Comments on: Are we blind to blind faith? http://www.swadharma.org/2009/01/10/are-we-blind-to-blind-faith/ The voice of Dharma Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:25:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Sonali http://www.swadharma.org/2009/01/10/are-we-blind-to-blind-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Sonali Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:15:14 +0000 http://www.swadharma.harvarddharma.org/?p=559#comment-44 @ Saketh: At least within the realm of the yogas, isn't the idea not to rank them, but to think of them all as different paths to reach the same goal? In general, I personally don't think there is any yardstick to measure which method is "best," so to speak, since every approach to religion (whether through the different religions, or even within different approaches to one religion) is based on something slightly different. I do, however, strongly believe that true religion should lead to the same goal of being as good as person as one can be, and seeing that goodness as a way to connect to God. @ Saketh:

At least within the realm of the yogas, isn’t the idea not to rank them, but to think of them all as different paths to reach the same goal?

In general, I personally don’t think there is any yardstick to measure which method is “best,” so to speak, since every approach to religion (whether through the different religions, or even within different approaches to one religion) is based on something slightly different. I do, however, strongly believe that true religion should lead to the same goal of being as good as person as one can be, and seeing that goodness as a way to connect to God.

]]> By: Saketh http://www.swadharma.org/2009/01/10/are-we-blind-to-blind-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Saketh Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:19:53 +0000 http://www.swadharma.harvarddharma.org/?p=559#comment-42 @Anish <div> </div> <div>I don't think it is possible to compare our spirituality with that of others. <div> </div> <div>Some philosophers like Vivekananda take a hard line on measuring spirituality, linking it to concepts like unselfishness or living in the moment. Then they proceed to reduce all faiths with this metric. Even the phrase "unique method of worship" implies this reductive view, assuming that all worship has the same object in mind.</div> <div> </div> <div>I don't know whether this is right or wrong, considering how little I know about other faiths, but I think it is <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>possible to compare certain approaches to faith (e.g. the different yogas to each other).</div> <div> </div> <div>Krishna ranks the different yogas in the Gita, but I don't think that's a valid thing to do.</div> </div> @Anish

I don’t think it is possible to compare our spirituality with that of others.

Some philosophers like Vivekananda take a hard line on measuring spirituality, linking it to concepts like unselfishness or living in the moment. Then they proceed to reduce all faiths with this metric. Even the phrase “unique method of worship” implies this reductive view, assuming that all worship has the same object in mind.
I don’t know whether this is right or wrong, considering how little I know about other faiths, but I think it is not possible to compare certain approaches to faith (e.g. the different yogas to each other).
Krishna ranks the different yogas in the Gita, but I don’t think that’s a valid thing to do.
]]> By: Anish http://www.swadharma.org/2009/01/10/are-we-blind-to-blind-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Anish Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:13:41 +0000 http://www.swadharma.harvarddharma.org/?p=559#comment-41 A question came to mind after reading this article. You say that each person has his or her own way of connecting to god. So then is it possible for us to compare our spirituality with that of others despite the fact that everyone has his or her own unique method of worship due to their family traditions and/or other traditions learned through life experiences? A question came to mind after reading this article. You say that each person has his or her own way of connecting to god. So then is it possible for us to compare our spirituality with that of others despite the fact that everyone has his or her own unique method of worship due to their family traditions and/or other traditions learned through life experiences?

]]> By: Priya http://www.swadharma.org/2009/01/10/are-we-blind-to-blind-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Priya Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:28:57 +0000 http://www.swadharma.harvarddharma.org/?p=559#comment-35 Sonali- what you said makes sense: that our parents most likely pass down to us what they find to be most important. And if that's the case, then perhaps we are misconstruing their actions to be due to blind faith. Perhaps it's up to our generation to find out what our parents' generation holds most dear, rather than assuming it is blind faith just because we (people of our generation) find no meaning it.  Sonali- what you said makes sense: that our parents most likely pass down to us what they find to be most important.
And if that’s the case, then perhaps we are misconstruing their actions to be due to blind faith. Perhaps it’s up to our generation to find out what our parents’ generation holds most dear, rather than assuming it is blind faith just because we (people of our generation) find no meaning it. 

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