You are here: SriPedia - Ramanuja - Archives - Nov 2003

Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00039 Nov 2003

 
Nov 2003 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


Hi,
I would like to add few more words to the list..
1. "Cult" as in Vaishnava cult, cult of vadakalai/thenkalai - I've 
seen this word used a lot by our own people. This is a highly 
offensive word with hidden implicationsof a secret group involved in 
brainwashing of youths, causing psychological damage etc. etc.
2. "Myth" - I've also seen the words like "Hindu myth", "Indian 
mythology" etc. etc. - When we use this term, we confess that our 
puranic legends are mere fantasies and fairy tales.

Regards,
Kasturi

--- In ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, purohit@xxxx wrote:
> 
> Dear Bhagavatars - many of you might not be knowing that "IDOL" is 
an
> extremely perjorative term coined by Christian missionaries in 
order to
> denigrate and bring to the lowest level what they saw as the 
objects of
> worship in India.
> 
> Please see you Webster's dictionary ? IDOL = (1) the image of a 
heathen god,
> (2) that on which the passions are set; (3) a source of error; (4) a
> fallacy, (5) an unsubstantial apparition; (6) a phantom; (7) an 
imposter, a
> counterfiet.
> 
> The terms "idol" and "idolatry" in the west immediately brings to 
mind
> negative connotations as seen in the dictionary entry, and is never 
used is
> a positive context.
> 
> It is high time that we stopped using this term to describe 
the "archa
> avataras" and indeed should strongly object to it - in the eyes of 
the
> native english speakers we are denigrating our own murtis!
> 
> The proper term of use is ICON. This is what the catholics and the 
eastern
> orthodox Christians call their images of God. In modern computer 
speak which
> has adopted this term, it has an entirely neutral connotation
> 
> Words are very important and we too should adjust our vocabulary to 
more
> positive or at least neutral communication.
> 
> Please make this your personal project - allways correct others in 
this
> usage, for Vaishnavas to knowingly or unknowlingly insult the sacred
> "tiru-meni" is a serious aparadham.
> 
> adiyen
> 
> Sri Ram





[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list