Advaita and Christianity

[jkcowart@cari.net]

----------------------
On Mon, 27 Mar 2000 17:16:37 -0800, J. Kingston Cowart
wrote:

>>Prof. Vempenny introduces his "Dialogical Method" which
>>operates on the "conviction that no religion possesses the
>>truth totally and exclusively, that every religion has enough
>>wealth to enrich other religions, and that every religion is
>>worthy of love and respect."  He states that his method is
>>"more love-centered than knowledge-centered" and that
>>it "lays more emphasis on right attitude than right logic."
>>(Quotes are from the Prologue.)

At 07:30 PM 04/02/2000 -0400, Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian
responded:

>I have not read the book, but this is the first thought which
>comes to my mind. Since Prof. Vempeny has concluded that
>there is some good from all religions that the others can learn,
>he is superior to every teacher of every religion since he has
>sifted out the chaff from the grain in all religions. So theoreti-
>cally, the grain from all religions could be combined to produce
>a super religion, which would be better than all existing reli-
>gions!

I think perhaps we can forgive the professor inasmuch as he has
already confessed to forming his opinions on the basis of love
rather than logic.  Moreover, reductio ad absurdum yields only
a specious logic in any case.

Let's face it:  Advaita has no competitors.  What is true cannot
be made untrue nor even threatened by the limitations of indi-
vidual (mis)understanding.  In the Absolute, there is no know-
ledge, but while awaiting moksha might one not learn some-
thing worth while from one who sees other's systems with the
eyes of love?

Brahman, is without qualities, but where qualities arise in the
world of appearance is not love the highest -- especially that
love which is not attached to one's own position?

Walk far enough in the other direction and we end up with war.
There have been (and there still are) so many of those over reli-
gion already.  I, for my part, will not take the cudgel to someone
who actually reaches out with love toward religions other than
his own.

Sincerely,

John

J. Kingston Cowart, M.S.
San Diego, California
<jkcowart at cari.net>

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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