RELIGION IS CONTRARY TO REASON;

Most religious teachings are contrary to reason. We are told to believe that a god who must look like a man, because a man was made in his image, made the world in six days. This god took some clay in his hand, molded it, blew on it, and a man was formed.

Science teaches that the world was formed as an offshoot from the sun,

over a period of millions of years, and that man evolved through the ages from lower forms of life.

Religion tells us that Christ was born from a virgin. Reason teaches that this is impossible. The Bible says Christ made wine out of water. Reason denies such a thing is possible.

The Bible says Joshua made the sun stand still. Science and reason could not countenance for a moment such a fabrication. The Bible says that God of the Jews cut the Red Sea in half and let the Jews escaping from Egypt, walk between two walls of water. Science denies such a possibility.

There are hundreds of "miracles" reported in the Bible and thousands in the traditions and writings of all religious works. All these miracles purport to set aside natural laws. The miracles are supposed to be phenomena which men are unable to do but which gods and supernatural beings can do. Any modern magician can perform any number of tricks which people do not understand. By relating these miracles, listeners are supposed to be convinced that the people who tell them are correct in their religious belief or propaganda. No miracles in Christianity of any consequence have been reported during the last 1900 years. The farther away, and the longer time back in history, miracles are reported, the less they are subject to investigation.

"Miracles" are for the purpose of "selling" the prospective convert the religion the "promoter" has to offer. It is a method of getting the "prospect" to sign up and join the religion. Those who head the religion or church usually are well paid for their work. After a few years an organization is built up which tends to be self-perpetuating. All the "promoters" have to do is to keep talking. They toil not, neither do they spin. Their "gift of gab" keeps them on the payroll.

Their arguments are, of course, always contrary to reason. The miracles they tell about are contrary to reason. The philosophy they propagate is not originated on a basis of common sense, practical benefit to people, and the production of happiness. On the contrary, the following of religious philosophies often is the greatest cause of unhappiness in a whole nation. [The case against religion].

We have many anti-secular laws in our books. So India is at best a pseudo-secular state: 1. We have caste/religion based quota (which is dividing, degrading, destroying, suffocating and poisoning India). 2) Hindu temples under Govt control; why do you need a secular Govt to patronize any religious institution. It just needs to police.3)Taking Baabri Masjid dispute to court instead of restoring the wrongly brought down structure (did not we agree in 1947 that status quo remains)? 4)Hajj subsidy; Koran never calls for Muslims to take that pilgrimage, if they cannot afford it. Koran is not idiotic like many insipid Hindu scriptures such as Garuda Puranam which demand the impossible from the dumbest/best of us.5)Stop Govt sponsor of any religious nonsense may it be shumbha mela or kumbha mela or iftar or Christmas or hajj or amaranth yatra etc. Govt. should only ensure law and order for those perversions!6)Abolish all religious holidays and replace with personal holidays. I don’t need holiday for Ganesha chaturthi and Kasim saabi does not need it for Gokulashtami!7)State funeral for a missionary (accorded by Vajpayee's Govt). 8)Pope was a state guest, when he greeted us on festival of lights and said India is ready for harvest (again NDA doing; recall, China said Pope can go to Hong Kong as Tom, Dick and Harry- they have their own Pope!).9)Ban from media caste and religion references. Just like our rectum and kidney, it is a personal affair. Let all religions, caste , sub-caste, sub-sub caste thrive with no privilege from Govt. Shift it to need based with no caste reference. 10) Our PM said "India's national wealth first belong to her minorities"? Was he speaking for himself? Certainly, we have accomplished a lot, compared to any other country in the Indian sub-continent. We certainly can take pride in it, but ask for ourselves can we make it better. Only when we define a problem well, we can address it better. If we ignore the elephant in the room, we dance on dung!

