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Our Children and Theirs
The Blessed Lord Krishna said: If hundreds of thousands of suns rose up at once into the sky, they might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form.
Bhagvad Gita, Chapter 11, Verse 12
J. Robert Oppenheimer, none other than the head of the Manhattan Project and the father of the atom bomb, recalled later that these were the words from Hinduism's holy book that came to his lips as he watched the awesome spectacle of his theoretical experimentations unfold into a cataclysmic cloud in 1945.
Nuclear weaponry--nearly infinite destructive energy evinced only twice before in Nagasaki and Hiroshima--is capable of global destruction over and over. But Armageddon conceptually is nothing new. All religious traditions speak of this potential, and certainly Hindus subscribe to the concept that this age of Kali will end with pralaya, an armageddon of sorts, as lower tendencies in humans predominate and usher in another Age of Great Awakening. Divine armaments, such as the Bramastra of Hindu scripture predestined the advent of nuclear weapons, and now, of course, they are here.
Growing up in South Florida, in the shadows of missile launchers hastily built during the Cuban missile crisis a decade before and the frost of a lingering Cold War, we watched "The Day After" and "Red Dawn" and wondered what if. But at some level, we believed as Sting famously sang:
Regardless of ideology
What might save us, me, and you
Is that the Russians love their children too
As a Hindu, the Divine in me instructs me to see the Divine in them and think that the democracies of Great Britain, America, France and India, well, they love their children. But does a godless despot in North Korea, a proliferating regime in Pakistan, an extremist, ideological lunatic in Iran love their children too? Do they love our children? We know that the fear of mutual destruction conceptually constrains armageddon today. But if the cults-of-death that are the Taliban or al-Qaeda were to gain control in Pakistan, where would India be? If an Ahmedinijadi Iranian regime, openly committed to the destruction of Israel, successfully went nuclear, a threat existential is theoretical no more.
Many faiths, including dharmic religions, promote peace, non-violence and tolerance; but we are not told to accept an existential threat with cowardly serenity--it must be countered by all means. And while our humanitarian impulse will aspire to a world free of nuclear weapons, we must live in a world where that impulse is not universally shared. Nothing can be more immoral than capitulating to terror in our own search for peace.
President Obama promotes the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty that the U.S. Senate has not even ratified--so his clarion call to others to sign on sounds hollow indeed. Even the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) from the 1960's was deeply flawed--how can five countries that happen to make up the UN's Security Council deem themselves responsible nuclear states and impose a moratorium on all other countries? Imperialistic asymmetry, a nuclear apartheid is bound to be rejected and India, Pakistan, Israel and now North Korea and Iran are testaments to this failure. A club with limited membership, but exclusive no more. Can't keep the riffraff out...
There is no question that we must strive for the nuclear weapon-free utopia that is the only sure way to avoid our mutual annihilation. It is most certainly a moral imperative. The nuclear weapon states that are excessively armed would be exemplars of this morality if they were to shed their redundant weaponry and maintain a minimal deterrent as long as necessary. Our own hypocrisy will sink us if we do not take the lead and call on others to follow.
But we must have simultaneously the moral courage and fortitude to declaw Iran and North Korea as nations whose leaders do not share our thirst for peace. Will we rein in the A.Q. Khan's and punish a Pakistan that tacitly celebrates such merchants and proliferators of destruction? If the answer is a resounding yes, then the United Nations podium will one day mean more than a perch for poetic reflections on disarmament.
We must pray for peace and disarmament, but as the same Gita that Oppenheimer recalled implores: pitiful yearnings without dharmic--right and strong action fulfilling one's duty--is no prayer at all.
Views expressed here are the personal views of Dr. Aseem Shukla, and do not necessarily represent those of the University of Minnesota or Hindu American Foundation.
