December 2012 – Whole Dude

WHOLE DUDE – WHOLE SPIRIT

SPIRITUALISM – THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM :

Pope Benedict XVI delivering the Vatican's traditional Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi"(to the City and to the World) Message from the central balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica on Tuesday, December 25, 2012. — Pope Benedict XVI delivering the Vatican’s traditional Christmas Day “Urbi et Orbi”(to the City and to the World) Message from the central balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday, December 25, 2012.

Pope Benedict XVI in his traditional Christmas Day Message has wished for Peace, Freedom, and Justice to the people of all nations across the World.

WHAT IS FREEDOM????

John Milton(1644) demanded, “Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.” British Bill of Rights(1689), French Declaration of the Rights of Man(1789), and The U.S. Bill of Rights(1791) describe Civil Liberties and Individual Freedoms. John Stuart Mill(1806-73), English Philosopher, and Economist had observed, “Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.” Being sovereign, means that the person, or entity acknowledge no superior. To be a sovereign shows the ability not to accept commands from anyone. In Political Science, when States are called Free and Independent, their autonomy or sovereignty means that they have full power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and do all other acts and things which independent states have the right to do. The terms Freedom and Liberty are often used to describe the opposite of servitude, slavery, or bondage. It describes the act of releasing or setting free of a slave or prisoner from physical servitude or imprisonment. Freedom means the state or quality of being free from the control of some other person or some arbitrary power and it gives the person the ability to act, move, and live without hindrance or restraint. Similarly, Liberty describes Freedom from arbitrary control, confinement, and compulsion imposed by rules, regulations, laws, and traditional practices. However, Freedom does not constitute License which implies the ability to violate the usual rules, laws, or practices either by consent or as an abuse of Liberty. The purpose of Freedom is not that of imposing Anarchy which is the complete absence of government. Anarchy may lead to political disorder, lawlessness, and may contribute to disorder in various spheres of human activities, and human interactions. Freedom, and Liberty cannot be disassociated from Peace, and Justice, and equal protection of Rights of all the members of any social community or national entities. Liberty cannot be allowed to grow without limit at the expense of Justice and Order. The concept of Freedom, Liberty, and Freewill expressed in human thought and literature has very limited application in Natural Sciences. The establishment of Life on planet Earth speaks of the operation of the Laws of Nature. Life has emerged from discord, disorder, and chaos; it reflects the nature of sequential, guided, and purposeful interactions of atoms, and molecules to seek peace, harmony, and tranquility to get over the consequences of random, unguided, and spontaneous interactions which have no purpose.

THE SPIRITUAL BASIS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE:

Spiritualism-The Spirit of Freedom: Jesus Christ offers the hope of Freedom from Death. What is Believer's Freedom???? — **Spiritualism-The Spirit of Freedom: Jesus Christ offers the hope of Freedom from Death. What is Believer’s Freedom????**

It must be clearly recognized that Freedom or Liberty is a product of man’s mental imagination and it has no physical correspondence with an external reality. From the viewpoint of a scientific observer, the human subject exists without Freedom, or Independence as the subject cannot be detached from its external source of support. Freedom or Liberty is a subjective, personal experience and it cannot be tested or verified using the protocol of objective Science. In other words, man’s subjective, mental experience called Freedom, or Liberty exists if, and only if his existence is sustained by the rules, laws, and conditions imposed upon the reality called Life. Man’s status in Nature is characterized by the absence of “Independence” as it is conditioned by dependence. Man does not have “Sovereign” powers to rule or govern his own human body which comprises of independent, and functionally autonomous, individual, living cells. The Living System requires constant supply of energy from an external source and the ability to acquire this energy is independent of man’s control over his own body. Man may appear to have the freedom to choose death, and the same is not true about keeping his own existence. To live, and to perform living functions, man needs support, and man has no choice other than that of dependence. Man has the desire to exist as an independent Individual with Individuality while being attached, and while surviving on support from an external source. In Life, or Death, man needs Mercy, Grace, and Compassion of a Supreme Being who may control the source of external energy and constitute the principle called Divine Providence.

