers
Income equal to jews
Education beyond the jews
12% of all MD school entrants in the USA are Hindus
48% of all USA Hindus have a masters degree or more
43% of all USA Hindus have family income over $100k
The late Shiva Subrahmanya, a Hindu was running star wars defense for the USA from 1990-2000
If you guys want a rocket scientist other than from Russia or China, you do need Hindus
You make a good point- but here are a few observations. I believe you are equating all Indians with Hindus. There are many Catholics and Christians in India. My point is that large number of immigrants that do not share the cultural traditions of western civilization- religion, rituals, habits, and customs can change a nation from within. It is no coincidence that most Third World migrants vote Democratic. 0’s gesture of celebrating the Hindu rite of Diwali in the White House was for the naked purpose of courting these voters and diluting the Judeo-Christian traditions of this nation. And, if it matters, I speak as a South Asian myself.
Your mouth tends towards the foul when you are found out. Have you always been like that? You grossly misrepresent Census numbers and pretend this point is an argument, and then refer to gutter slang to misrepresent violence that has complex roots in both Hindu villages and Christian proselytizing behaviors, and which does not in any way represent Hinduism as a whole, and which is denounced by Hinduism as a whole, and which is in any even dwarfed by Muslim atrocities - yet you claim I am rude? LOL! You're either a troll, or belligerently ignorant, but in any event you seem to dearly want to poison people's understanding of Hinduism through rank misrepresentation. Now why would you want to do that?
The "peaceful" Christians and Catholics have been pushing proselytization on frightened villagers and disrupting their cultural connections with religions ever since they got their. These same peaceful Christians and Catholics also tend to refuse to acknowledge that Hindu vilence is not supported by the vast majority of Hindus or Hinduism as a whole, and that Hindus have worked strenuously for many years to bring peace in this area. And finally, instead of acknowledging thes epeaceful efforts and majority renounciation of Hindu violence, these same Christians and Catholics constantly whip up ignorance and anger by trying to compare Hindus to the methodically murderous Muslim atrocities found in India and all over the world. Now why is that?
Post of the night winner.
I haven’t checked with missionary conections there. They are not first hand connections.
Sounds like you have a clear bias, in any case.
There are usually 2 sides to a story.
Perhaps Obama had his eye on politics, but I think this was also a sincere gesture of good will, and was taken as such by millions of people.
What in the world are you talking about? Found out about what?
What have I said in this thread that is rude, foul or inaccurate? We already explained your “census” numbers.
What is so difficult for you about having a civil discussion of this story instead of throwing insults?
Troll? Perhaps your screen name explains your delusion.
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