EID IS UNIVERSAL DAY OF PEACE AND HARMONY

MUSLIMS PRAY FOR PEACE AND HARMONY
ON THE OCCASION OF EID-UL-FITR

http://twocircles.net - Imphal: Muslims in Manipur joined their brethrens in other parts of India in celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on 20 August 2012, which marked the end of the holy month of Ramzan. Muslims gathered at masjids and idgahs, and performed Id namaz. Considering the unfortunate developments of violence in Assam and some other parts of India, Muslims prayed for communal peace and harmony. However, the festive mood was dampened by the rain. 
At Imphal, Eid prayers were held at some of the prominent masjids. Chief Minister O. Ibobi visited the historic Sadar Bazar Jame Masjid and greeted the Muslims gathered there for the Eid prayers. Mass prayers were also held at Hafiz Hatta Masjid, Pormopat Masjid (regarded as the oldest masjid in Manipur), Babupara Masjid, among others. Muslims wholeheartedly prayed for peace and harmony in the State as well as in this country. An Imam of a mosque said, "We prayed to the Almighty on this auspicious occasion to restore peace and communal harmony in this country." Call for peace and harmony also marked Eid-ul-Fitr greetings.

Greeting the Muslims on the occasion, Governor of Manipur, Gurbhachan Jagat stated that the month-long fasting before this Holy Festival is an exhortation to mankind to perform deeds of high value, because, in doing so, the excellence of our soul is enhanced. The holy festival spreads the message of peace, brotherhood and universal love which is the prerequisite during the present period of disarray, he added. 
On this auspicious occasion, as recipients of God's love, we should resolve to condition our social demeanour so as to preserve and disseminate the message of peace, friendship and universal love,' he said. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, addressing the Muslims at Jame Masjid, also called on the people of the State to maintain peace and harmony cutting across communal and religious affiliations. However, a young Muslim, who is studying in a madrasa in South India, expressed serious concern and disappointment at the outbreak of senseless threats and violence in some of the cities in mainland India. He said, “We prayed to Allah to restore peace and harmony in this country. We sincerely hope people will unite, shun violence and live in peace and harmony.”

Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan - the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, was celebrated in Delhi, the national capital of India. Chairperson of Manipur State Minorities Commission, A Halim Choudhury, urged the Manipuris to retain the characteristics of modesty, nobility and calm and promote peaceful co-existence among the various communities. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit exhorted one and all to celebrate Eid as it helps in cementing the bonds of unity, harmony and brotherhood. These can be easily achieved when we realize that we are all spiritual beings within material bodies, and we should not be bound to material denominations.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

To determine the root-cause of unrest we ought first to determine the meaning of the self. I strongly believe, that ignorance of our real-self is the cause of unrest, discord and anxiety. The real-self is not the physical tabernacle. It is something other than the gross and subtle bodies. We consider the body to be the person, as long as we observe consciousness in it. ... The conscious entity (Soul) is designated as 'Atman' in Indian scriptures. 'Atman' is indestructible, it has no origin and no end. If we plunge deep into the matter, we can trace our existence with the Absolute Conscious Principle, whom we call Godhead, the Fountain Source of innumerable conscious units. ... Individuals are points of rays emanating from Him and as such one of His external co-existing potencies. Individuals cannot live independently. They are all interconnected and co-existing though retaining their own individual characteristics.

Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Madhava Mahārāja :
“Realistic Solution for Diverse Humanity”
Speech at a ‘Spiritual Summit Conference’
1968 Calcutta. - Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math
http://www.sreecgmath.org/scgmtimes/scgmsbdm.php

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

LOVE AND LUST EXHIBIT CYCLIC VARIATION

LOVE AND LUST ARE SEASONAL,
A NEW GOOGLE STUDY FINDS

www.huffingtonpost.com - Real-time tracking by researchers has identified a risqué trend in winter and early summer - people on the Internet looking for love - or at least sex. In a new study published this month in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior researchers tracked Google keyword searches in the United States for pornography, prostitution and dating sites between January 2006 and March 2011. Researchers wanted to gauge the real-time mood of the nation and found that online interest in the mating game peaked around Christmas and early summer. 
This bi-annual cycle isn't unheard of. A 2007 review of research on sexual activity in young people published in the journal Health Education found a six-month cycle for human sexual activity in the United States. Research on the so-called "holiday season effect" and the "summer vacation effect" has involved studying the outcomes of sex, such as births and sexually transmitted infections (STI) - events that occur weeks to months after doing the deed. Scientists have also documented increases in condom sales around Christmas week and during the summer months.

