From time to time on Gaudiya Repercussions we may discuss people who are not members but are in the public eye in the larger Gaudiya Vaishnava community. Sometimes members are looking to locate old friends and yet those old friends don't feel they can join a forum for former Vaishnavas. For these and many other reasons, non-members may wish to comment on content from GR, perhaps to correct factual misinformation, to make connections with old friends, and so on.

We tried having a guestbook at GR and because we haven't upgraded our software, this effort left a loophole through which spammers managed to post porn links in other topics. (I had figured if they only hit the guestbook it would be easy to delete them because they'd be in one place.)

Then I tried ferrying messages over to GR, only to be shot as the messenger.

So let's try again, in a way that perhaps won't get me shot down verbally. :)

Guests are welcome to post comments. Please identify yourself in some way, if only by picking out a name as you would if you joined and picked a login. Please use a consistent name so that we can tell that comments A, C, and F were all by the same person. Comments will be screened until I un-screen them. Keep in mind that there may be a time lag if I don't log in that day. All comments must follow GR guidelines: no name-calling, keep your feedback on the issue rather than personal attacks, show respect for others' rights to their beliefs, and so on. You might want to read our rules and guidelines before you post.

I reserve the right to reject comments and will leave a note in comments if I think you need to revise your post (hence the usefulness of a "name" so I can be clear who I'm talking about). You can disagree vehemently with our topics and posts as long as you do so respectfully. I suggest you brush up on I-messages and also read our topic on Srila Prabhupada and consider it before you bother telling us that we can't talk about him in ways that dispute your understanding of him and his position. We already know that not everyone sees him the same way--even on GR.

In the same vein, we already know that many of you may believe that we are committing all manner of offenses at GR. We already concede that by strict GV rules, we are. No need to waste your time showing us the light and trying to correct the error of our ways. In fact, since we are set on thinking for ourselves and rejecting GV beliefs, if you are a strict follower of the GV path you may as well follow the injunction to avoid us out of concern for your devotional creeper. While we do have some members who are still devotees of Krsna, they tend to be of the less fundamentalist variety and are able to allow us our freedom of thought without preaching to us. GR is for former Vaishnavas and supporters, meaning those who actually support us in following our conscience and giving up GV if we felt that was the right thing to do. If a current Vaishnava self-identifies as a supporter, and can accept that we may talk critically of GV issues, then they are welcome at GR. We assume prospective members are adults who can make that choice after considering the material at GR. If at any time a member determines that GR is not for them, they may request that their account be deleted.

I cannot say clearly enough that if as a guest or prospective member, you feel that GR is damaging and blasphemous and so on, simply avoid it and move on. If you continue reading, don't blame us if you see a lot of things that you find offensive.

Whether I--or anyone from GR--responds to comments may depend on whether they seem to require a response, whether we have time, or whether we are in the mood. :)

Keep in mind that I log IP addresses and can and will block repeat offenders who cannot follow the guidelines or whose intent is clearly to harass rather than inform.

Wishing you all the best on your spiritual paths,

Tapati, owner and hostess of GR

We are having an interesting discussion on the nature of the soul and the role of science in investigating spiritual beliefs and concepts on my forum. For anyone who would like to check it out, it can be found here.

We're having a heat wave here. So it was nearly midnight and the apartment was still very hot. We have no air conditioner and I was trying to imagine cooling down enough to sleep.

I say to my husband, Dave: "I'm going to take a cool shower, I can't sleep like this, my body is just so hot."

Dave, looking me up and down: "Yeah it is!"

Me, blushing, laughing, "Ok, you got me."

We have a running joke that if I were taken over by pod people he'd be able to tell because I would stop making unintentional puns all the time.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/15/same.sex....iage/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a much-anticipated ruling issued Thursday, the California Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional.

Several gay and lesbian couples, along with the city of San Francisco and gay rights groups, sued to overturn state laws allowing only marriages between a man and a woman.

"There can be no doubt that extending the designation of marriage to same-sex couples, rather than denying it to all couples, is the equal protection remedy that is most consistent with our state's general legislative policy and preference," said the 120-page ruling.

It said that the state law's language "limiting the designation of marriage to a 'union between a man and a woman' is unconstitutional, and that the remaining statutory language must be understood as making the designation of marriage available to both opposite-sex and same-sex couples."

With the ruling, California becomes the second state to allow same-sex couples to legally wed. Massachusetts adopted the practice in 2004, and couples don't need to be state residents to wed there.