YOUNG GIRLS ARE 'MARRIED OFF' TO OLDER MEN ON THE OCCASION OF DEV UTHANI EKADASHI !
Prabhodhini Ekadashi, also known as Dev Uthani Ekadashi, Utthana Ekadashi, Bodhini Ekadashi and Dev Utthana Ekadashi, is observed in the month of Kartik in the traditional Hindu lunar calendar. The vrat is observed on the 11th day during the waxing phase of the moon, or Shukla Paksha. The gullible an

d credulous Hindu devotees believe that Lord Vishnu woke up from his Yoga Nidra (cosmic sleep) on this day, thereby marking the end of the Chaturmaas vrat. Prabhodhini Ekadashi corresponds in the month of October or November as per the Gregorian calendar. The Pandarpur Yatra is performed in Lord Vithal Temple in Pandarpur on this day. People also observe a vrat in order to be" relieved "from the various sins and evil actions committed.
While people across the country buy gold and silver to celebrate Diwali and Dhanteras,in Rajasthan's Mewat region,girls are "purchased" to mark the occasion.It is the grim reality of rampant human trafficking in the region,consisting of Alwar,Bharatpur and Dholpur districts.Women/girls bought before Diwali are "married off" on the occasion of said Dev Uthani Ekadashi,considered Auspicious day-this year it falls on November 24.

Jamai Sasthi or Son-in-law Day

Jamai Sasthi ritual is celebrated for health and well-being of son-in-law. The son-in-law is invited to a grand celebration in the house of his in-laws. He is served delicious food. Is it possible to have a similar celebration for health and well-being of daughter-in-law? Hell no!

There are hundreds of anti-women rituals that Hindu women perform without questioning. It is alarming that women still perform these rituals in the 21st century. Throughout history sane people have made many misogynistic cultures go extinct. But in some countries, patriarchal traditions are celebrated more ceremoniously than ever. You may say only illiterate women do it, women’s education will solve all the problems. But the truth is, educated women perform anti-women patriarchal rituals more perfectly than illiterate women, because educated women have better learning capacity. They learn every small details of patriarchy that illiterate women can not learn.

Who will fight misogynistic tradition if modern women remain busy practicing it? A few reformist men in the 19th century fought for abolishing Suttee (widow burning), for women’s education, and for widows’ remarriage. In the 21st century, a new set of enlightened revolutionary men is probably needed to save women from the darkness.

HOW MANY GODS ?
Gods like (Adad, Adapa, Adrammelech, Aeon, Agasaya, Aglibol, Ahriman, Ahura Mazda, Ahurani, Ai-ada, Al-Lat, Aja, Aka, Alalu, Al-Lat, Amm, Al-Uzza (El-'Ozza or Han-Uzzai), An, Anahita, Anath (Anat), Anatu, Anbay, Anshar, Anu, Anunitu, An-Zu, Apsu, Aqhat, Ararat, Arinna, Asherali, Ashnan, Ashtoreth, Ashur, Astarte, Atar, Athirat, Athtart, Attis, Aya, Baal (Bel), Baalat (Ba'Alat), Baau, Basamum, Beelsamin, Belit-Seri, Beruth, Borak, Broxa, Caelestis, Cassios, Lebanon, Antilebanon, and Brathy, Chaos, Chemosh, Cotys, Cybele, Daena, Daevas, Dagon, Damkina, Dazimus, Derketo, Dhat-Badan, Dilmun, Dumuzi (Du'uzu), Duttur, Ea, El, Endukugga, Enki, Enlil, Ennugi, Eriskegal, Ereshkigal (Allatu), Eshara, Eshmun, Firanak, Fravashi, Gatamdug, Genea, Genos, Gestinanna, Gula, Hadad, Hannahanna, Hatti, Hea, Hiribi, The Houri, Humban, Innana, Ishkur, Ishtar, Ithm, Jamshid or Jamshyd, Jehovah, Jesus, Kabta, Kadi, Kamrusepas, Ki (Kiki), Kingu, Kolpia, Kothar-u-Khasis

