Posted on 01/21/2006 1:50:00 PM PST by JeepInMazar
I for one don't give a rip.
He is so impressive. King Abdullah has put his neck on the line more than once and more than figuratively as the ONLY Muslim leader who's openly supported the WOT AND tried repeatedly (and unsuccessfully) to drag together a coalition of Arab states to root out and destroy terrorism within the so-called Arab world.
Glad he'll attend.
You got me. I don't know much about Hinduism, and when I asked that same question, no else in the lodge knew either. I'll see if I can find out and get back to you.
Ahh, the fresh stench the New Ecumenical Order!
As long as he is assured that no Jews will be permitted to attend the event.
Since there are a few hundred lodges in India, it appears that belief in the Hindu supreme being(s?) is sufficient. If all manifestations of the Hindu pantheon are a part of Brahma (sp?), that would seem to be the reasoning.
Thanks.
Isn't Jordan the country that is not allowing devout Jews to enter?
Jordan: Religious Jews Unwelcome
I guess he has two playbooks. One for the ME and one for the West.
All one has to do to be able to join a Masonic lodge is to be of good character and profess belief in 'a creator'.Bhuddists are allowed. I have some Bhuddist brothers in my lodge.
Hindus are allowed as well, although they are not polytheistic in the way I believe you are thinking. All those deities that Hindus pay hommage to are different manifestations of a single creator.
(That's probably a gross over-oversimplification. If there are any Hindus reading this, I would appreciate some info.)
What deity do they think buddhists believe to be the creator?
"I just wrote "atheist" on the form and that's how mine came back."
When was that? in 1965, when I joined up, it was not so easy.
In the 80s. I can see why you had more problems.
"In the 80s. I can see why you had more problems."
Ah. Perhaps my experience helped make it easier for later enlistees. I've often wondered about that. It appeared that I was the first new airman to insist that the dog tags should say "atheist." Nobody knew quite what to do about me.
Finally, I was sent to a Roman Catholic chaplain, a bird colonel, as a matter of fact. I explained the situation to him and we had a nice long chat about religious issues. He lent me a copy of some of Augustine's writings, then told the Captain in charge of my company to see that I got dog tags that said "atheist" on them. He called him on the phone while I was there with him.
The next day, I had my dog tags and went on with my training. Seems like the 1st amendment won out in the end.
Even as an atheist, I've always respected chaplains, and I've worked with several of them.
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