Vermont, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Connecticut permit civil unions, while California has a domestic-partner registration law. More than a dozen other states give gay couples some legal rights.

Power takes as ingratitude the writhing of its victims. ~ Tagore

I put her first one on my LJ in 2007, here are both of them:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUTJQIBI1oA&eurl A Fat Rant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8dm5VpYGH4 Fat Rant - Confessions of the Compulsive

I just love her sense of humor. :)

So I'm playing around with audio recording software now that I have a decent microphone. I should add a web cam I guess. I recorded my favorite passage by Jalaja Bonheim about Grace (I posted it several days ago). I loaded it into my Multiply account but you have to be a member to listen to it. However, you can import your entire LJ into a Multiply account (I did) and so it's a good back up if you are concerned about such things. So here's the link if you want to check it out:

http://tapatim.multiply.com/music/item/1/Spoken_Word_Grace

I'm using my multiply account as a spiritual journal--some of those entries are being cross posted here. I also am able to load Youtube videos in, the photo gallery is easy to use, and in general I'm liking it. It's free, the ads are minimally invasive, the interface is easy to use and learn, and I find I'm really enjoying it, unlike Myspace which I rarely use, or some of the other blog sites. I'm not leaving LJ or anything like that.

It was worth the trouble just to use as a back up to LJ, really.

http://tapatim.multiply.com/

I added up the word counts for the various biographical pieces I've been writing in preparation for my book and I've written 27,775 words already!

I used to be daunted by the idea of writing a whole book, but looking at the 5748 posts I've made at my forum and the many long posts I've written here, I really don't have a problem coming up with lots of material. It's mainly a matter of organizing and revising the material once I've written it.

( Read more... )I presently think that astrology is useful only in that it causes us to engage in self reflection and examine our goals and relationships. But if we ignore the reality in front of us because our chart says X, or if we assume we are doomed to poverty because it's in the stars, then astrology is a negative and limiting force in our lives. I would suggest taking it with a very large grain of salt and realizing that what we think about ourselves and our possibilities has a very real affect on whether we can manifest those possibilities. If you don't believe you can make a decent living and provide for yourself or your children, if you think there is no happiness to be found, and if you think that you are doomed to a loveless life, all because your chart told you so--then it's time to throw out the chart and decide for yourself what you can do and what you can have.

One of the LJs I read is an author of light fantasy novels, and today she had an interesting post where she mentioned some of the ways in which she feels out of synch with things other people in our culture value or even obsess about. She invited us to come up with our own. These are not necessarily things I am seeking agreement about--just how I feel as I observe these things that most people seem to enjoy or choose. I invite you all to add your own.

1. I don't get high heels. Why anyone would lock their feet into what amounts to a torture chamber for the whole day--every day--is beyond me. It causes problems with their feet and throws the whole spine out of it's natural alignment. Maybe it's not quite as bad as foot binding, but it's just as incomprehensible. Yeah, I've heard about how it makes the legs look so much better and so on, how sexy they are supposed to be. Somehow I just don't feel sexy when I'm uncomfortable. Not wearing these things has spared me from all the corns and bunions and ingrown toenails my mom put up with--we had the same feet.( Read more... )

I've been reading about the FLDS (fundy mormon sect) in two books, Under The Banner Of Heaven by Jon Krakauer and Escape, by Carolyn Jessop.

It is pretty clear that while it was always a very strict environment where women's lives were very controlled, once Warren Jeffs gained power (as his father became ill and then died) it took a turn into full blown dysfunctional cult-hood. It makes it a lot clearer to me where the line is drawn between an alternative religious movement with some restrictive rules and literalist scriptural interpretation and an oppressive and dangerous cult. Carolyn Jessop writes from her view on the inside for many years, bearing and raising her 8 children before she engineered her escape. Krakauer writes from outside but using many interviews with those who were on the inside and those who were very close to the group or whose paths crossed some of the people he portrayed.

( Read more... )Given the rise in numbers of both branches of Mormonism, I recommend reading both of these books for a full picture of what may be in store as they gain power.

American Pain Foundation Action Alert:

TAKE ACTION NOW! Senator Akaka, Chairman of the Veterans Committee, introduced the Veterans Pain Care Policy Act of 2007 (S2160) that would require the Veterans Administration (VA) to establish a comprehensive pain management program for Veterans. This legislation has now been revised and supported by Senator Burr, Ranking Minority Member of the Veterans Committee. The content of the Veterans Pain Care Policy Act has now been incorporated into S 2162, as amended. It is expected that the combined legislation will to be considered by the full Senate later this week. We are asking that you contact your Senator TODAY to request their support for this critical Veterans Legislation.