, Lahar, Marduk, Mari, Meni, Merodach, Misor, Moloch, Mot, Mushdama, Mylitta, Naamah, Nabu (Nebo), Nairyosangha, Nammu, Namtaru, Nanna, Nebo, Nergal, Nidaba, Ninhursag or Nintu, Ninlil, Ninsar, Nintur, Ninurta, Pa, Qadshu, Rapithwin, Resheph (Mikal or Mekal), Rimmon, Sadarnuna, Shahar, Shalim, Shamish, Shapshu, Sheger, Sin, Siris (Sirah), Taautos, Tammuz, Tanit, Taru, Tasimmet, Telipinu, Tiamat, Tishtrya, Tsehub, Utnapishtim, Utu, Wurusemu, Yam, Yarih (Yarikh), Yima, Zaba, Zababa, Zam, Zanahary (Zanaharibe), Zarpandit, Zarathustra, Zatavu, Zazavavindrano, Ziusudra, Zu (Imdugud), Zurvan)

are imaginary like vampires and werewolves. As we develop critical thinking we should notice religious claims to be bogus unless our emotions get the best of us.

The last region of the brain myelinate is the area of our cerebral cortex critical for judgement and complex reasoning at the age of late adolescence.

VATICAN, CATHOLIC CHURCH AND ABORTION;
"It is the teaching of Catholic Church from the very beginning founded on her understanding of her lords own witness to the sacredness of human life,that the killing of unborn child is always intrinsically even and can never be justified. If those who perform abortion and those who cooperate willingly in the action are fully aware of the objective evil of wha

t they do-they are guilty of grave sin and thereby separate themselves from God's grace. This is the constant and received teaching of the Church."
[Official directives titled-Catholic in political life,July 7,2004,second paragraph].
Vatican Emphasizes Opposition to Abortion, Contraception in Letter to President Obama
November 9, 2012 — The Vatican on Wednesday in a private letter to President Obama emphasized the differences between the positions of the Catholic Church and his administration on abortion and contraception, Reuters reports.

The Vatican wrote that it hoped Obama would act "in respect of the essential human and spiritual values and the promotion of the culture of life and freedom of religion, which have always been so precious in the traditions of the American people and their culture," according to a spokesperson.

Reuters notes that the phrase "culture of life" often is used to refer to the church's opposition to abortion rights.

The Catholic Church also opposes the federal requirement under the Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148) that most employers' health plans cover contraceptives. The University of Notre Dame, the Catholic University of America, the Archdiocese of New York and other institutions affiliated with the church have filed more than 20 lawsuits against the requirement (Pullella, Reuters, 11/7).

"DIVINE" THEORY OF CREATION :SHATHPAT BRAHMAN;
Frankly speaking,it is not at all easy to make out a definite assessment from the Hindu scriptures,because the imagination of the writers seems to have run wild on this subject,not having any logical authority,each writer has written as per his whim and even at the cost of contradiction within one scripture.
Shathpat Brahman,is considered as the large

st Vedic text,after Rigveda,among long list of scriptures.It contains elaborate description on Vedic concepts and rituals,then customs,war methodology of Aryans,then socio-political system.It is considered as an encyclopedic text due to adequate amount of information and its vivid descriptions. Since there are 100 chapters in said scripture,as such it is called as Shathpat Brahman.
Shathpat Brahman relates the creation of men and animals as under :-
*Prajapati [Brahma] desired about creation.He created animals from his breaths,a man from his soul,a horse from the eye,a bull from his breath,a sheep from his ear, a goat from his voice.
*In another passage,there is quite a different account. Purusha as the soul of the universe,was alone and unhappy.He desired a second. He caused his self to fall asunder into two parts.Thence a husband and wife came into existence.From them men were born.She thought,how does he after having produced me from himself,cohabit with me?Ah,let me disappear!She became a cow and the other a bull;from them kine were produced.The one became a mare,the other a stallion;the one a she ass;the other a male ass.From them the class of animals with undivided hoofs were produced. The one became a she goat,the other a he goat,the one an ewe,the other a ram.From them goats and sheep were produced. In this manner pairs of all creatures whatsoever,down to ants were created.
*Prajapati created living beings. From his upper vital airs,he created the gods; from his lower vital airs,mortal creatures.
[Hindu Mythology; W.J.Wilkins,page 290 -291].