But psychologists Patrick and Charlotte Markey at Villanova University in Pennsylvania and Rutgers University in New Jersey, respectively, wanted to see if they could detect patterns and changes in sexual activity more quickly, especially given health concerns such as STIs. So the psychologists turned to the Web. 
Using Google Trends, the Markeys studied monthly patterns in search terms people used when looking for sex or romantic partners online. They included terms such as "porn," "boobs," "xxx," "call girl," "massage parlor," "eHarmony" and "Match.com." They compared the frequency with which people used the titillating terms with that of neutral searches for pets ("dog," "cat" and "bird"), popular websites ("Facebook" and "ebay"), and car parts ("tires," "brakes" and "windshield"). Patrick Markey was surprised to find the bi-annual trend in pornography searches. Porn-related keyword searches peaked during winter and early summer, a trend not seen with neutral search terms. He hopes his study will be of broader use. "It would be great if these findings could be used to target the timing of safe sex campaigns," he wrote.

A recent study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior journal has found that people looking for a connection on the internet are more likely to feel frisky in the winter and early summer. Researchers used Google trends to track keyword searches from January 2006 to March 2011 in the United States. They targeted words like pornography, prostitution, and various names of dating sites. Another study conducted in 2007 found that there is a six month cycle for sexual activity in young people in the United States. The media should stop using the words "love" and "lust" as synonyms, because they are not. In fact, Lust, which is selfish and demanding, is the opposite to Love.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Lust is all about getting and taking from others. It is never satisfied and is compared to fire. ... Many narratives in the Vedic literature illustrate this point. ... My own experience of being frustrated and unfulfilled in material relationships attracted me to these ancient histories and the philosophy embedded within them. They so clearly mapped out the pitfalls of a life dedicated to finding pleasure through our senses. The Vedic literature also described an alternative: Bhakti-yoga, the art and science of reawakening our love for God. That love lies dormant within us, just as love for a man or a woman lies dormant within a child, only to be awakened during puberty. Our love for Krsna will automatically awaken when He is convinced that we want it more than anything else. Furthermore, by loving God we come to love everyone, because everyone is part of Him. In the beginning, this kind of love requires practice, but it will eventually be spontaneous.

Śrīmati Archana-siddhi devi dasi
“What Is Love?” - “The Art and Science of Love”
Vaisnava Family Resources
http://www.vaisnavafamilyresources.org/
http://www.vaisnavafamilyresources.org/content/what-love-our-relationships-world-can-leave-us-wondering-whether-true-love-really-exists

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

WORLDWIDE SMOKING HABIT IS 'ALARMING,' STUDY SAYS

LARGEST-EVER TOBACCO STUDY FINDS
'URGENT NEED' FOR POLICY CHANGE

www.foxnews.com/health - Two-fifths of men in developing countries still smoke or use tobacco, and women are increasingly starting to smoke at younger ages, according to a large international study which found "alarming patterns" of tobacco use. Despite years of anti-smoking measures across the world, most developing countries have low quit rates, according to the study in The Lancet medical journal. 
There are wide differences in the rates of smoking between genders and nations, as well as major disparities in access to effective anti-smoking treatments. "Although 1.1 billion people have been covered by the adoption of the most effective tobacco control policies since 2008, 83 percent of the world's population are not covered by two or more of these policies," said Gary Giovino of the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions in New York, who led the research. Measures include legislation banning smoking in public places, imposing advertising bans and requiring more graphic health warnings on cigarette packets.