Use their handy link and form to send a letter to your Senator today!

Haven't we made any progress in Hollywood? Why do they think it's necessary to take a true story about Asian Americans and make the leads in the movie white? If you would have preferred that they cast authentically to reflect the true life people's race and ethnicity, let them know. The movie in question is "21."

Full story on Margaret Cho's blog.

Outraged? Here's the info:



Contact Information Sony Pictures
Address: 10202 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Phone: 310-244-4000
Fax: 310-244-2626

Key People
• Co-Chairman and CEO: Michael M. Lynton
• Co-Chairman; Chairman, Motion Picture Group: Amy Pascal
• EVP and CFO: David Hendler

This movie: Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca, producers, Robert Luketic, director

While we vote with our ticket dollars, let's tell them WHY.

will be mostly OFF line.

One of my favorite quotes--

Grace

It is no coincidence that we use the word grace both to describe physical beauty of movement and for a state of spiritual blessedness. When life-energy flows in its fullness through any living being, it manifests internally as pleasure and externally as grace.

Grace and pleasure are natural attributes of the sacred. Every time you ignore what gives your body pleasure, you lose some of the grace that every child and every wild animal possesses in such abundance.

Grace is a wonderful word, one of the few in the English language that stands at the intersection of the physical and the spiritual, reminding us that our task as human beings is not simply to identify ourselves as spiritual beings, but to embody spirit.

Grace is the fruit of such embodiment.

--Jalaja Bonheim

So in the previous post we were getting an earful about low class yonis, controlling yonis, and so on.

Well, control THIS! Warning--sound track with picture.

Sounds like a great new movie and a must see for feminists. :)

As the Goddess-centered faiths collided with the God-centric faiths, scriptures came to reflect the clash. Here are some more quotes by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, my former spiritual master:

( Read more... )

I was going through some stuff today and found the actual letter I had talked about previously, from the fundamentalist Christian who used to live down the road from us when my children were in school. I didn't think I still had it, but when it comes to things like letters--especially such an amazing one--I am quite the pack-rat.

Here is the full text. She originally wrote all in printed caps so I am using my judgment about capitalization. I am leaving the spelling exactly as I found it.

Hi--First of all I need to apologize for not calling you and explaining why the kids couldn't come over but I needed to have time to pray about what the Lord would have me say to you. I think you are a nice person and your children are sweet kids. I enjoyed meeting them and you. That's why I'm writing this letter. I know you will probably destroy it or not even read it but I hope you will at least hear what I have to say and meditate on my words. I write to you in love, not in condemnation though I will not cover up the truth as is written in God's word the Bible.( Read more... )
I see her as one of many intolerant people I've encountered in this life who were hell bent to save me from, well, their version of hell. Members of my own family have said similar things, though not in so long-winded a manner. It has always made me that much more committed to finding a balance between my own passionate beliefs and respect for others to determine their own. I may sometimes privately think that someone is misguided or might be better off in another faith than some of these strictly fundamentalist versions, but I wouldn't presume to tell them so. No, not even if they're going to hell--or like the Mormon fundamentalists, creating it on earth.

Excerpt:

In Your Blessed Hands (We witness a sacred conversation between the Jewish Rabbi and His God)

God, You made me.
From before I was born,
You took me through my life.
You supported me.
You were there with me when I wasn't there with You.
There were times I was sick and You healed me.
There were times I was in despair and You gave me hope.
There were times when I felt betrayed and I could still turn to You.

It was a wonderful life. I loved and I was loved.
I sang, I heard music, I saw flowers, I saw sunrises and sunsets.
Even in places when I was alone.
You, in my heart, helped me turn loneliness into precious solitude.
I look back over the panorama of my life.
What a wonderful privilege this was!

I still have some concerns for people in the family,
   for the world, for the planet.
I put them in Your Blessed Hands.
I trust that whatever in the web of life that needed me to be there
   is now completed.
I thank You for taking the burden from me.
And I thank You for keeping me in the Light.
As I let go, and let go, and let go...and let go.

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Graceful Passages is a 2 CD set that contains music and spoken messages about death from a variety of spiritual perspectives. You can find it here:

http://www.gracefulpassages.com/products/graceful.html