By
Aseem Shukla
|
September 29, 2009; 10:39 AM ET
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Posted by: Farnaz1Mansouri1 | October 6, 2009 6:33 PM
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Correction:
Note: Only 1,144 Hue{mate"-kinds as candidates will attain/recieve such a Honorary but International-degree ,
for the coming "WORLD FAiTH EXCHANGE" body/assembly of The U.nited N.ations, based on the knowledge/awareness of "TRANS{FiNITY" Philosophy & Writings.. by
"SHi{LOH" aka Dr. HARRY THERiAULT" via his writings "The HOLY BALANCE [MIZAN]" & the "BOOK OF TRANS{FiNITY", aka "SUPREME PARATESTAMENT" (of the New Song) coming from all our old songs)' et al, and then The world will never be the same again, Old time religious-Wise, but will be SPACE-FORTh & FUTURE-BOUND wise!
The Mission/Purpose is to Gather the Worlds 3 major faiths & man-madely Build the NEW-BIBLE/GEETA/QURAN.., like "IT" [G-D by manymany names] Innately built OUR planetary "SOLAR SYSTEM" via "IT"s own manifest Holyi NEBULA!
Remember: As APOCALYPTARi-ON's, LiFE is a Miracle; and being Born in "IT" by "iTSELF" is a Miracle, arising from the Holyi-Cosmic "DUE-TO-BE" phenomena/ON and never was such Reality any un-kind of HUMAN sin/curse story!
Note: Sex is NOT/NO 'LOVE"; Reality: LiFE, appearing as blesseth MEME's is LOVE, a genuine Miracle too! Or else Ye will be lost in (some one elses) PRE-APOCALYPTiC translations forever! SORRY Folks!
Posted by: sri--e-klah | October 3, 2009 12:23 PM
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For Clarity & brevity sake; here are the Major "E-KLAH"ti-ON favorite "Shlokas/Stanzas"; line upon line, made easy:
-- Bh. GEETA/GiTA:
2:52 reads, "When YE iNTELl crosses beyond the mire of del-U-sion, then ye shall attain to indifference as to what has been HEARD [Old Songs?] and what is yet to be HEARD (NEW song!]" OM.
2:53 reads, "When Ye iNTELL, though perplexed by what Ye hath HEARD, shall stand immovable and steady-iN-The-SELF, then Ye shal attain SELF-REALIZATION" OM.
10:8 reads, "I'am the SOURCE [1?] of ALL; from Me everything evolves, understanding thus, the "wise" [EKLAH-ti-ON(s), a/k/a JOK{TAN-ian(s), aka "HUe{MATE(s), not HUMANs?] , endowed with 'Loving Conscience', worship Me." OM.
10:41 reads, "Whatever that is glor-i-US, prosperous or Powerfull in ANY being, know that ["IT"?] to be a manifestation of a part of My splend-OUR." OM.
10:42 reads, "But, of what avail to thee is the knowledge of ALL these details. O' ARJUNA? [Urdu MOSES Figure] I exist, supporting this whole world [S.S. Earth; of Many?] by One part of My-SELF." OM.
15:15 reads, "I reside in the hearts of all! From Me originates knowledge, remembering, and forgetting! I am that which has to be known in the Vedas! [Chumash/Bibles, Quran/Korans, Geeta/Kangyurs..?] I am, verily, the Possessor of the all-encompassing knowledge! I am also the Creator of the Vedanta.". OM.
So: The TRUE [opposite MYTH?] NATURE [via LAWS of "IT" or "iTSELF" being OUR CLAUSE's therefrom and the Universe therein is Our CONSTITUTION, to Uphold-Magnify & make Honorable to Self + IT] of the iNFiNiTE is in being UNCONDITIONAL, All PREVAILING and ETERNAL?"