The findings come as the world's leading tobacco firms, British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco lost a crucial legal appeal in Australia this week against the introduction of plain tobacco packaging. Australia's planned "no logo" laws are in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations and are being watched closely by Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and India, which are considering similar measures. Smoking causes lung cancer, often fatal, and other chronic respiratory diseases. It is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the world's number one killers. Other forms of tobacco use include snuff or chewing tobacco. 
The WHO warns that "if current trends continue, it will cause up to one billion deaths in the 21st century." The WHO says tobacco already kills around 6 million people a year worldwide, including more than 600,000 non-smokers who die from exposure to second-hand smoke. By 2030, if current trends continue, it predicts tobacco could kill 8 million people a year.

Nearly half of all men and more than 1 in 10 women use tobacco in many developing countries, and women are starting to smoke at earlier ages, according to this international survey. The numbers call for urgent changes in tobacco policy and regulation in developing nations. While tobacco use is declining in industrialized countries, it remains strong - or is even increasing - in low- and middle-income countries, a trend the researchers attribute to powerful pro-tobacco forces worldwide that make it very difficult for people to break free from this vice.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The Bhagavad Gita explains that we all have both a divine and demoniac nature. Our divine qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities make for bondage. ...  All of this further affects the choices we will make today and tomorrow. If we are not careful we can find ourselves in a destructive cycle in which our lower nature dictates our fate. Drug addicts, alcoholics and smokers became obsessed with their habit by choosing to feed that inclination, again and again. What is easy for one person to refrain from is excruciating for another who has fed the habit. It is very difficult to just stop the mind and give-up our lower tendencies. Our conditioning is too powerful. Bhakti is the process of channeling our dynamic pleasure-seeking energy toward the Divine. The Gita teaches that one can overcome all of our lower tendencies by experiencing a higher taste, the taste of gradually awaking the source of all pleasure, God’s love.

Śrīla Radhanath Swami Mahārāja :
"Within Every Heart Dwell Two Dogs"
Teachings: November 19, 2011
http://www.radhanathswami.com/2011/11/within-every-heart-dwell-two-dogs/
http://www.radhanath-swami.net/  -  http://radhanathswami.info

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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FAST FOOD SALT CONTENT VARIES WORLDWIDE

SALT IN FAST FOOD VARIES
GREATLY BETWEEN COUNTRIES

(CBS News) - Not all fast food is created equally when it comes to salt, according to a new international study of fast food chains. The study found salt content among popular fast food items vary by country for six of the most popular fast food chains in the world. The researchers found salt concentrations are 2.5 times higher in U.S. “Chicken McNuggets” than their British counterparts. “We saw marked variability in the reported salt content of products provided by major transnational fast food companies,” Dr. Norman Campbell, from the University of Calgary, wrote in the study, published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal. 
Researchers collected salt content data from fast food chains Domino’s Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Subway and Burger King establishments that were operating in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the U.K. and U.S. (Burger King is called “Hungry Jack’s” in Australia).

The researchers compared salt content among seven types of food: savory breakfast items, burgers, chicken products, pizza, salads, sandwiches and of course, french fries. What did they find? Fast foods in the U.K. had the lowest amount of salt overall, the researchers said, while fast food in the U.S. had the highest. A Subway “Club Sandwich” contains more than twice the amount of salt in the U.S. and Australia as it does in France. A “Double Whopper” in Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand contains more salt than it does in the U.K. and Canada. 
French fries in Canada contain on average more than twice as much salt as they do in France and the U.S. The low salt levels across the board in the U.K. may be “a consequence of industry’s active participation in salt reduction efforts in that country,” the researchers wrote.  They recommend fast food chains cut salt gradually over several years to minimize consumer backlash.

 

All French fries are not created equal. It turns out that sodium levels in the same fast food items can vary significantly between countries, according to a study. Fast food from Canada and the United States contain the most salt, and in items from the U.K. and France the sodium levels remain relatively low. If the fast food companies reduce the amount of salt in their products, they could reduce the number of deaths of people involved in this bad habit of eating junk food daily. Consumerism and lack of self-control generate many diseases born of self-indulgence.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Only in the human body is the soul's consciousness evolved enough to access a superior source of pleasure - love of God. The Vedic scriptures explain that love of God enables the soul to attain eternal happiness in the spiritual world, his original home. Achieving this love of God is the specific and exclusive purpose for which the soul should use the human body. ... How do activities many consider enjoyable affect the human body? Smoking causes lung disease, drinking leads to liver diseases, eating non-vegetarian and junk food ruins digestion, and illicit sex - that perpetually over-hyped carnal pleasure - brings AIDS, an epidemic for which there is no aid. Modern society, education, and media indoctrinate us into believing that material enjoyment is the goal of life. But this "enjoyment" causes our worst suffering. Could it be that we are being tragically misled into abusing the human body for activities it is not designed for?