What is Soul? What is Spirit?:

**Spiritualism-The Spirit of Freedom: Soul and Spirit describe two-sides of the same coin.**

Soul/Spirit is stated as the vital, animating, life principle found in all living entities. Spirit is often used to describe the moral nature of man, a specified mental, or emotional attitude that characterizes words, actions, opinions, and etc., Spirit is used to refer to the intelligent or immaterial part of man as distinguished from the human body, and mind. The term Spirit considers the possibility of the existence of an immaterial reality that is imperceptible to the organs of sense perception. The life principle displays both material and immaterial aspects. Hence, I would like to suggest that Spirit and Soul represent the two-sides of the same coin. Spirit and Soul influence human nature in two different ways. Under the influence of Spirit, man seeks his Freedom, or Independence. Spirit gives the ability to man to generate new, original, and creative thoughts that form the contents of his imagination. Man applies imagination and uses inspiration from within or without to create new, and original products. Whereas Soul is the guiding mechanism that establishes the dependent, or conditioned nature of man’s existence. The recognition of the nature of dependent existence generates an emotion or feeling called ‘Devotion’ and man learns to act in obedience of an unknown Supreme Being. The presence of ‘Devotion’ is detected in human behavior and actions that display a sense of humility and modesty. Freedom, and Dependence are the two basic elements of human nature that are perpetually in tension with one another. While the Spirit is dominant, man seeks total Freedom and expresses this Freedom to constantly manipulate the dependent nature of his conditioned existence which may include a desire to seek Freedom from Death through his works, and actions. With the help of his Soul, man totally surrenders his sense of self-pride, ego, or arrogance. His deliverance, or salvation, or liberation is entirely dependent upon the Mercy, Grace, and Compassion of his LORD God Creator.

JESUS CHRIST – THE “SPIRIT” OF FREEDOM:

Spiritualism-The Spirit of Freedom: Life through the Spirit. The Book of ROMANS, Chapter 8, verses 1-17; "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit of Life set me Free from the Law of Sin and Death." — Spiritualism-The Spirit of Freedom: Life through the Spirit. The Book of ROMANS, Chapter 8, verses 1 & 2; “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit of Life set me Free from the Law of Sin and Death.”

Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Galatians has been called the “Magna Charta” of Christian Liberty. However, it must be noted that the essence of Christian Freedom is stated as deliverance from bondage of sin and its consequent moral corruption of human nature. Apostle Paul declares, “It is for Freedom that Christ has set us Free.”( Galatians, Chapter 5, verse 1) The Freedom advocated by Apostle Paul refers to freedom from the ceremonial laws of Jewish Old Testament customs and traditions. He demands Galatians to live as released prisoners or freed slaves and at the same time it was not an invitation to lead immoral lives. He specifically instructs that the Freedom described relates to freedom from sinful nature; “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of sinful nature.”( Galatians, Chapter 5, verse 16 ) In the Gospel according to Apostle John, Chapter 6, verse 63, Jesus describes the distinction between the Spirit and human body; “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life.” This Spiritual Liberty involves man becoming the slave of God; “But now that you have been set Free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”( The Book of ROMANS, Chapter 6, verse 22) Spiritual Liberty never condones the abuse of Liberty and there is no exemption from the exercise of individual judgment. The Book of JAMES, Chapter 2, verse 12 stipulates the Law of Liberty; “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the Law that gives freedom.” The use of Liberty and Freedom is limited by consideration of obedience of Law and acting in accordance with moral precepts as man exists in the world as a created being and not as a Sovereign or Independent entity.

I wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Rudra N. Rebbapragada, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spirits-of-Special-Frontier-Force/362056613878227

Spiritualism and Violence – Grief at Sandy Hook Elementary School (bhavanajagat.com)

WHOLE DUDE – WHOLE HARMONY

SPIRITUALISM AND VIOLENCE – GRIEF AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

**Spiritualism: Grief and Compassion at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut, Friday, December 14, 2012.**

In U.S. history, the second-deadliest school shooting took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut during the beautiful morning hours on Friday, December 14, 2012. The killing of 20 school children and other adults will force us to reflect upon human nature.

**The tragedy at Sandy Hook: 6-year-old Emilie Parker is one of the shooting victims. She is seen in this photo with her father Robbie Parker.**

**This act of violence at Sandy Hook compels us to examine the Spiritual Basis for human existence.**

AGGRESSION AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS:

Among animals, man has the ability to kill members of his own kind for reasons other than that of food, territory, and reproductive success. However, I do not consider that aggression is innate to human nature. The thought to commit an act of violence may enter the human mind because of an external, environmental stimulus. For an infectious agent to enter human body and cause a diseased condition would require a degree of susceptibility to that infection. A person who is not in proper relationship with his own self, and with others is susceptible to be taken over by harmful emotions such as anger that generates the desire to commit an act of violence. The gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School could be described as a victim of his inability to formulate harmonious relationship both at personal level and interpersonal level. Mental Health involves the ability to develop harmonious social relations. In my view, the basis for external, harmonious, social relationships begins at a personal level; the ability to define one’s relationship with oneself.

THE SPIRITUAL BASIS FOR HUMAN EXISTENCE:

This act of violence at Sandy Hook Elementary School illustrates man’s estrangement or alienation from his true or real nature. I would like to reinforce the fact of the spiritual basis for human existence. In life, or death, man needs the mercy, grace, and compassion of his Creator. Man does not exist in this physical world because of his intellectual, or physical effort. It is a good time to explain the dependent nature of human existence and invite peace, harmony, and tranquility in the living condition by accepting the Divine Providence with a sense of respect and humility. The act of acceptance of Divine mercy, grace, and compassion generates the emotion called ‘devotion’ which provides a sense of comfort and makes the person stress-resistant, and imparts the ability to overcome the feelings of fear, and the sense of grief generated by the loss of life.

GRIEF AND COMPASSION AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

It is human nature to respond to grief with feelings of compassion. I describe, that human nature is constituted by the principles called ‘spirit’, and ‘soul’. In ‘spirit’, man seeks freedom, and with ‘soul’, he establishes the dependence that supports the human existence. The violence, and aggression that we have witnessed is a response to an external environmental stimulus. Man betrays his own true nature or fails to recognize his real self; and this sense of estrangement or alienation from reality leads to behavior that destroys peace, harmony, and tranquility in man’s interactions with others in his environment. This gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School had utterly failed to defend his own freedom as he got alienated from his own ‘spirit’ and had failed to recognize his own ‘soul’ that sustains his existence. This loss of freedom had caused him to end his own existence using the same gun with which he had attacked others.

Rudra N. Rebbapragada,

Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spirits-of-Special-Frontier-Force/362056613878227

2. Spiritualism – The Key to Human Nature. http://Bhavanajagat.com/2012/01/17/Spiritualism-The-Key-to-Human-Nature/

Whole Dispute – Resolve Tibet-China Border Dispute

Resolve Tibet-China Border Dispute

People's Republic of China's province called Tibetan Autonomous Region or "TAR" was established in 1965 after Communist China had annexed Tibetan territory and illegally added it to adjoining Chinese provinces. Hence, there is a valid dispute about China-Tibet boundaries. — Whole Dispute: People’s Republic of China’s province called Tibetan Autonomous Region or “TAR” was established in 1965 after Communist China annexed Tibetan territory and illegally added it to adjoining Chinese provinces. Hence, there is a valid dispute about China-Tibet boundaries. Tibet Protests Map 2008-2009.

