Texas Faith 9: Is health care a moral imperative?

Dallas Morning News,

Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.

The debate over health care has revolved, perhaps appropriately, around cost, availability and the limits of partisan compromise. But is health care more than a political issue? Is it fundamentally a moral issue? And if so, does that mean that providing expanded - or universal - health care is a moral imperative, not just a programmatic choice?

Catholic social teaching says that just societies are those in which basic needs are met. For those who believe that health care is a moral issue, the question isn't whether it should be provided: a just society must provide it. For those who see health care as a policy issue, the status quo -- or any of the variations under consideration in Congress - are equally appropriate solutions, depending on our resources and our politics.

Here's the question: Is health care a moral issue? If so, doesn't that mean we must do whatever is necessary so that everybody has health care?

For some thoughtful and provocative responses from our Texas Faith panel, keep reading.

NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas

Morality must be defined over status quo morality. That which is conducive to one's progression in developing love for God is considered moral. That which is not conducive to spiritual upliftment is considered immoral. Is health care conducive to developing love for God and is therefore moral ? Yes, a healthy body and mind is progressive and is certainly not regressive. As the saying goes in India, "Fire, debt, and disease, these three must be taken care of immediately"

Minimal health care should be provided universally, but it would not be conducive to health of society to pay out large amounts of money on preventable diseases. Obesity, cancer, HIV, and many other illnesses that plague us Americans in most cases can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. Rather than funds being used to cater for bad habits, money should be used to educate the public how to live healthy. Yoga, Ayurveda, vegetarianism, organic foods, non Genetically Modified Foods, healthy family life, attached parenting, and so on should be promoted and taught in school and other facilities. Similarly cigarettes, alcohol, loose sexual relations, meat eating, over working, gambling, and other destructive elements should be discouraged in the same way. This will drastically reduce health care cost and will provide a better quality of life for American citizens.

Hare Krishna :)
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
To see all the responses from the Texas Faith Panel click here

Texas Faith 8: Should a judge's religious tradition and faith inform their rulings?

Dallas Morning News,

Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.

For three days, members of a Senate committee pressed Sonia Sotomayor on her view of the law and how individual experience affects judicial decisions. And for three days, Sotomayor was careful to avoid political blunders that might derail her confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In large part, Sotomayor followed the model of other successful Supreme Court nominees: say as little as possible. Mostly, she expressed deep respect for precedent, for the rule of law and for setting aside personal views in deciding cases.

But is that realistic? Or even wise? Should justices who decide the most fundamental questions of our society actually set aside how their faith has shaped their world view? Clearly, judges must not impose a religious litmus test deciding cases. But do the lessons of a judge's religious tradition have any role in understanding - and deciding -- the issues of the day?

Here's the question: How should a particular judge's life experience - including the tenets of religious faith - inform judicial rulings?

The responses of our Texas Faith panel were both thoughtful and provocative, here was the response:

NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas

Judicial rulings need to be informed by the facts. Facts are apparent in spirituality as well as in the material world. Just as hearsay has no importance in court, religious dogma has no importance in spiritual facts. Spiritual facts (pramāṇa) can be verified with the following three checks: empiric evidence (Pratyakşa), logic (Anumāna), unadulterated scripture (Śabda). Logic can be divided into two categories inductive and deductive, or analysis and synthesis. More importance is placed on the deductive, that logic that looks at the whole, synthesis, rather than a one case scenario, analysis.

For example someone might say, "I have not seen God, therefore He does not exist." That is inductive logic, such logic is only limited that person's testimony. But deductive logic takes into an account of not just one scenario but rather the whole. It is known that there have been saints who have given accounts of seeing God, some have even described His appearance. Such testimonies can be accounted for and examined in the light of logic and scripture. Whatever process that the saint had used to see God can be experimented upon to see if it produces the same consistent result.

Judges are servants of the interest of society as a whole and for individuals. But if a judge or anyone for that matter does not know who we are, eternal spirit souls encased in temporary material bodies, how can that person know others' self interests and self needs?

Hare Krishna :)
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
To see all the responses from the Texas Faith Panel click here

Warped Tour Book distribution: Lots of books and same the hair cut

Last year I wrote this blog, New looks, lots of books and a new haircut
about distributing the new BBT books at the Warped Tour. Here are some photos from this years distribution.



This one is Bhaktin Angela with some band from the tour. They told us that they got some books at a previous show as well.



These girls said, "I course we know yoga stuff, we're Asian!"
You can see the great Anandavidya Prabhu on the left side distributing a book to someone as well.


And here some more fortunate souls.
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das

TEXAS FAITH: How do changing demographics shape the pew, pulpit and theology schools?

Dallas Morning News,

Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.

Demographics are destiny.

Just ask those of us in the newspaper world, where we wonder if enough young people will turn to papers or some other version of what we produce.

Politicians think about demographics when it comes to projecting who will be around to vote for them and their party in a decade. That's why Democrats and Republicans alike have their eyes on the growing Latino vote.

Policy experts think demographics when it comes to projecting the needs of a state like Texas. One thing we know is our state is becoming poorer, older and more Hispanic, and those changing demographics suggest a set of policies.

What about religion? How do demographics shape the thinking of you who are in the pulpit, theology schools or the pew?

Churches like my own, a Presbyterian Church (USA) church, certainly wrestle with declining or stagnant numbers. I'm interested in hearing how each of you, from various traditions, deal with demographic changes, whether that's in terms of message, outreach or planning.
and here was the response:

NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas

The first step in self realization is to realize that the soul, the conscious eternal observer, is different from the body. This conscious observer is neither young nor old, neither Hispanic nor African American, neither rich nor poor, neither Democrat nor Republican, neither gay nor straight, neither Christian nor Muslim.

The needs of the soul must be addressed and distinguished from the needs of the body. The need of the soul is have a loving relationship with the transcendent Lord.

This need exists despite any body and mental arrangements. This analogy can be given: that the hand, being part of the body, has a need to feed the stomach. If the hand could think for itself and decide that rather than feeding the stomach, it will try to digest the food itself, then that hand and the entire body would suffer.

Similarly if we are not connected to God by love, our endeavors for happiness will go in vain. But as soon as the hand feeds, or the soul serves, there is satisfaction and pleasure. Similarly it said that one must water the root of the plant not simply just water the leaves.

This being said, it understood that in all circumstances the same need is there, the need to connect to God in a loving relationship.

However, as times change, strategies may also change but the need and principle remain the same. For example, previously priests would not market their devotional music as paid musicians. But currently devotional chanting, kirtan, is becoming more and more popular in the music scene. In the interest of spreading the holy kirtan, many priests now market their music.

Hare Krishna :)
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
To see all the responses from the Texas Faith Panel click here

13 Things that do not make sense

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18524911.600-13-things-that-do-not-make-sense.html?full=true