Śrīpad Chaitanya Charan das :
"The Spiritual Scientist"
"When Science Points to Spirituality"
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2011/12/when-science-points-to-spirituality/

MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSING AS DIPLOMAT IN USA

MAN WHO POSED AS DOMINICAN
DIPLOMAT PLEADS GUILTY IN NY SCAM

www.washingtonpost.com - A Maryland man who posed as a diplomat from the Dominican Republic to solicit donations for a bogus charitable project admitted on Monday it was a scam. Francisco Alberto Gautreaux Calcano pleaded guilty on Monday to grand larceny and scheming to defraud, prosecutors said. He “preyed upon the generosity of immigrants who wanted to help fellow Dominicans in need,” Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said in a statement. Calcano, 43, solicited donations to transport utility vehicles to the Dominican city of Salcedo, but the vehicles didn’t exist, prosecutors said. The Frederick, Md., man falsely told some victims he was a Dominican embassy staffer, prosecutors said, and claimed to be former Dominican Ambassador to the United States Roberto B. Saladin, who now represents his country at the Organization of American States. Calcano pretended to be a former Dominican Ambassador to the U.S., prosecutors say. He then solicited donations - including some from a New York state senator - to transport utility vehicles to the Dominican Republic. Those vehicles did not exist, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. The suspect stole $15,000 in all, according to the AP.

Calcano defrauded his victims in New York City and the Dominican Republic by telling them he was collecting money to ship donated utility and emergency vehicles to municipalities and charities in the Dominican Republic. On Dec. 30, 2010, Calcano contacted New York state Sen. Adriano Espaillat, claiming to be calling on behalf of Roberto Saladin, now-former Dominican ambassador to the U.S., to solicit money to send the vehicles to the Dominican city of Salcedo. The senator referred Calcano to a constituent with ties to Salcedo. Within days, three people wired Calcano more than $11,500 via Western Union, Vance's office said in the news release. Video footage taken from a Western Union location near Calcano's apartment showed him getting the money. A search of his apartment yielded Western Union receipts and cellphones used in the scam, the release said. Espaillat became suspicious of Calcano's activities a few weeks later after a conversation the senator had with Saladin and tipped off authorities, said Ibrahim Khan, a spokesman for the senator, in a phone interview Tuesday. Calcano is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 4. He faces a possible sentence of 11Ú2 to 21Ú2 years in a New York jail.

Francisco Alberto Gautreaux Calcano, 43, admitted scamming people out of more than 15,000 dollars in New York (USA) while posing as a diplomat from the Dominican Republic, announced Manhattan District Attorney. Calcano pretended to be a former Dominican Ambassador to the U.S., in order to ask for donations to transport utility vehicles to the Dominican Republic; however, those vehicles did not exist. He “preyed upon the generosity of immigrants who wanted to help fellow Dominicans in need,” officials said. In this material world, the propensity to cheat is everywhere, and the more you are expert cheater, you are considered very able man.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

This is called samsāra-dāvānala. Even in ordinary transactions between two people, there is invariably cheating because the conditioned soul is defective in four ways - he is illusioned, he commits mistakes, his knowledge is imperfect, and he has a propensity to cheat. Unless one is liberated from material conditioning, these four defects must be there. Consequently every man has a cheating propensity, which is employed in business or money transactions. ... One may profess a high philosophy, but when one is in need of money, he becomes a cheater. ... Unless one can find a person transcendental to the four basic defects, one should not accept advice and become a victim of the material condition. The best process is to take the advice and instructions of Śrī Krishna or His bona fide representative. In this way one can be happy in this life and the next.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
Chapter 14: “The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment”
Verse 26 - Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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GREEDY DENTISTS ARE KILLING U.S. KIDS