Please see "G.M.R.U." aka "Order Of the 4-magnitudes in JUDEO-VEDiC awareness" links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C4%81m%C4%81ya%E1%B9%87a
http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanishads
Note: although Studying this HINDU religion/faith/belief alone, of many COMPETing others, will not make ye an "EKLAH-ti-ON" overnite aka a "Student Forever Of SOURCE-ONE" or "THEOLOGiAN OF, is , in ESSENCE, because WE [i] Never really Graduate! How about YE!??
Note again: Next Fall @ Marist College, Pougheeepsie, N.Y.; WE [i] "EKLAH"ti-ON's (not OFFs) will be offering a course in "The RELIGION OF EVERYTHING, before the Science Of Everything" plus some more NEW SONGs. All whom paseth , will have a degree in the Chumash/Bible + Quran/Koran + Getta/Kangyurs..
Note: Only 1444 Hue{mate-kinds as candidates will attain/recieve such a degree based on "TRANS{FiNITY" Philosophy & Writings.. The world will never be the same again!
Thanks. Shukria.
Posted by: sri--e-klah | October 3, 2009 11:58 AM
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Part 2 of 2:
Interestingly, as a DEEPER-PROPHECY, Mr. Chin-"MAYAN"-anda, has nothing to do with the fact that TODAY Human's race is really going from [EQUiNOXes allignments; not HOROSCOPEs]: the PISCES-AGE (where the GEETA, CHUMASH, BIBLE, QURAN, KANGYURs ... was born & copycatt'd during Pre-Atomic-AGe, Pre-Electric age! And
Now we are entering the "MAYAN" (American version, not HINDU India's predictions) Calendate's End +/- 2012 version/storys. Note: You & CO., Freudiantly slipped & boldly said,
"All religious traditions speak of this potential [ARMAGEDDON? or END OF TiMES? scenerio], and certainly Hindus subscribe to the concept that this age-of-Kali [as if PISCES-AGE?] will end with pralaya, an armageddon of sorts, as lower tendencies in humans predominate and usher in another Age-of-Great-Awakening [as if AQUARIUS-AGE?]."
Your "HINDUTVA" Jealousy (via hinduy/buddhists CO.,/ORGs here & there) , includes DEPAK CHOPRA & Co. [Except for Arun Gandhi; a good & honest real Swami/Guru; a Victim of this WAPO crowd] is slipping & showing through.
Reality: You can't revive a Pre-Apocalyptic Religion, Faith/Belief, like yours (not OURs) and then Modernize it cunningly herein as if HINDU's saw & knew it all, way before Todays other Pre-Apocalyptic religio competing man-made Poly-gods SYSTEMS for tomorrow!
Lately in/on the Americas Continent there has been an conspiracy, Invasion by Ye HINDUTVA-ians here trying to HINDUize our, not your continents, ancient (not Your) "MAYAN" (American INDIAN(s)) AZTECs,INCA's.. End Of Times Story's or Calanders!
Nice Try HINDU(s), BUDDHIST(s) & CO. from the Flat-Worlds of major/minor Asia!
-- [WE] i agree that:
"YE Shall GO BEYOND the SCRIPTURES OF TIMES PAST, AND STILL TO COME." and i-AM the 1-Source of ALL things: the EVOLUTION of ALL comes from: ME. OMmmm. Know that whatever is BEAUTIFUL & GOOD whatever has Glory & POWER is only a portion of my own RADiANCE"
Please See: Bh. Gita/geeta; in Stanzas, a/k/a Script, Sura, Pasiks.. @ 2:52 & 2:53;; 10:8 & 41-42;; 15:15 et seq.
Note: The Real E-KLAH-t-iOn prediction for our MEMEtics via our so-called END OF TiMES is in +/- 1.3 Billion Years from Today. Period! So WAKE-UP!
Posted by: sri--e-klah | October 3, 2009 10:16 AM
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Sir A.S., NOMASTAE:
Note: Muhatmah Gandhi [pbuh] is 140 Years old Today.
i have before me (1975 ed. Ctrl Chinmaya trust BOMBAY) "The Holy GEETA" Commentary's by SWAMi CHINMAYANANDa [pbuh] (1919-1978).