RejoinderRigveda, Manusmiriti sanction beef-eating A recent photograph of some Hindu protesters demanding a ban on non-vegetarian food in restaurants and government canteens in India made me sit up and take notice. I believe that these protesters are ignorant of what their religion preaches. They are simply going against their own religious scriptures. Most of the world religions sanctify offering of animals in sacrifice including Hinduism. Hindu scriptures are witnesses to such sacrifices and killings of animals for consumption. References of such commands are replete in Hindu scriptures like Manusmriti, Vedas, Upanishads, Brahmins, Grihsutras, Dharmasutras and others. This column would not suffice for quoting all such references but a few from different scriptures are imperative to bring home the point and clear the misconceptions: Manusmriti (Chapter 5 / Verse 30) says, “It is not sinful to eat meat of eatable animals, for Brahma has created both the eaters and the eatables.” Manusmriti (5 / 35) states: When a man who is properly engaged in a ritual does not eat meat, after his death he will become a sacrificial animal during twenty-one rebirths. Maharishi Yagyavalkya says in Shatpath Brahmin (3/1/2/21) that, “I eat beef because it is very soft and delicious.” Apastamb Grihsutram (1/3/10) says, “The cow should be slaughtered on the arrival of a guest, on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ of ancestors and on the occasion of a marriage.” Rigveda (10/85/13) declares, “On the occasion of a girl’s marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered.” Rigveda (6/17/1) states that “Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse and buffalo.” Vashistha Dharmasutra (11/34) writes, “If a Brahmin refuses to eat the meat offered to him on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ or worship, he goes to hell.” Also, comments of some great scholars of Hinduism are also worth noting: · Hinduism’s greatest propagator Swami Vivekanand said thus: “You will be surprised to know that according to ancient Hindu rites and rituals, a man cannot be a good Hindu who does not eat beef”. (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekanand, vol.3, p. 536). · Mukandilal writes in his book ‘Cow Slaughter – Horns of a Dilemma’, page 18: “In ancient India, cow-slaughter was considered auspicious on the occasions of some ceremonies. Bride and groom used to sit on the hide of a red ox in front of the ‘Vedi’ (alter).” · A renowned scholar of scriptures Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane says, “Bajsancyi Samhita sanctifies beef-eating because of its purity”. (Dharmashastra Vichar Marathi, page 180) · Adi Shankaracharya’ commentary on Brihdaranyakopanishad 6/4/18 says : ‘Odan’ (rice) mixed with meat is called ‘Mansodan’. On being asked whose meat it should be, he answers ‘Uksha’. ‘Uksha’ is used for an ox, which is capable to produce semen. · The book ‘The History and Culture of the Indian People’, published by Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Bombay and edited by renowned historian R.C.Majumdar (Vol.2, page 578) says: “this is said in the Mahabharat that King Rantidev used to kill two thousand other animals in addition to two thousand cows daily in order to give their meat in charity”. It seems a great majority of the followers of Hinduism are not in contact with their religious scriptures thus falling an easy prey to the fascist forces like the Sangh Parivar who have nothing to offer to the Indian society save hatred. And all Indians know where these hatred-mongers are taking India to?