DEATH, GREED AT THE DENTIST:
AMERICAN CHILDREN AT RISK

www.nydailynews.com - Poorly trained dentists have been killing American children by administering unnecessary, yet lucrative, sedation. In the last 15 years, 31 children have died during or following dental treatment, according to a recent report. Raven Maria Blanco was 8-years-old when she died in the dentist's chair during a routine procedure. She received three times the average range of sedatives for a child of her weight and health. She had a lethal blood concentration of 24 mg/l of chloral hydrate, as revealed by an autopsy. 
The dentist responsible, Dr. Michael Hechtkopf, only had his license restricted for three months and needed to retrain in risk management and record keeping for a mere seven hours. Dr. Hechtkopf's lawyer said that his client "regretted" what happened. 
'Pain-free dentistry can mean tens of thousands of dollars of extra income in your pocket annually and as much as half a million extra in your pocket at retirement,' wrote Dr. Michael Silverman, one dentist who runs a firm that trains dentists in the use of oral sedation.

Raven's parents established the Raven Maria Blanco Foundation to warn others about ill-equipped dentists unnecessarily performing such dangerous procedures. They started a campaign to establish a registry of dental treatment deaths, in hopes to save other families from the same heartbreak. But other families have endured such tragedy. Five-year-old Diamond Brownridge died from nitrous oxide and an intravenous sedation. 13-year-old Marissa Kingery died from four different types of oral sedatives. When Dr. Patrick Bamgboye administered the sedatives that killed 3-year-old Juan Quiej earlier this year, he was still on probation for doing the same to 6-year-old Kyneicha Pagan. Kyneicha's mother said, "Two innocent kids die. It can't be a coincidence." 
Some of these dentists have merely 2 days of safe sedation training, but it can increase treatment costs by tens of thousands of dollars.  Dr. Indru Punwani, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, said that such weekend courses are inadequate preparation for potential emergencies.

Children across the U.S. are being unnecessarily put at risk by greedy and poorly trained dentists looking to increase their profits by sedating young patients for routine treatments. By encouraging parents to choose the expensive “pain free” option for anxious children, the dentists adds tens of thousands of dollars to the charge of the dental treatment but expose children to costly and very dangerous sedation. Humankind needs the help of conscious doctors, that is, health professionals who are not greedy for money, but driven by the desire to become true well-wishers of the patients.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The organization of Conscious Doctors is one of friendship and exchange of medical experiences between doctors with the purpose of purifying professional medical activities by supporting spiritual consciousness. As a result, conscious doctors will have a forum that will allow greater understanding and improve the practice of a holistic system of treatment, such as: Ayurveda, naturopathy, chiropractics, homeopathy, bioenergetics, acupuncture, etc. Thus, the spiritually conscious medical professional, with proven results, will become as distant as possible from the ignorant allopathy system that only attacks the symptoms of ailments without regard to the causes that create them. ... Modern allopathic medicine can have so many negative side effects, which even after extensive investigations in many cases it is difficult to know up to what point the effects are beneficiary or negative to the patient.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
"Conscious Doctors"
The Vedic Wisdom Online

http://medicosconscientes.net/
http://www.vedic-wisdom.org/
http://bhaktipedia.org/espanol/index.php?n=sabidurias_vedicas.medicos_concientes

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS

INDIA CELEBRATES 65th ANNIVERSARY
OF INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITISH RULE

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday promised further steps to reduce corruption and ensure transparency in governance. "We will continue our efforts to bring more transparency and accountability in the work of public servants and to reduce corruption," the Prime Minister said in his address to the nation on the Independence Day. "But we will also take care that these measures do not result in a situation in which the morale of public functionaries... gets affected because of baseless allegations and unnecessary litigation," he said. The Prime Minister said he was committed to making the work of the government and administration transparent and accountable. "Our commitment to make the work of the government and administration transparent and accountable stands," he said. He reminded people of his promise last year that anti-corruption steps would be taken and pointed out that the Lok Sabha had cleared the Lokpal and Lokayukta bill. "We hope that all political parties will help us in passing this bill in the Rajya Sabha," he said.