You wrongly cited [song] "Bhagvad Gita/Geeta, Chapter 11, Verse 12": It's about "CONVERTING' Arjuna (MOSES figure) by KRISHNA (G-D as JESUS figure or FORM in flesh) Accordingly, as a Correction of your GODLY-JEALOUSYs that SHLOKA or STANZA therein rightly saith,
"IF the splendour of a 1,000 (thousand, not hundreds of such) SUNs was to blaze all at once (Simultaneously) in the Sky, that would be like the splendour of that MiGHTY-BEiNG (Great SOUL)."
Point: This Chapter has nothing to do with describing an "ATOMIC-NUCLEAR-BOMBS" or ANY such; As a poem/Lore-story (a Metaphor) to describe this powerfull simile, and all it is saying is that is how, to stop a distrous "War-Blessing!"
"... from the mouth of 'SANJAYA' describing the 'DEViNE-FORM' of KRiSHNA (JESUS figure in Urdu), it gathers a NEW glamour and Glory [to a blind King who will bea-able-to-see the defeat of his Sons]..."
Note: You said, "as the BRAMAstra (Universe via AGNi) of Hindu scripture [HINDU's] predestined the advent of nuclear weapons [1,000's of years ago], and now, of course, they are here." Fact/Reality: That Shlokas, has nothing to do with a "Big-Bang" theory nor an , man-made "URANiUM-A-BOMB"! And
When you cite "Divine Armaments" that has nothing to do with man-made Nuclear-Bombs!
In fact; Nowhere in that Shloka, includes Chapter 9, 10 [This] & 12 is "Divine Armaments" written. Maybe "Divine Ornaments" or "Divine Weapons". But ARM...s in Sanskrit (not Greeko/Latin) is not what it's about.
Chapter 9, 10, [11], 12 & 13 TITLES respectfully reads, ..."THE Royal Secret", "The DiVINE GLORiES", "[The COSMIC-FORM Divine INTRO]", "PATH-oF-Devotion" and "The Field and IT's Knower"...
Continued to: 2 of 2:
Posted by: sri--e-klah | October 3, 2009 9:53 AM
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Almost all love their children. The unanswered question is whether those with access to atomic weapons love their vision of an afterlife more than their children's world here and now.
Some see this as an issue with all religions but I just see focusing on the afterlife instead of right now as an outmoded concept, noting that many cling to the past.
Posted by: edbyronadams | October 2, 2009 11:03 AM
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Well explained. Non proliferation & nuclear kingsmanship are quite complicated. I appreciate the quote from Hindu scriptures and the perspective of the dharmic traditions.
Posted by: mihirmeghani | September 30, 2009 7:41 PM
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Mr. Shukla,
A very well written article. Your analysis of the issue of nonproliferation and disarmament is correct.
However, I would make a distinction between the rogue states North Korea and Pakistan/Iran. North Korea is building nuclear weapons mainly as a defensive action. In contrast, Pakistan has been an agressor in 4 wars, which they lost, and a state sponsor of islamic terrorist organizations. Iran has also been a state sponsor of terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. An "Islamic bomb" is not the same as the others. The violence associated with Islam throughout history is undeniable, extreme, and unique.
As a physician, you are familiar with the concept of "triage". The threat of nuclear weopons is not the same from all sides. The most immediate threat is clearly arising from nondemocratic, semifunctional Islamic states. This needs to be addressed first. There is no moral equivalency between all the nuclear weapons capapble states.
Posted by: clearthinking1 | September 30, 2009 12:14 PM
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Do the Dalit love their children? Do you love the Dalit's children? Do the Bangladeshi love their children? Do you love the Bangladeshi children?
Do the ninety-five separate Indian mafias love their children? Do you love their children? Does Daud Ibrahim love his children? Do you love his children?