RAM RAJYA AN "IDEAL WELFARE STATE " INDEED !
According to the Ramayana ,the whole world was 'created by god' for the benefit and glory of the Brahmins. All other castes were meant to serve them and the kings were mere puppets in their hands.
A Brahmin lost his son and he openly blamed Rama for it.If the king discharged his duties properly ,a son would not die while the father was alive. That was o

ne of the special features of Ramrajya but the death of a Brahmin boy was an exception.Thereupon Rama under the advice of Vashishta appointed a committee of 8 leading Brahmins to advice him as to what he should do.They deliberated and reported to the king that the death of the Brahmin boy was due to the fact that a Shudra was performing tapas,a horrible crime!Rama did not know that there was such an offender under his iron rule.However,after a long search undertaken in person throughout the length and breadth of his empire,the Shudra namely Shambuka was located on the bank of a lake by the side of the Saivali mountain doing rigorous tapas,standing upon his head.Without a moment's hesitation Rama "with a beautiful sharp sword chopped off his head."
The gods in heaven were so delighted at that "god like work"of Rama that they showered flowers upon his head "again and again"and extolled him thus :-"thou hast performed this godlike work-by thy grace this Shudra will not be able to attain heaven".When Rama went to the hermitage of Agastya to pay his respects to him,"that highly effulgent Brahmin saint" and "the jewel of asceticism" complimented himon the cold-blooded murder of the Shudra,which he described as an "act of justice"and presented him with an ornament "wrought by Viswakarma himself".
[Reference Valmiki Ramayna,uttarkand,sarg 73,74,75,76].

DIWALI CELEBRATION :CRACKERS NUISANCE ;
ALL CRACKERS EXCEED SAFETY LIMITS :SCIENTIFIC STUDY ! 
A Central government study conducted earlier this year concluded that not a single firecracker available in the market was within the prescribed noise level limits set by the Supreme Court. 

A test of 846 firecrackers made by 144 manufacturers in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu - the hub of firecracker pro

duction in the country - showed that the minimum noise level these firecrackers generated was 120 decibels (dB) against the Supreme Court-mandated 105dB for a string of crackers. The noise limit for a single cracker is 125dB. The maximum noise these tested firecrackers generated was 146.8dB.

The tests were carried out by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) in March this year. PESO tested firecrackers such as 'atom' bombs (King of Kings, King Kong, Hydrogen Bomb, Bullet Bomb) and other bombs both big and small; 'dynamite'; Chinese crackers (strings of 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000) and maroons (Laxmi 3 1/2, Laxmi 4, Spiderman, Garuda and Parrot), among others.

There are 700 firecracker factories in Sivakasi and only four PESO officers to test and monitor the products. Dr S M Mannan, controller of explosives, PESO, said, "We are doing the best we can." Officials from the explosives department said their task was made more difficult by the fact that firecracker making is a cottage industry and they are manufactured manually.

"Right from the mixing of chemicals to filling them in tiny boxes and winding with a thread, everything is done manually. So the packaging of a firecracker is not uniform. Whatever samples we have taken were found to exceed the noise levels and their batches were destroyed," Mannan said.

Anti-noise activists asserted that the law should be very strong for the manufacturers who make their products exceeding the desired decibels. "It is not fair to say that the industry cannot be monitored properly. The authorities should be more agile and take stern actions," activist Rajnedra Khangarot said.

"RELIGIOUS MISSION OF BROTHERHOOD AND PEACEFUL CO EXISTENCE :COURTESY ISLAMIC PRACTICE AND PERCEPTION"! 
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — They came after dusk and chanted into the night sky ‘‘Kill the Hindus, kill the children of the Hindus,’’ as they smashed religious icons, ripped golden bangles off women’s arms and flashed pistols. It wasn't the first time that the Hindu temple on the outskirts of P

akistan’s largest city was attacked, and residents here fear it will not be the last.

‘‘People don’t consider us as equal citizens. They beat us whenever they want,’’ said Mol Chand, one of the teenage boys gathered at the temple. ‘‘We have no place to worship now.’’