Stating a number of other bills have been presented in the Parliament, the Prime Minister said the Cabinet had cleared a Public Procurement Bill, which aims to make government procurement processes more transparent. The Prime Minister covered an array of issues in his speech but much of it was focused on Indian economy. Besides the global financial crisis, domestic developments were also hindering the growth of India's economy, he said, without specifying what the hiccups were. 
India's GDP grew by 6.5 percent last year, and "this year we hope to do a little better", he said. The economist-turned-politician admitted that this year's poor monsoon would pose difficulties in controlling inflation. But Dr Singh assured the nation that the difficult days would not last long. "Even as we face problems, we should be encouraged by the fact that we have achieved extraordinary successes in many areas in the last eight years," he said, referring to the period since 2004 when he came to head a Congress-led coalition government. Lack of political consensus on many issues is affecting India's rapid economic growth, he said.

Addressing the nation on India's Independence Day, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regretted that the absence of such consensus was coming in the way of an environment conducive for faster economic growth. "Time has now come to view the issues which affect our development processes as matters of national security," he said. However, some believe that while the entire world looks at India and its people in searching of the true moral and ethical spirit, the current Westernization leads to neglect the wise Vedic cultural and spiritual roots.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The history of rule in India goes back to great antiquity, back and back to the days of the Mahabharata (emperors such as Yudhisthira and Pariksit Maharaja) and before that to the days of the Ramayana when Sri Ramacandra sat on the throne of Ayodhya. Those days and subsequent times were known as the rule of rama-rajya, the saintly rulers of India. ... Now in the 21st century India is under ‘home rule’, ruled by her own people and India has become the largest democracy in the world. But the stark reality of the situation is that western influence on moral conduct, material advancement and even religion, with the tremendous advances of Christianity within the country, is more than at any other time in history. Indians rule India, yet India is more prone to outside influences now than at any other time in history. What the Greeks and Kushans failed to do, what the Muslims and Moguls could not do in 1000 years of rule in India, what the British could not finish in 200 years, MTV and Bollywood have managed in only 62 years of independence - the massive moral, social and cultural degradation of India.

Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Maharaja :
"Who Ruled India?"
Oct 3 2009 - Krishna Talk 91
Shri Narasingha Chaitanya Matha
http://gosai.com/writings/who-ruled-india

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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PROTESTANTS TOLD TO STOP GOSSIPING

CANADIAN PROTESTANTS
TOLD TO STOP GOSSIPING

www.iol.co.za - Canada’s largest Protestant denomination is urging congregants to stop gossiping, likening the chatter to gambling and “other evils of society.”  “Gossip can cause people to lose their jobs and their good reputations,” according to a motion under consideration at the United Church of Canada’s 41st general council, held August 11-18 in Ottawa. Idle talk can “lead to broken friendships and split families, and can be used as a malicious weapon against an opponent,” the resolution continued, adding that mean-spirited gabbing “can cause people to switch churches or in some instances, to stop attending church altogether.” The motion aims to “encourage congregations to seek ways to raise awareness of the harmful aspects of gossip.”  While not explicitly a sin, United Church spokesman Reverend Bruce Gregersen explained that spreading tales is contrary to Christian teachings promoting love, truth and honesty.  It falls into the category of “bearing false witness,” he told AFP. However, Gregersen  acknowledged “it's hard to know what we can do about it as a congregation.” The conference, held once every three years, brings together 350 delegates and hundred more guests.

The conference also brings many observers, representing 650,000 church members nationwide. Participants also planned to discuss child poverty, homelessness and economic disparity in Canada, as well as the hardships of rural churches in keeping up membership and staffing levels. The council will also take on issues of national and international interest, such as climate change and a proposed oil pipeline in westernmost Canada. The church also plans to consider a new report on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Anthropologists, however, see chatter as a way of sharing key information about others that affects people’s social standing. Reputation is determined by gossip, and casual conversations of others affect one’s acceptability as a mate or a partner in a social exchange, said Jerome Barkow, an anthropology professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax. In his evolutionary psychology volume “The Adapted Mind,” he said gossip is largely unreliable because people tend to disseminate information that bolsters their own social success, not objective truth. We tend to derogate rivals and mask our own weaknesses," Barkow wrote.

