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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00099 Oct 2003

 
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Dear Bhagavatars

A humble word of warning on this concept of "monotheism" - my personal
theory is that all the conflict in the world can be traced to this concept.
It was first espoused in the west by Pharoh Akhnaton who claimed that there
was only ne god - RA the sungod. In the beginning he was tolerant of other
deities and their shrines,but in the latter years he began a campaign of
persecution to force his views onto others. Then came the Jews with their
monotheism which led to them exterminating 7 nations in the land of Canaan.
This was followed by the monotheism of the Christians which led to millions
of people being slaughtered, enslaved, raped and pillaged in the name of the
"One True God". The came Islam and its monotheism - about which we all are
fully aware. The destruction of Srirangam and the massacre of Srivaishnavas.
In India their have been many smaller conflicts over the centuries between
the Vaishnavas and the Saivites and their various views on monotheism.

Hence I am terribly afraid of dealing with Personalist Ideas about
Monotheism. Monotheism which is the belief in ONE True Personal God means
that all other gods are either false or inferior and their votaries likewise
are either wicked, stupid or ignorant. This line of reasoning has one
consequence which history has proven time and time again - genocide.

So hence I am on a personal level, more inclined to the abstract concepts of
Narayana than the Personal one. Abstract is more in the spirit of inclusion
and universal compassion and service. Personal leads to exclusivity and
indifference to others at best and hostility at worst.

Adiyen

Dasanudasan

Sri Ram






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