Strong Vedic Presence at Recent Mexico Religious Conference

[Guest guest]

A Report by Vrndavan Parker

 

The Institute of Philosophical Studies of Saltillo, Mexico held a two

day conference on March

30-31st 2006. The First International Congress on the Philosophy of

Religion in a Postmodern and

Globalized World convened at UPN, The National Pedagogical University

of Mexico, Saltillo,

Coahuila branch. Attendees from Mexico, USA, India, Columbia and the

UK presented papers on many

key and relevant issues.

 

Some of the Papers included "Religion and Bioethics,' 'Religious

Systems and Globalization,'

'Religion and Human Rights,' 'Hindu and Buddhist Contributions to the

World,' 'Magic and

Religion,' 'Eastern Religion and Medicine,' 'Hindu-Mexico: An

Authentic and Ancient Cultural

Nexus,' 'Indian Historical Paradoxes,' 'The Need for a Code of Ethics

in Religious Studies,'

'Studies into the Antiquity of the Ramayana,' 'In the Footsteps of

Lord Krishna,' 'Religion and

Health Recovery' and 'Benefits of Religion in Overcoming Addictions."

 

Professor Elio Masferrer Kant, permanent secretary of the Latin

American Association for the

Study of the Religions, emphasized that the great challenge for

Catholicism in the 21st century is

for the Church leadership to approach the parishioners in order to

understand and satisfy their

spiritual needs. Recognizing that not only in Mexico but throughout

Latin America, people are

turning from Catholicism he stated,The statistics verify it. In

the last 60 years, the

number of Catholics in Mexico has dropped from 98% to 80%." Professor

Kant affirmed that

sections of the Mexican population are looking for other religious

options, mainly due to the

structure of Catholicism. It is very centered on the clergy while the

Evangelical groups have more

advantages, "Because their structures are much more participative, the

laymen have more ability to

stand up for their needs and this allows a much more efficient

development. More and more people

are going to voluntarily choose their own religious paths. The

Catholic Church should look into

all the possibilities of becoming more diversified and adapt with

changes in its practices and

culture".

 

Author of the book, "Imprints of the Bhagavat Purana in the Works of

Chanakya,"Horacio

Francisco Arganis Juárez, a Professor in Theology, Philosophy and

Religion of Ancient India spoke

on "The Need for a Code of Ethics in the Study of Religion and

Culture." He

highlighted various instances where religion, spirituality and culture

have been analytically

studied without any thought or recognition for cultural and religious

sensitivities. Using the

example of the recent State of California's Board of Education

Textbook issue, he

said,"While great strides have been made regarding the ethical

treatment of animals, I find

it puzzling that no similar ethical approach is taken in regards to

religious studies. Without

practitioners, religion is just a concept. Yet while studying the

concepts of religion no ethical

approach is applied when dealing with the sensitivities of the

practitioners of the faith in

question. This is a violation of a basic Human right" Dr. Arganis

thus urged the

application of a code of ethics in the study of religion. In this way

religious studies can become

a tool for social development rather than an antagonistic field used

to discredit religion.

 

Swami Amarnathananda of the Bharat Seva Ashram Sangh gave a talk on

the integral role of Sri

Krishna's Bhagavad Gita in Hindu life. He stated,"Krishna spoke the

Gita on a battlefield

because life is like a battle. So in the battle of life, Krishna's

Gita is there. It is not just

for Indians but it is for the benefit of the whole world." Swamiji was

pleased to see the

publics great interest in Hinduism and Buddhism in Mexico and

appreciated the honor he was given

as a visiting Hindu monk.

 

Independent Researcher Mohini Sarin's paper ' Hindu-Mexico: An

Authentic and Ancient Cultural

Nexus' was well received and generated much curiosity. She pointed out

the similarity between the

Hindu Trinity - Brahma-Visnu-Shiva and the Mexican Trinity -

Ho-Huizilopochtli-Tlaloc as well as

the likeness between South Indian temples and American pyramids. She

quoted Donald A. Mackenzie's

book, Myths of Pre-Columbian America: Tezcatlipoca, was like the Hindu

god Kubera, was also a god

of the north. The story of Yappan appears to be of Indian origin. The

story of the temptation and

fall of Yappan is too like that of the temptation and fall of his

Indian prototype to be of

spontaneous origin in the New World. The conclusion drawn from the

evidence of the Yappan myth

that Hindu cultural influences reached America is greatly strengthened

when we find Acosta

informing us that certain Mexican ascetics, who assisted the priests,

"dressed in white robes and

lived by begging." The wandering Brahmin and Buddhist pilgrims in

India similarly begged their

food." Games such as the pachisi of India and the Mexican patolli, the

valador game, mirror of

pyrite, betel and coco-chewing, with lime and tobacco, as well as

gourd containers for the lime;

shell money; birchbark shelters and canoes; and the identical

containers of birchbark with

curvilinear scraped design from Siberia; string crosses as prayers

from Tibet, India, Assam,

Mexico, and Peru; and last, but not the least - the cultivation of

cotton, practiced since early

times in Asia. Many Mexican Indian words are the same in Tamil and

Sanskrit such as Catamaran.