It is surprising to note that people who write about the Sino-Indian border conflict make no reference to the history of Tibet. To state very briefly, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama founded the Ganden Phodrang Government of Tibet in 1642. The successive Dalai Lamas have headed the Tibetan State for nearly four centuries. From 1279 to 1368 Tibet was under the nominal control of the Yuan or Mongol dynasty of China, but subsequently regained its independence. In 1644, the Manchu or Qing dynasty was established in China and Tibet came under its nominal protection although for the most part the country retained control over its internal affairs. With the downfall of the Qing or Ching dynasty, the Great 13th Dalai Lama declared Tibet’s Independence on 13th February, 1913. For 39 years, from 1911 to 1950, Tibet was an independent nation. In Political Science, when states are called free and independent, their autonomy or sovereignty means that they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts and things which independent states may have the right to do. In its capacity as an independent nation, Tibet signed a treaty called the McMahon Treaty (following the Simla Agreement) which established the border between India and Tibet. The Republic of India after gaining its full independence during 1947 did not annul or revoke this treaty. As such, for all legal purposes, this treaty is valid. People’s Republic of China came into its existence after the Communists took over mainland China during 1949 and forced the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) establish the Republic of China in Formosa or Taiwan. Both the Nationalists, and the Communists seek the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland. That issue is not yet decided. Meantime, Communist China invaded Tibet during 1950 and occupied it. In 1951, a defeated Tibet signed a treaty making Tibet a part of China. However, most Tibetans do not recognize this treaty and do not accept its legitimacy. In 1959, after a failed, massive Tibetan uprising, the 14th Dalai Lama and about 100, 000 of his followers escaped to India. Tibetans have established the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, and on September 02, 1960, the first members of the First Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile took their oath of office. In September, 2012, Tibetans have celebrated 52nd Democracy Day. During 1965, People’s Republic of China formed a province that it named as Tibetan Autonomous Region or “TAR.” In doing so, Communist China annexed several parts of Tibet and added them to its own territory. Tibetans have not agreed for this seizure of their territory. One of the central demands of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile is that of unifying all the Tibetan territory that is now under Chinese military occupation.

We have to very important issues; 1. Unification of Republic of China with People’s Republic of China and establish a national entity called China, and 2. demarcating the border between the new “One-China” and its neighbor, Tibet. Tibetans have not surrendered their claims for independence, freedom, and self-determination. As such, Tibet is not a part of China and the borders of China’s province called “TAR” do not establish the legitimate borders between Tibet and China.

India forgets that China cannot be trusted
G.PARTHASARATHY

December 5, 2012:

One cannot but be surprised by the statement of the National Security Advisor (NSA) Shivshankar Menon brushing aside the serious implications of Chinese actions, while voicing optimism that “we are in the process of agreeing on a framework to settle the boundary”.

Have we forgotten that after agreeing to delineate the Line of Actual Control, the Chinese backed off on the entire process?

In 2005, Premier Wen Jiabao agreed that “in reaching a border settlement, the two sides shall safeguard due interests of their settled populations in border areas”.

This clearly signaled that there was no question of transferring territories containing settled populations and addressed Indian concerns on Chinese claims to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. Within a year, however, China was laying claim not merely to Tawang, but the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh.

One can only conclude that the new “framework” the NSA spoke of to settle the boundary issue would be about as successful as the much-touted “Joint anti-Terror Mechanism” with Pakistan, which came apart with the 26/11 attacks.

Just a day before the NSA spoke, Army Chief General Bikram Singh described bilateral relations with China as “absolutely perfect” and added that mechanisms were now in place to solve any issues
between the two countries. This was an astonishing comment, at a time when the army wants additional strike formations, apart from vastly improved communications on the border with China.

Was it because Singh feels the army is unlikely to get its needs fulfilled soon, and needs to sound conciliatory to the Chinese? Do the other two Service Chiefs and the Defence Minister share this
optimism? All these issues need to be debated now that Parliament is in session.