The United Church, the Canada's largest Protestant Christian church, urges its congregants to stop gossiping because it falls into the category of  “bearing false witness”. Gossip can be used as a malicious weapon against other people and it cause people to lose their jogs and good reputations. Idle talk or mean-spirited chatter may lead to broken friendships and split families, United Church spokesman Reverend Bruce Gregersen explained. As the Kali yuga progresses, gossiping, fruitless verbal jugglery, speaking ill of others and indulging in quarrels become more and more prominent.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

We can not prevent the birds from flying over our heads, but we can avoid making a nest on it. Similarly, we can not help that at times critical or negative ideas or thoughts appear within us, but we can prevent them from taking root, and for that we must be experts become indifferent to them. If you hear any criticism / gossip / profanity / etc. about someone, do not let your mind accept it as real and true, until you by yourself do not check it directly. It is very important not to fail in this, not even by an inch ... or the consequences will come one after another in a domino effect. If I want to venture to criticize someone, first I must precede it with a series of favorable assessments of the qualities that person - who is the subject of my criticism - has, even those qualities that he / she possesses, and that I should develop, too. Otherwise, you better take some time before opening the mouth, and deeply analyze whether what we are going to say is motivated by a real constructive desire, or simply out of envy, for being  unable to tolerate others' success.

Śrīpad Bhaktivedanta Padmanabha Mahārāja :
“Thoughts”
“Keys to a True Advance”
http://www.swamipadmanabha.com.ar/p/articulos-ensayos.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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INDIAN MAN USES CHASTITY BELT ON WIFE

WOMAN FORCED TO WEAR
CHASTITY BELT IN INDORE, INDIA

http://hillpost.in - We have read about male chauvinism and how in the days of yore suspicious men having doubts on the fidelity of their women, forced them to put on chastity belts and thereby ensure their loyalty. However, this is all but part of history and perhaps no where in recent modern times has one read or heard of the ancient practice being put in vogue. But according to a report from Indore, a young man, Sohan Lal Chauhan decided to tear a page from history and practice it on his wife. His wife, who was forced to wear a chastity belt for the last four years, could not bear the humiliation, embarrassment and above all uncomfort and apparently enough became enough for her. She decided to end her life and thereby her misery, consumed poison. A resident of Indiras Nagar in the Sayontiaganj area of Indore, she was rushed to the hospital, where both the doctors and policemen who had taken her for medical attention were dumbfounded to learn of the reported “misdoings’ of her husband, a worker in an auto garage. She told the cops and the doctors on duty that her husband had forcibly put a chastity belt round her private organ and locked the same.

The lock had two keys, which her husband took with him when he went to work after locking the belt and opened it only when he returned home from work. All during this time the woman was forced to keep the belt around her vitals and bear not only the pain but the humiliation and uncomfort. The police took the keys from the man and gave it to the doctors to open the lock and take the women out of her misery. City S P, Rajesh Raghuvanshi is reported to have said that after receiving a report from the doctors, action will be taken against the young man as under law. In the initial interrogation, it was found that Sohanlal used a spiky instrument to pierce the vagina of his wife, so he could fastened a lock there. He was using chastity belt for the last four-year. Raghuvanshi said that the reason behind such practice was doubt over the character of his wife. Raghuvanshi further said that Sohanlal used to lock the private parts of her wife in the morning before leaving for duty and unlocked it after return in the evening to preserve the faithfulness of his wife. He said that it seems that the accused is alcoholic and mentally disturb.