Other examples included

chinkat (jaguar) sinha (lion)

mita (time)mita (step passage of time)

nana (sister)nanda (sister)

paksa (the moon)paksa (the full moon)

kakarpa (tent)k'arpara (parasol)

chirau (resplendent)sura (to shine)

huakra (horn)vakra (curved)

 

Monsignor Jose Raul Side Lopez, Bishop of the Diocese of Saltillo,

Mexico and Human rights

activist presented a paper entitled,"Religion and Human rights." The

Bishop urged

Religious leaders to seriously apply the built-in standards of human

rights that is a part of all

authentic religious traditions. "No longer should people be forced to

fit into the letter of

religious doctrine but religion must adapt itself to the needs and

spiritual necessities of the

people. It is unacceptable for religions to remain neutral to the

sufferings of humanity."

 

WAVES, World Association for Vedic Studies committee member and

Independent researcher, Ramen

Nandi's paper,"Studies into the Antiquity of the Ramayana" posed

serious questions

regarding the ability of researchers to accurately date the Ramayana.

Despite vast evidences,

including geological, linguistic and textual, scholars have not yet

been able to confirm the exact

date of the Ramayana. However, there are many key scientific findings

that seem to confirm a very

ancient date for the Ramayana and its vast influence on Indian

civilization since antiquity.

 

Vrndavan Brannon Parker, International Co-coordinator for the VFA, the

Vedic Friend's Association

and member of WAVES attended as well. His paper entitled 'Indian

Historical Paradoxes' concluded

that only through modern scientific investigative techniques combined

with traditional cultural

data can a researcher find conclusive results. Parker said,"It is a

paradox that despite the

fact that Indian civilization represents the ancient world's most

voluminous source of

scholarly research into science, religion, philosophy etc. this

treasure house of knowledge is

not considered as an authentic source for information regarding

humanities' ancient past.

On the other hand, stray artifacts from random discoveries have become

the foundation of theories

that contradict most evidences validated by the traditional Hindu

perspective." Mr Parker

pointed out that one of the world's leading experts on South Asian

Archeology, Professor Jim G

Shaffer an American archaeologist and Professor of Anthropology at

Case Western Reserve University

found evidence of extemely ancient cultural continuity in India. He

stated that the traditional

Hindu perspective on Indian history fits better into the

archaeological evidence. Professor

Shaffer was quoted as saying that by including traditional views and

cultural belief systems into

scientific research, one can develop a more accurate and complete

picture of the ancient past.

Parker concluded by praising the inclusiveness of Indian civilization.

Throughout history, India

has welcomed Jews, Parsis and other oppressed minorities. In modern

times, India is preserving the

ancient Tibetan culture and is the only country in the world to host

all 72 schools of Islamic

thought. No Muslim nation can boast of such Islamic diversity. It is

India's Vedic Hindu ideals

that have allowed India to be the home of over a billion people yet

still have plenty of room for

a variety of wildlife, including the world's last remaining Asian lions.

 

Professor Heber Ramos from IBCH of Cali Colombia had a presentation

entitled, "In the

Footsteps of Lord Krishna." Tracing all the various evidences

confirming the antiquity of

the worship of Lord Krishna, Professor Ramos concluded,"There is vast

scientific evidence

regarding the life and times of Krishna that correlates with the

traditional Hindu perspective. A

wealth of archaeological, textual, astronomical, geological and

historical evidence is available

to the honest and unbiased researcher. No longer should academia

treat Krishna as just a mere

mythological figure. The imprint of Lord Krishna on the history of the

world is an obvious,

authentic and tremendous one."

 

William Henricks, a lecturer on Eastern religions and Director of the

Bhaktivedanta Institute for Science and the Humanities presented a

paper called 'Hindu and

Buddhist Contributions to the World.' He spoke on the development of

Buddhism within the

Vedic-Hindu framework. Rather than presenting Buddhism as a separate

religion, Henricks clarified

that Buddhism developed in India in the fertile ground of Vedic India.

Buddha simplified

spirituality for the ancient Indians and never claimed to be founding

a new religion. He also

spoke on the development of modern Hinduism, clarified the difference

between the modern Caste

system and the ancient Vedic Varna and Ashram system. "Throughout

ancient Indian history,

Varna was decided by qualification and carachter and not by birth.

Only as time progressed did

birth become the main prerequisite. But the application of Varna based

on birth is not true

Hinduism." He stated.

 

The conference audience was a diverse group consisting of Scholars,

Catholic Priests and Nuns,

Evangelical Christians, Hindus of India, Mexico, USA and UK and local

University students, among

others. All found interest in each other's perspectives and called

for respect, tolerance and

understanding amongst the various religions. A common call for an

ethical approach in the studies

and practices of religion and science was issued.

 

The two day conference was closed with a presentation of traditional

Hindu music and song. The

entire audience joined togheter in the chanting of Hindu-Vedic hymns

and enjoyed the Hindu musical

demonstration. During the closing ceremonies, the Institute of

Philosophical Studies of Saltillo,

Coahuila, Mexico honored all Presentors with Certificates of

Appreciation and Recognition.