foreign
comes in two flavors first of all let's define secularism secularism says a person who wants to
lead his life without reference to a religion or a god so he doesn't want to be kind of controlled
by the idea of religion saying you know this is how you should do it conduct yourself and you're
going to heaven or hell or all these scenarios so this will be rather more bother with religion or
even with the idea of humanity is God this is what is called secularism people want to lead
their own lives without in a way a reference to any religion or without imposition by any
religion or any tradition is anything wrong with it think about it what is Hinduism Hinduism is not
a religion religion means linking Humanity with some super person oh God I'm here Hinduism is not
that it is a Dharma now the word Dharma is quite different the word Dharma says sorting ourselves
out our human condition we find ourselves here how do we lead our lives so there's no God or religion
in bold in fact one of the Indian traditions that really subscribe to this particular
vision is Buddhism Buddhism is a very powerful tradition it doesn't require a God or religion
the word religions Buddha simply says I want to tell you how you lead your life so that you can
successfully sort out yourself Here and Now not in the Hereafter so most pragmatical for tradition so
Buddhism is in effect perhaps but the best example of positive secularism without reference to a god
that came out of India dharmi tradition and that is the positive way of looking at secularism you
can carry on your lifestyle in a very mindful manner very successful manner in a very peaceful
and sober manner there is a lot of westerners are drawn to Buddhism not to Hinduism foreign
yourself out without reference to a religion or a god fine what's the negative side I must mention
this because this is the thing that we've struggle with majored human beings are only interested in
their material needs and their material goals and the height they've created for themselves
oh I must have made so much money and I must go on holidays and I must do this and buy this for
my children so they're living in a very worldly manner just looking after worldly requirements
not spiritual worldly requirements this is the negative side of secularism means they
are completely you know kind of engrossed with living leading a very worldly life and ignoring
the spiritual Dimension so this is the worst side of secularism because highly cross materialism and
that is where where you know people like us would stand there and say we don't like this
kind of secularism in fact that is this kind of secularism the past in the last 70 years India had
adopted that's why it failed miserably we prefer the Buddhist textile saying how to lead your life
in a very sober sensible man Manner and that is a kind of secularism they will adopt positive one
not this kind of cross materialistic secularism and you know very well this has been kind of
very highly materialistic you know secularism we see in the West in European civilization created
two world wars millions of people are massacred because they were fighting for power position how
to chop up the world and divide the world and swallow all the stuff from everybody so purely
materialistic aspirations created the two World Wars so this is the negative side to secularism
and in fact only after the second world war Britain has learned the lesson so the secularism
you see in UK is probably the best ones very mature secularism it will recognize that this idea
of you know going for power positions stealing money from others and other colonies is outdated
so the secularism Britain is now adopted is very close to the Hindu idea in a egalitarian society
giving dignity to every human being you can't see I tell you I'm Living London very visible
dignity to every human being helping the week with the weak all these wonderful egalitarian
system you know parading is a very mature social democracy is the real secularism that I would
happily promote and this is no different from the spiritual vision that India or Hinduism possesses
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