INTERNAL RUMBLINGS

China can now be described as a “dynastic dictatorship,” after its 18th Party Congress. Outgoing leader Hu Jintao voiced concern at the growing dissatisfaction in China over political corruption.

The Party Congress had been preceded by the downfall of its rising star Bo Xilai, whose lavish and flamboyant lifestyle had led to the conviction of his wife for murdering a British businessman and
revelations of the billions of dollars of assets that Bo and his family had acquired.

This was followed by a a well documented leak, quite evidently by Bo’s supporters, about ill-gotten wealth accumulated by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and his family.

China’s worst kept secrets about dynastic politics in the Communist Party became public when it emerged that four of the seven members of its highest decision-making body, the Standing Committee of the Politburo, were “Princelings,” or descendants of first generation, Mao-era political leaders. Most “Princelings”, including Party Chief Xi Jinping, lead lavish life styles, with families having extensive business interests. The contradictions between having an open economy linked to foreign markets on the one hand and a one-party, authoritarian political structure perceived to be unresponsive to pubic grievances on the other, are coming to the forefront in China.

China will continue to seek new ways to further open up its economy and maintain a high growth rate. But the “Princelings” are unlikely to bring any changes in the basic authoritarian nature of the State apparatus. Tutored by Deng Xiao Ping, who was determined not to follow the glasnost and perestroika path of Gorbachev in the Soviet Union, the new dispensation will be averse to increasing democratization.

TERRITORIAL AGGRESSION

With jingoistic propaganda, evidently to divert public opinion away from domestic issues like high level corruption, China is obviously in no mood to show any flexibility on its territorial claims along the Sino-Indian border. As Chinese passports are generally valid for ten years, there can logically be no change in China’s territorial claims in this period.

China will continue on its path of rapid military modernization, combined with an assertive line on its maritime and land boundary claims.

China’s recent decision to depict the entire South China Sea, together with Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Ladakh as Chinese territory in maps on Chinese passports, has to be seen in the light of this
growing Chinese readiness to use force and military coercion to enforce its territorial claims. One has recently witnessed aggressive Chinese postures resulting in a virtual naval takeover around the
disputed Scarborough Shoal, claimed by the Philippines.

A similar aggressive approach has been taken on recent tensions with Japan, with Chinese naval vessels entering territorial waters, adjacent to the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands.

China has evidently been emboldened by the American assertion that while the US does have a stand on freedom and maintenance of peace and stability in the South China Sea, it “does not take sides in (maritime) disputes”.

ECONOMIC CONCERNS

New Delhi is now talking of getting superfast trains and rail equipment from China, at a time when there is growing concern at our over dependence on second rate Chinese power equipment.

There are also concerns about dangers to cyber security and communications infrastructure posed by imports from China. Should we not insist on co-production, together with transfer or technology, in such strategic sectors, with preference for cooperation with friendly countries like Japan, France and Germany?

(The author is former High Commissioner to Pakistan.)

Comments:
Dear Mr GP, Many thanks for this caution. Will the ears listen to and the eyes see the ground realities instead of indulging in this ‘all is well’ kind of assumption and self assurance? . The present atmosphere is somewhat similar to the one that prevailed in early 1960s when our leaders wrongly assumed that China would never attack India. Reference is invited to the recent interview granted by Dai Bingguo Chinese Negotiator to PTI (covered by this publication) covering China – Pakistan relationships and China’s territorial claims. We need to exercise extra caution, think and act carefully. I held the view earlier that China will think twice before attacking India once again. But am forced to rethink. Camradely with China can wait. Recent bonhomie in the form of financial assistance, collaboration in power and infrastructure may not be entirely and mutually beneficial. One may need to read the fine print very carefully! Thanks for this opportunity to interact.

Regards

from: Dr.Guru.Raghavan
Posted on: Dec 5, 2012 at 23:08 IST