It was the second time the Sri Krishna Ram temple has been attacked, and this time the mob didn't even bother to disguise their faces. The small temple, surrounded by a stone wall, is a tiny religious outpost in a dusty, hardscrabble neighborhood so far on the outskirts of the city that a sign on the main road wishes people leaving Karachi a good journey.

Local Muslim residents blamed people from a nearby ethnic Pashtun village for the attack, which took place in late September on the Day of Love for the Prophet, a national holiday declared by the government in response to an anti-Islam film made in the U.S. No one was seriously injured in the attack.

It was the latest in a rising tide of violence and discrimination against Hindus in this 95 percent Muslim country, where Islamic extremism is growing. Pakistan’s Hindu community says it faces forced conversions of Hindu girls to Islam, a lack of legal recognition for their marriages, discrimination in services and physical abuse when they venture into the streets.

The story of the Hindu population in Pakistan is one of long decline. During partition in 1947, the violent separation of Pakistan and India into separate countries, hundreds of thousands of Hindus opted to migrate to India where Hinduism is the dominant religion. Those that remained and their descendants now make up a tiny fraction of Pakistan’s estimated 190 million citizens, and are mostly concentrated in Sindh province in the southern part of the country.

Signs of their former stature abound in Karachi, the capital of Sindh. At the 150-year-old Swami Narayan Temple along one of the city’s main roads, thousands of Hindus gather during the year to celebrate major religious holidays. Hindus at the 200-year-old Laxmi Narain Temple scatter the ashes of their cremated loved ones in the waters of an inlet from the Arabian Ocean.

But there are also signs of how far the community has fallen. Residents in a city hungry for land have begun to build over Hindu cemeteries, the community’s leaders say. Hindus helped build Karachi’s port decades ago, but none work there now.

Estimates of the size of the Hindu population in Pakistan are all over the map — from 2.5 million or 10 million in Sindh province alone to 7 million across the country — a reflection of the fact that the country hasn't had a census since 1998.

It isn't just Hindus who are facing problems. Other minorities like Christians, the mystical Muslim branch of Sufis and the Ahmadi sect have found themselves under attack in Pakistan, where the rise of Muslim fundamentalists has sometimes unleashed a violent opposition against those who don’t follow their strict religious tenets.

The discrimination has prompted some Hindus to leave for India, activists warn, though the extent is not known. Around 3,000 Hindus left this year, part of a migration that began four years ago, sparked by discrimination and a general rise in crime in Sindh, said DM Maharaj, who heads an organization to help Hindus called Pakistan Hindu Sabha.

He said he recently talked to a group of Hindus preparing to move to India from rural Sindh, complaining that they can’t eat in Muslim restaurants or that Muslim officials turned them down for farming loans. Even during recent floods, they said Muslims did not want them staying in the same refugee camps.

Other Hindu figures such as provincial assembly member Pitamber Swami deny there’s a migration at all, in a reflection of how sensitive the issue is. Earlier this year, there were a string of reports in Pakistani media about Hindus leaving the country, sparking a flurry of promises by Pakistani officials to investigate.

In India, a Home office official said the Indian government noticed an upward trend of people coming from Pakistan but called reports of Pakistanis fleeing to India ‘‘exaggerated.’’ He said he does not have exact figures on how many Pakistani Hindus have stayed in India after entering the country on tourist visas. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.

RATIONALISTIC REFERENCE FROM VALMIKI RAMAYAN;
AYUDYA KAND, CHAPTER 108,VERSE 14-15-16-17.
A Brahman named Jabali tries to persuade Rama to accept the kingdom by advocating the theory of nastikas [non believers]. 

aShTakaa pitR^i daivatyam ity ayam prasR^ito janaH |
annasya upadravam pashya mR^ito hi kim ashiShyati || 2-108-14
14. ayam= these; janaH= people; prasR^itaH= say; iti= that; aS

Takaa= the eight day; pitR^idaivatyam= should be given up to sacrifices for the spirits of our ancestors; pashya= see; upadravam= the waste annasya= of food; kim= what; mR^itaH= (will) a dead man; ashiSyati= eat?
"These people say, 'The eighth day should be given up to sacrifices for the spirits of our ancestors.' See the waste of food. What will a dead man eat?"