In a classic case of distrust leading to brutality, a Indore (India) man used chastity belt to keep her wife away from having any extra-marital affairs. Crossing the limits of distrust and cruelty, the 45-year-old mechanic from Sayongitaganj was using chastity belt for the last four years to prevent his wife from having sexual intercourse with anybody other than him. The practice of chastity belt is not new in India. There are several incidents, which suggest that women were being forced to wear chastity belts in rural areas of Rajasthan. Violence born of lust and all kinds of cruelty against women causes great disturbances in the world.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Material lust is like a blazing fire, never leaving a person with any peace. Such desires always force people to attempt to satisfy their cravings. The flames of such desires consume all hope for peace in such individuals. When society is made of many such individuals, whose primary interest is to simply satisfy their own desires and gratify their senses, this disorder prevents peace in human society. Society remains in a state of escalating chaos. Such disorder grows to the degree in which society pursues selfish gratification. ... The more you try to satisfy your senses, the more you will come under the control of lust, greed and anger. Lust is there when you want to satisfy your material desires. Greed is there when you want more than you need.  Anger will always be there in some form when you fail to achieve what you want, or when you attain it but then lose it. The unmerciful masters of lust, greed and anger will never leave you alone.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
"Toward World Peace: Seeing the Unity Between Us All"
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/toward_world_peace_ebook.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

IRAN EARTHQUAKES KILL 250, THOUSANDS INJURED

DEATH TOLL IN IRAN QUAKES
RAISED TO AT LEAST 250

http://abcnews.go.com - Twin earthquakes in Iran have killed at least 250 people and injured over 2,000, Iranian state television said on Sunday, after thousands spent the night outdoors after their villages were leveled and homes damaged in the country's northwest. Images broadcast on the main news channel showed dozens of families sleeping on blankets laid out on the ground in parks. Some were crying, others shivering from chilly weather in the mountainous region hit by the quake, near neighboring Azerbaijan. 
Over a thousand rescuers worked through the night to free people trapped under rubble and to reach some of the more remote villages affected. Television also showed people being evacuated on stretchers, while others underwent treatment for broken limbs and concussions on hospital beds. By early afternoon on Sunday, state television was reporting that search operations had ceased. Hundreds of tents had been set up to house the homeless, it added. The epicenter was a region between the towns of Ahar and Haris, about 200 miles (500 kilometers) northwest of the capital Tehran.

It was reported that Saturday's first quake at 4:53 p.m. (1223 GMT) had a magnitude of 6.4 and struck 37 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of the city of Tabriz at a depth of 9.9 kilometers (6.2 miles). The second quake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck 11 minutes later, the U.S.G.S. reported. Its epicenter was 29 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Tabriz at a depth of 6.1 miles (9.8 kilometers). The quakes hit the towns of Ahar, Haris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan province, Iranian television reported. At least six villages were totally leveled, and 133 others sustained damage ranging from 50 to 80 percent, it said. 
Some 36 aftershocks jolted the same area and were felt in a wide region near the Caspian Sea, causing panic among the population. Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. It experiences at least one earthquake every day on average, although the vast majority are so small they go unnoticed. In 2003, some 26,000 people were killed by a magnitude 6.6 quake that flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam.

Two strong earthquakes hit northwestern Iran, killing at least 250 people and injuring 2,600 others. The 6.4 and 6.3 magnitude on the Richter scale quakes struck minutes apart late Saturday afternoon, leveling several villages near the city of Tabriz and seriously damaging several others. Dozens of aftershocks have rumbled through the area, prompting thousands of people to spend the night outdoors. The last major earthquake in Iran was a magnitude 6.6 quake in 2003 in the southeastern city of Bam, where 30,000 people died. One of the three types of miseries we have to endure in this material world are the ones caused by higher natural powers (adhidaivika-klesha): e.g. Extreme heat or cold, floods, storms, earthquakes, tsunamis.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Natural calamities are a display of an awesome power immensely and fearfully greater than the human. They jolt us out of our complacent routines and force us to think about the supernatural: Why do such natural disasters occur? ... Over the last century natural calamities have been increasing in both their frequency and ferocity. According to the International Society for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), there were three times as many great natural disasters in the 1990s as in the 1960s, while disaster costs increased more than nine-fold in the same period. The deaths from natural disasters have increased from 53,000 in 1990 to 83,000 in 2003. ... And if we wish to truly help our fellow citizens on this planet, humanitarian aid will not be enough. We have to offer spiritual aid by giving the enlightenment and empowerment that comes from God consciousness.

Caitanya Caran das (BE E&TC) :
“When Nature Boomerangs”
“The Spiritual Scientist” - Vol. 3 Issue 1.
Bhaktivedanta Academy for Culture and Education (BACE), Pune
http://thespiritualscientist.com/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/