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Thiruvananthapuram: An Australian woman, who served Mata Amrithanandamayi for two decades, has exposed in her memoir the “hugging saint’s” ashram as a murky world of physical, sexual and mental torture, promiscuity power-madness and intolerance. Money and gold donated by the guru’s devotees for Amrithanandamai Mutt’s charity works was diverted to construct mansions for Continue reading In his old book “Tao of Physics” the author Fritjof Capra writes ‘ most of today’s Physicists do not seem to realise the philosophical, social and psychological implications of their theories. Many of them actively support a society which is still based on the mechanistic, fragmented world view, without seeing that science points Continue reading I write here about the revolutionary philosopher from India, Manavendra Nath Roy; founder of `New Humanism’, the Radical Humanist philosophy, and his contemporary relevance after sixty years of his death on January 25, 1954. A philosopher is the by-product of his circumstances, his past and his present, leaving his deliberations for Continue reading The global scenario is full of violence in the name of religion. The acts of terrorism are attributed to religious teachings at times. The local violence, the attack on religious minorities is also presented as a religious phenomenon. The last three decades have seen this tragic phenomenon where the political agenda of super Continue reading AS I mentioned in a recent posting, theology is losing ground in higher education across western Europe. But in certain specific ways, religion and religious culture have become a very hot campus topic, at British universities in particular. We’re not talking here about religion as a subject for academic study, but about faith Continue reading We should retire the scientific idea that a hard-wired trait or characteristic of an organism is a permanent feature. Case in point: God and religion. Ever since Charles Darwin theorized in his 1871 book The Descent of Man that “a belief in all-pervading spiritual agencies seems to be universal” and therefore Continue reading (This article, published in Frontline, one of the prestigious magazines, just after Dr. Narendra Dabholkar’s death and the Ordinance was promulgated, describes the legal implications of the Ordinance. Subsequently the Ordinance was converted into Law in Dec 13 by Govt of Maharashtra. However the points raised in the article are still relevant.) Continue reading “What exactly happened, and what gave you the strength to fight your case, Mr. Salve?” I asked. “Your job as an English teacher was at risk, and your own colleagues shunned you. You are from the Dalit community, and you live in Maharashtra state where militant religion has frequently silenced dissenters – how Continue reading If I had a guru, and I am looking for one, I should surrender myself body and soul to him. But in this age of unbelief a true guru is hard to find. A substitute will be worse than useless, often positively harmful. I must therefore warn all against accepting imperfect ones as Continue reading “Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom” Bertrand Russell Journey of an Investigator of Truth Vivekachi Pataka Gheu Khandyavari, by Dr. Narendra Dabholkar (hence onwards: ND) identifies this book as journey Continue reading |