Verse Locator
yadi bhuktam iha anyena deham anyasya gagcCati |
dadyaat pravasataH shraaddham na tat pathy ashanam bhavet || 2-108-15
15. yadi bhuktam= If food eaten; anyena= by one; iha= here; gachchhati= reaches; anyasya= another's; deham= body; shraaddham= (then let) a sacrifice; dadyaat= be offered; pravasataH= for those who are setting out on a distant journey; tat na bhavet= will it not become; ashanam= a food; pathi= on their path?
"If food eaten by one here, reaches another's body, then let a sacrifice be offered for those who are setting out on a distant journey. Will it not become a food on their path?"*

Verse Locator
daana samvananaa hy ete granthaa medhaavibhiH kR^itaaH |
yajasva dehi diikShasva tapaH tapyasva samtyaja || 2-108-16
16. yajasva= perform sacrifices dehi= distribute gifts; diikSasva= consecrate yourselves; tapyasva= practise; tapaH= austerity; samtyaja= and renunciation; ete= there granthaaH= writings; kR^itaaH= are composed; medhaavibhiH= by learned men; daana samvananaaH= for the sake of inducing others to give.
"Perform sacrifices, distribute gifts, consecrate yourselves, practice austerity and renunciation' - These writings are composed by learned men for the sake of inducing others to give."

Verse Locator
sa na asti param ity eva kuru buddhim mahaa mate |
pratyakSham yat tad aatiShTha parokSham pR^iShThataH kuru || 2-108-17
17. mahaamate= O, the highly wise!; saH= you as such; kuru= arrive at; buddhim= a conclusion; naasti ityeva= that there is nothing; param= beyond this universe; aatiSTha= give precedence; tat= to that; yat= which; pratyakSam= meets the eye; pR^iSThataH kuru= and turn your back; parokSam= on what is beyond our knowledge.
"O, the highly wise! Arrive at a conclusion, therefore, that there is nothing beyond this Universe. Give precedence to that which meets the eye and turn your back on what is beyond our knowledge."
*The same exposition has been provided by Charvaka in Charvaka darshan.

POLITICIANS PENCHANT FOR PUTTING THEIR FOOT IN THE MOUTH ! 
Nitin Gadkari put his foot in his mouth by equating under world Dawn Dawood Ibhrahm's IQ with that of Swami Vivekananda. 
Politicians’ penchant for putting their foot in the mouth often lands them in the soup. Here are a few examples:

“ I don’t think a

 person like ( Salman) Khurshid will do anything for an amount like ` 71 lakh. It is a very small amount for a central minister” — Beni Prasad Verma in Oct 2012 The Union steel minister was defending Khurshid on the allegations of misappropriation of funds by his NGO. This was just one of his many gaffes. In the past, he kicked up a storm by saying that he was happy with rising prices; on another occasion, he suggested Manmohan Singh was too old to be PM “ A new victory and new marriage have their own importance.

Old wives lose their charm, there’s no enjoyment” — Sriprakash Jaiswal in Sept 2012 The Union coal minister made the crass remark during a poetry meet at a girls’ college in Kanpur after receiving the news of India’s victory over Pakistan in a T20 match.

Widely condemned for the sexist comment, he later apologised “ Bade dakarte the sher jaise, aur kutte ke jaise ban kar Soniaji aur Congress ke ghar par talve chatne lage ( These leaders were roaring like lions but later bowed like dogs to lick the feet of Sonia and the Congress)” — Nitin Gadkari in May 2010 The BJP chief was referring to Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav, who refused to support the party during the vote on cut motion in Parliament. Lalu asked Gadkari to “ hold his ears and apologise”; SP threatened to take legal action; other parties also condemned his remark “ Throw the money at Mayawati’s face and tell her ‘ you should also be raped and we are ready to give you ` 1 crore’” — Rita Bahuguna Joshi in July 2009 The then UP Congress chief made the provocative comment at a public rally, slamming then CM Mayawati’s decision to give a compensation of ` 25,000 to Dalit rape victims. She was arrested and jailed, BSP workers set her house in Lucknow on fire, Cong distanced itself from the row; Joshi later expressed regret “ Had it not been Sandeep’s house, not even a dog would have glanced that way” — V. S. Achuthanandan in Dec 2008 The then Kerala CM made the distasteful comment after the angry father of 26/ 11 martyr, NSG officer Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, refused to let him inside his house to express condolence.

There was a nation- wide outrage. Achuthanandan initially dug in his heels but later bowed down to public pressure and expressed “ deep regret”.

SUPER STORM SANDY "GOD'S PUNISHMENT" ! 
A group of Muslim clerics have joined some Christian preachers in blaming the super storm which has devastated areas of America, Haiti and Cuba on the wrath of God.

Anti-American Muslim clerics said Sandy was a divine punishment for a film which mocks the Prophet Mohammad or for other perceived ills of American society. The film

 caused widespread protest in September as some Muslims demanded its removal from websites.

"Some people wonder about the hurricane in America and its causes," Egyptian hard line cleric Wagdi Ghoneim wrote in two messages on Twitter this week in the aftermath of the storm. "In my opinion, it is revenge from God for the beloved prophet," he added, alluding to the film, Reuters reported.

And, in Saudi Arabia, the cleric Salman al-Audah said the storm, which has killed more than 140 people and rising, was a wake-up call for Americans to convert to Islam.

But the clerics' remarks attracted criticism from other Muslims, who said it was wrong to relish the suffering of others. "God, shake the earth under their feet," read one comment, which prompted the response: "We have brothers and friends in America - I don't wish them any harm."

While Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia Abdel Aziz Al Sheik warned that rejoicing over the plight of the suffering runs contrary to Islam, adding that Muslims were among the victims. "It is not legitimate and it is not proper," he told pan-Arab Al-Hayat daily yesterday.

A Twitter response to Ghoneim, however, compared Sandy to a divine wind sent to destroy a sinful nation and strike at the seat of the United Nations in New York. "We ask God to destroy the UN building for its injustice, corruption, tyranny ... with Sandy," Reuters reported.

Others retorted: "This hashtag doesn't represent Muslims but represents a terrorist. We all ask God to help and save Americans."

In Iran, prominent clerics often avoid drawing parallels between natural disasters and divine intervention because their own country has faced devastating earthquakes, such as one in 2003 that killed 26,000 when it hit the ancient city of Bam.

On Wednesday, the Iranian Red Crescent said aid workers were ready to fly to New York to help with recovery efforts, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported. Mahmud Mozaffar, head of Red Crescent's rescue operations, said the Iranian groups had "ample experience" in dealing with natural catastrophes.

‎"KARWA CHAUT "TODAY;
REASONS TO CELEBRATE "KARWA CHAUT"AMONG SOME SECTIONS OF HINDU WOMEN !
It is really surprising why so many so called educated-enlightened Hindu women observe "karwa chaut"while their respective men have no such rite to follow or observe for the longevity and well being [???] of their wives-symbolizing once again male chauvinism.I wonder what might be the main motivation for such mythological superstition one or more of the following:-
*To prove that she loves husband,all despite discord,conflict and reservations against her husband ?
*To make the husband and/or his family [in laws] happy!

*Pressure and compulsion from society and peers to follow traditional ritualism !
*The psychological fear that if she does not follow tradition with closed eyes and recite mantra and story parrot like,her hubby might be in trouble!
At least the educated person need to realize that "tradition"must not be the exclusive cause to follow superstition and whether such blind dogmas really provide any "divine benefit and benevolence" in practice and perception?